Paarse koe

[Tijntje]

De Amerikaan Gelett Burgess is beroemd geworden door "The Purple Cow: Reflections on a Mythic Beast Who's Quite Remarkable, at Least":

I never saw a Purple Cow.
I never hope to see one.
But I can tell you anyhow,
I'd rather see than be one.

Later werd hij hier steeds mee geconfronteerd: mensen citeerden dit telkens wanneer ze hem tegenkwamen. Daarop schreef hij "Confession: and a Portrait Too, Upon a Background that I Rue":

Ah yes, I wrote The Purple Cow.
I'm sorry now I wrote it.
But I can tell you anyhow,
I'll kill you if you quote it.