London's smallest statue
Tuesday, August 19th, 2014 12:36 pmHere is
aviva_m in front of (or indeed underneath) London's smallest statue, of two mice eating cheese.
aviva_m put it, "Only in Britain!" (Would such a statue be put up, I think she meant, not would such a fight break out.)
( View piccy )
Précising from here (on which click for a fuller version):These two wee mice are a memorial to two builders who died nearby, working in the 1670s on the Monument to the Great Fire of London, which had destroyed a vast part of the City a few years before.As
At some point during the Monument’s construction, the two builders sat down on a high scaffold to enjoy their packed-lunch of bread and cheese. However, something was amiss… one of the men’s sarnies had been nibbled away to almost nothing!
For some reason, the victim of this food theft immediately blamed his mate sitting beside him and a fight broke out—not wise when you’re poised so high up. Trading punches, the unfortunate pair lost their footing and plunged to the ground, both being killed instantly.
It was only later, after similar disappearances of bread and cheese, that the real culprits were discovered:
An infestation of tiny mice.