Hello everyone, I am very new at all of this, I just went to my very first fair last weekend in Palisaide, Co. (Ravenshire) and I had a blast. I am now officially hooked! So I did while I was there learn alot, but there is one thing that is a little puzzling to me.
I saw several people walking around with tails tied to the back of thier belts. One of the things that I have learned is that many things have underlying meanings. So that brings up my question. Do the tails have a specific meaning or purpose, do different colors mean different things, any information. It is just a little puzzling to me. And then from there, where do I look into getting one?
Thanks a bunch.
It means that there are a lot of sad, tail-less, rainbow foxes running around :'(
oh no not the rainbow foxes! isn't there a conservation in effect against the de-tailling of the elusive rainbow fox?
Welcome to the forums!
Here's something for you to check out... ;D
Topic: Fox Tails, animal tails, and assorted pelts... (http://www.renaissancefestival.com/forums/index.php?topic=112.0)
serioulsy though, some people say they don't really have any purpose other than to draw attention to certain features...
I just found this information on another site
"Anyway, I'm currently reading Simon Schama's A History of Britain, and in a chapter on the Black Death I came across an interesting little morsel. As the plague swept the land, people naturally were casting about for explanations for what was causing this holocaust, both rational and supernatural. Inevitably, God's wrath for the sinfulness of society was a popular explanation. As evidence of this debauchery, John of Reading wrote in 1344: "Women wearing clothes so tight that they wore a fox tail hanging down inside their skirts at the back to hide their (bottoms)""
Well you can follow the link above, or just get a quick answer here.
They mean absolutely nothing. But as someone said they draw attention to one body part. It also gives an excuse to have some one tell you nice tail.
I for a long time wondered why people wore them unless it was a "Furry' Thing you know the anami type people type animals, but it does not. It's just something to put on a belt for decoration. It is usually worn by pirate types and peasant, never a noble that I have seen at least not at Colorado Renaissance Festival (CoRF)
Hope this helps
The tails can mean anything from "trying to get some 'tail'" to nothing at all. Some people just think they are pretty.
In period (16th c), if you wore a tail, it meant you were a very lowly begger (see one of the paintings depicting tails here (http://www.oceansbridge.com/oil-paintings/product/2659/thebeggers1568)). Now, you could carry a flea fur if you were of means but a flea fur was typically very highly decorated and the entire skin of the animal, not just the tail.
So does anyone know of anywhere to get a faux fur tail? I've looked around and can't find anything about it. I think the tails look cute, but I don't do fur, so I'm thinkin I might be SOL.
I thought most faires sold tails, but maybe not. I know MDRF does, but I don't know if any are fake or not.
Since I was one of those tailed people that you saw at Ravenshire.
The historical reason for the tails is a flea catcher, the theory was that the fleas would chew on that rather than you. They also used mink pelts they were called ziballinies ( pardon the horrid spelling) the nobles and such would pimp them out with all sorts of jewles and stuff!
But for me the tails are more like a lucky rabbits foot, I have like 5 off of my belt because I cant choose which one to wear! and one is my little boys for when he is taller.
hope that helps
Welcome Lady FireKissed, I bought mine on Ebay. They are so inexpensive to purchase there and a large choice of natural colors to choose from.Good Luck.
Adriana, I think that I remember seeing you there! I was the one with the blue and Green skirts, the green bodice, red hair, hung out with some of the Gypsies, danced at the concert... ring a bell? On the last day I got dubbed with my ren name by one of the pirates doing some caligraphy for the King and Queen. Thank you everyone for trying to awnser my questions, I am so new at this that I am really just trying to learn everything I can so I dont step on too many toes. I am still wondering though, I do remember hearing that different colors mean different things, the only one that I remember is that white means "No questions asked" . Anybody else heard of something like this???
Quote from: LadyFireKissed on August 31, 2008, 04:24:53 PM
I am still wondering though, I do remember hearing that different colors mean different things, the only one that I remember is that white means "No questions asked" . Anybody else heard of something like this???
That sounds more like the bandanna/handkerchief code (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handkerchief_code). (CAUTION - this Wikipedia article refers to many sexual fetishes)
I think I remember you... I was hanging out with the guys that were running the games...I also had a baby boy on my hip all the time, Also I was playing dump the ladder boy for a long time. it was fun!
I have never heard the color thing with the tails.. but I just like mine cuz they are soft!
I know that the tail thing started with a women who played a wench at the long-dead Sedalia, MO, ren faire back in the day. I have a friend who knows the details of why this particular woman started the tail thing and who she was, but my memory fails me as I've only heard the whole story once. I'll try to get the whole story from her again to post here. But basically it spread among the Sedalia wenches originally and seems to have spread like wild fire around the country.