Frosty the Golem
Yes, there’s plenty of actual news this week, not the least of which is the repeal of DADT and the death of the DREAM Act for illegal immigrants. I’ll get to some of that soon enough. But since this is Christmas week, so I’ll be sprinkling in a bit of holiday cheer in and amongst the regular posts. And this was too funny to pass up.
It’s a 2007 post from a blog called Lady, That’s My Skull. In it, the blogger “Sleestak” digs into the story of Frosty. And it’s not pretty. [emphasis added]
Nothing says “supernatural vengeance” like a mass of unliving natural materials animated and set on a path of justice by those who have suffered at the hands of others. Frosty the Snowman, the sanitized Rankin-Bass television special aside, is a Golem in the traditional sense.
The famous seasonal song immortalized by Gene Autry holds much clear evidence as to Frosty’s origins and ultimate purpose. The lyrics of the tune are easy enough to interpret correctly. Frosty is in actuality a creature of Old Testament-style power created by Kabala-worshiping children to correct the inequities they suffered at the hands of the citizens and from the horrible pogroms of the anti-semitic town in which they reside. Lacking tools or anything that could be used as a weapon the desperate and faithful children build a Golem of legend out of the only material they could easily manipulate and gather: Snow.
By placing a hat (very likely a yarmulke) imbued with powerful magic upon a humanoid form fashioned of inanimate matter, a Golem is brought to a semblance of life by a vengeful God in answer to the children’s anguished prayers. Dubbed “Frosty”by the innocent and non-ironic children, the creature is sent from its birthing place in the forest armed with a “broomstick” (rather, a huge club of some sort) into the village on a mission of vengeance. Song scribes Steven “Jack” Rollins and Steve Nelson do not even attempt to hide the terrible descriptions of the Snow-Golem’s murderous spree of righteous retribution to be found in the lyrics of the song.
The phrase ”Thumpety thump thump“ is repeated several times during the song, succinctly describing not the martial tune of an impromptu parade of happy children following an imaginary character into innocent play, but rather the continuous blows of icy fists made hard as granite by the bitter cold against the flesh of those who would oppress the innocent. Frosty’s first target of retribution upon entering the village is a “police officer” who is actually the symbol of racist, intolerant government and authority. Just as in the classic legend of the Golem, once the ice creature completes it’s mission it departs and returns to its previous state of lifeless, inanimate matter, promising to “be back again some day” if needed to mete out swift punishment against evil-doers.
I bet you’ll have a different mental image the next time you hear the song!
Frosty the snowman was a jolly happy soul,
With a corncob pipe and a button nose
And two eyes made out of coal.
Frosty the snowman is a fairy tale, they say,
He was made of snow but the children
Know how he came to life one day.
There must have been some magic in that
Old silk hat they found.
For when they placed it on his head
He began to dance around.
O, Frosty the snowman
Was alive as he could be,
And the children say he could laugh
And play just the same as you and me.
Thumpetty thump thump,
Thumpety thump thump,
Look at Frosty go.
Thumpetty thump thump,
Thumpety thump thump,
Over the hills of snow.
Frosty the snowman knew
The sun was hot that day,
So he said, “Let’s run and
We’ll have some fun
Now before I melt away.”
Down to the village,
With a broomstick in his hand,
Running here and there all
Around the square saying,
Catch me if you can.
He led them down the streets of town
Right to the traffic cop.
And he only paused a moment when
He heard him holler “Stop!”
For Frosty the snow man
Had to hurry on his way,
But he waved goodbye saying,
“Don’t you cry,
I’ll be back again some day.”
Thumpety thump thump,
Thumpety thump thump,
Look at Frosty go.
Thumpety thump thump,
Thumpety thump thump,
Over the hills of snow
12th gen. American, Constitutionalist, Harley-riding Texan, gun owner & NRA member, blogger, illustrator, Florida Gator alumnus. #TCOT

