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Pantagruel'
So called because he was born during the drought which lasted
thirty and six months, three weeks, four days, thirteen hours, and a
little more, in that year of grace noted for having “three Thursdays in
one week.” His father was Gargantua, the giant, who was four hundred
fourscore and forty-four years old at the time; his mother, Badebec,
died in giving him birth; his grandfather was Grangousier (q.v.). He was so strong that he was chained in his cradle with four great
iron chains, like those used in ships of the largest size; being angry
at this, he stamped out the bottom of his bassanet, which was made of
weavers' beams, and, when loosed by the servants, broke his bonds into
five hundred thousand pieces with one blow of his infant fist. When he
grew to manhood he knew all languages, all sciences, and all knowledge
of every sort,
out-Solomoning Solomon in wisdom. Having defeated Anarchus, King of
the Dipsodes, all submitted except the Almirods. Marching against these
people, a heavy rain fell, and Pantagruel covered his whole army with
his tongue. While so doing, Alcofribas crawled into his mouth, where he
lived six months, taking toll of every morsel that his lord ate. His
immortal achievement was his voyage from Utopia in quest of the “oracle
of the Holy Bottle” (q.v.).
Wouldst thou not issue forth ...
To see the third part in this earthy cell
Of the brave acts of good Pantagruel'.
Rabelais: To the Spirit of the Queen of Navarre.
Pantagruel was the last of the race of giants.
“My thirst with Pantagruel's own would rank.” —Punch, June
15th, 1893, p. 17.
Pantagruel'
(meant for Henri II., son of Francois I.), in the satirical romance
of Rabelais, entitled History of Gargantua and Pantagruel.
Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894 More on Pantagruel' from Infoplease:
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