Books of wisdom / censored wishing stones

[Daniel van Eijmeren]

ERNST LONGTUPERLINGSTON, 04-04-2005:

> I've just read "Fearsome Flowers" in DD 291 (WDC 214).
> The junior Woodchucks guidebook is mentioned, at the
> last panel. Is it the second time ever the JW
> guidebook is mentioned in a Barks story, or did Barks
> mention it earlier?

Barks (logically) mentioned the Junior Woodchucks guidebook earlier if this 
would have been the second time, which isn't the case. The book is first 
shown in the sunken city story (US 5), where it's mentioned as the Junior 
Woodchucks' Book of Knowledge.

The first time Barks used a book as guide, is in the first rabbit foot story 
(WDC 32), where Donald reads a book titled 'Words of Wise Men' which says 
that "good luck charms are all hokum", which is tested in the story, the 
first Donald Duck story written and drawn by Barks.

Maybe it might be interesting to see Donald's book as an embryonic version 
of the Junior Woodchucks guidebook. (Just like Barks already used Klondike 
and an automatic goldfinder in the 1930s.)

There are more Barks stories in which the information of books is tested. 
(Books other than the Junior Woodchucks guidebook.) It's a recurring story 
ingrediënt. In the april fools' wallets story (WDC 127), recently mentioned 
here, the book 'Mein Kampf' by Hitler obviously has failed the test, as it 
has been thrown into the city dump the nephews are looking through. (2.1)

DANIEL J NEYER, 06-04-2005:

>> "Hey! You're in TAR AND FEATHERS! That's not your USUAL costume, is it?"
>> (Which Barks story?) [...]

> That's from the Wishing Stones story--said by the nephews to the ousted
> island witch doctor.

The wishing stones story (WDC 211), also about the date April 1st, has been 
censored here in Holland. All the natives have been fully redrawn by turning 
them into native ducks.

As redrawn, the above quoted medicine man (7.5) doesn't have any tar and 
feathers, so the joke is lost. How come? Were the tar and feathers forgotten? 
Did the editors use a translated version of the story as a source? 

I've heard the version in 'Alle klassieke verhalen 10' is uncensored, but 
still uses the same dialogue as in the censored version, where the nephews 
just ask why the man is lying in the grass. Can someone check this?
http://coa.inducks.org/story.php/0/W+WDC+211-01

The wishing stones might be interesting to compare with the good luck charm 
effect as used in for example the first rabbit foot's story (WDC 32), 'The 
Magic Hourglass' (OS 291), 'Lost Beneath the Sea' (US 46), and Gladstone 
Gander's luck. It just depends on the question if there's a matter of luck 
or just a matter of coincidence.

--- Daniël

"All this GOOD LUCK comes from having a MASCOT!"
(Which Barks story?) :-)