Which comic strip character told me that dragonflies sew lips shut?

June 1, 2009 12:00 PM

There's an old wives tale that dragonflies can sew your lips shut. My question is: which comic character told me about this?

I know I read about the dragonfly-lip thing in a comic strip somewhere. In fact, I would guess it was Linus van Pelt. But I can't find any evidence of this on the internet. Can you either vouch for me, or correct my memory?

posted by IvyMike to grab bag (13 comments total)

It was Snoopy, pretty sure, who passed on this lore to Woodstock. Now I'll try to go see if I can track that down.
posted by jessamyn at 12:03 PM on June 1

It was definitely a Peanuts character. I seem to remember that Snoopy and Sally both believed it, and Linus debunked it, but my recollections are about as vague as yours.
posted by Johnny Assay at 1:22 PM on June 1

I think I remember this comic being in my Charlie Brown's Super Book of Questions and Answers About All Kinds of Animals from Snails to People but I don't have it anymore to check. It was a big encyclopedia book.
posted by artychoke at 1:44 PM on June 1

On ebay
posted by artychoke at 1:45 PM on June 1

I just compulsively bought a used copy on Amazon. If no one's found it and it's actually the right book, I'll scan it when it gets here! (We had a fire and I keep getting reminded of books I used to have. My kids were just really getting into those.)
posted by artychoke at 1:51 PM on June 1

Since it seems that if I hold out, we may get a scanned copy of the comic in question, I'm holding off marking "best answer" until then. :)
posted by IvyMike at 3:15 PM on June 1

Add me to the chorus, it definitely was in Charlie Brown's Super Book of Questions and Answers About All Kinds of Animals from Snails to People and I remember it being Linus as well. In fact it's been something I've wondered about and every once in a while I ask Americans if that was something they heard as kids but never has anyone been familiar with that particular bit of lore.
posted by Kattullus at 5:18 PM on June 1

Peanuts, yes, and they called the bugs "darning needles," I think, in case that helps with the googlin'.

How about those Hoop Snakes, eh?
posted by moonmilk at 10:54 PM on June 1

I didn't remember the comic, but I did come across the book when I was helping my mom clean her basement last week. The comic is on page 21, but I don't have access to a scanner.

Snoopy is telling Woodstock filthy, unscientific lies about dragonflies sewing lips shut. Enter Lucy who lets him know how very wrong he is, 'cause, you see, Lucy's been at the library all morning looking up dragonflies.
posted by consummate dilettante at 9:39 AM on June 2 [1 favorite]

I'm pretty sure it was in the daily strips as well; I don't believe I ever heard of CBSBoQaAAAKoAfStP until this thread. My grandparents had a fair number of '70s- and '80s-era Peanuts Parade books that I read religiously as a kid, and I'm almost certain it was in one of those.
posted by Johnny Assay at 10:43 AM on June 2 [1 favorite]

Awesome, Johnny, with that knowledge I think I can provide links.

(10 minutes later)

Okay. I checked the copyright of the book (1976) and browsed the online Peanuts archive for 1975 and 1976. The three daily strips on April 24, 1975, April 25, 1975, and April 26, 1975 were re-printed in colour in CBSBoQaA(AAKoA...fStP).

Go team!
posted by consummate dilettante at 1:09 PM on June 2 [1 favorite]

It turns out it's Lucy that debunks the myth? Whoda thunkit!

Marking consummate dilettante's answer as best, but everyone who contributed deserves a pat on the back. Thanks!
posted by IvyMike at 3:14 PM on June 2

Awesome! My first best answer! But it was definitely a team effort.

Oh man, I have loads of people to thank. I'd like to thank jessamyn, who first identified it as Snoopy talking to Woodstock. artychoke, for letting us know it was in CBSBoQaA(AAKoA...fStP). Johnny Assay hinting that it was in the dailies as well...

*music starts to increase in volume*

Thanks to Kattullus and moonmilk for their contributions, and of course IvyMike for asking the question.

*vapid models flank me, preparing to gently usher me off stage*

Thanks to my aunt for buying me the book and my mom for forcing me to take it out of her basement last week.

*begins to jump up and down like Roberto Benigni*

I LOVE YOU! I LOVE ALL OF YOU!
posted by consummate dilettante at 6:41 AM on June 3 [3 favorites]