put in a pie

[Lenka]

I read this sentence in a fairy tale (for little children!) about bunnies.

Mrs. Rabbit (speaks to her son): "Your father had an accident there; he was put in a pie by Mrs. McGregor."


Does the "phrase" -was put in a pie- mean that the woman killed him and made e.g. minced pies of him?
I can't imagine what else it might mean; anyway, it seems to me quite cruel to write such things to a fairy tale!
Does it really mean that they killed him and cooked him?

[boothling]

Lots of fairy tales are quite gruesome or violent. I don't know the story you read, but it's quite likely that the rabbit was put in a pie and eaten. I can't think of any other meaning for that sentence.

[MikeNewYork]

Lots of fairy tales are quite gruesome or violent. I don't know the story you read, but it's quite likely that the rabbit was put in a pie and eaten. I can't think of any other meaning for that sentence.

My favorite is:

Little Miss Muffet
Sat on a tuffet
Eating her curds and whey.
Along came a spider
And sat down beside her
And she beat the hell out of him with her spoon.

[Lenka]

Well, that's the truth that many fairy tales are quite gruesome (especially the traditional ones (such as from brothers Grimms etc.), but I wouldn't expect such a "surprise" in a story about rabbits by Beatrix Potter... The story seems to be rather chill-out, if we miss this sentence out.

(Correct my English, please!)

[MikeNewYork]

Well, that's the truth that many fairy tales are quite gruesome (especially the traditional ones (such as from brothers Grimms etc.), but I wouldn't expect such a "surprise" in a story about rabbits by Beatrix Potter... The story seems to be rather chill-out, if we miss this sentence out.

(Correct my English, please!)

I don't understand your last sentence.

[BobK]

I read this sentence in a fairy tale (for little children!) about bunnies.

Mrs. Rabbit (speaks to her son): "Your father had an accident there; he was put in a pie by Mrs. McGregor."


Does the "phrase" -was put in a pie- mean that the woman killed him and made e.g. minced pies of him?
I can't imagine what else it might mean; anyway, it seems to me quite cruel to write such things to a fairy tale!
Does it really mean that they killed him and cooked him?

You're interpretation is right - though the pies wouldn't have been individual; it was just one big pie. Peter's mother is speaking euphemistically, avoiding the words "fatally shot [by Mr McGregor], skinned and chopped up [by Mrs McGregor" (although in my experience children would enjoy this sort of gory detail).

[Lenka]

I don't understand your last sentence.

I just meant that if we left the sentence about "putting in a pie" out, the whole fairy tale would be quite relaxing...

[MikeNewYork]

I just meant that if we left the sentence about "putting in a pie" out, the whole fairy tale would be quite relaxing...

Ah! I see.

[mykwyner]

Fifteen years after she was traumatized by this very story, my daughter will still cover her face if you say the words, "Mr. McGregor" in front of her.

[Mariner]

Speaking of...ahem...traumatic stories, has anyone heard of "revolting rhymes"? I just love 'em Here's a short excerpt:
Then Little Red Riding Hood said,
'But Grandma, what a lovely
great big furry coat you have on.'
'That's wrong!' cried Wolf. 'Have you forgot
'To tell me what BIG TEETH I've got?
'Ah well, no matter what you say,
'I'm going to eat you anyway.'
The small girl smiles. One eyelid flickers.
She whips a pistol from her knickers.
She aims it at the creature's head
And bang, bang, bang, she shoots him dead.
A few weeks later, in the wood,
I came across Miss Riding Hood.
But what a change! No cloak of red,
No silly hood upon her head.
She said, 'Hello, and do please note
'My lovely furry WOLF-SKINCOAT.'