This is a guest post of mine on an otherwise lovley and insightful blog, “Knitting Benedict: The Rule…by hand.” This is one of my favorite blogs to regular. There is hardly a better way, than I can imgaine, to glean wisdom an ancient book of instruction than by taking small bites of it and chewing slowly while working with your hands on small stuff. “Work and pray,” says saint Benedict.

I am in the middle of forging a batch of sock puppets. As I do I cannot help but see the contrasts between the kinds of toys I am fashioning and a stern bit of advice from Benedict’s rule: don’t speak unless spoken to.

The key piece of the sock-puppet is its mouth. One can even use a sock puppet with no eyes or costumery as long as one can make it talk. All one needs is an opposing thumb and a little imagination. Whatever sort of hat, bow, mustache or eyepatch I sew on to one of these little guys, their true role in any given plot really hinges on the words that come from its mouth.

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