Re: Thanks

Posted by Miri Barak on November 27, 2003

In Reply to: Re: Snatch the princess posted by Lewis on November 27, 2003

: : : : : : Hello:
: : : : : : Long time since I've been here:
: : : : : : Do you know if this expression has any idiomatic meaning: "snatch the princess".
: : : : : : The context: Someone offers a couple help without charging them, and the husband says "she won't take our money, she won't steal our souls and she won't snatch the princess".
: : : : : : My very thanks to you all
: : : : : : Miri

: : : : : I've never heard "snatch the princess." I was thinking it might be a fairy tale reference. But, then again, could it be a reference to a computer game? I'm not up on that and my kids are still asleep. Does anyone know?

: : : : Mysterious to me, too. More context?

: : : I googled the phrase and came up with several sites including a review of Gandalf the Sorcerer:

: : : "Suppose you're a troll, or some other kind of fantasy monster, and you and your tribe decide to capture a princess from a nearby castle. Sure, it is heavily fortified, but you are muscular creatures, and together you will surely be able to force open the gate. So essentially it's a simple matter of reaching the castle, smashing the gate, taking the princess and getting back out...right?"

: : : I think I'm entering a pop culture blackout period. (Did I just coin a phrase?) My children are near-grown and away from home and grandchildren are (I am assuming) in the not-so-near future. I don't have young people to keep me informed.

: :
: : Thank you all my friends for your answers, about the grandchildren I cann't wait that long, but seriously I can't give you more context because it's for a friend.
: : So thank you again
: : miri

:
: The above post sounds right - I have heard the expression before and it meant 'harmless' - I do think that princesses are kidnapped with indecent regularity in fiction and so the expression has it's roots in folk-lore. Psychologically, the phrase reveals an insecurity about the growing up of children and the worry of supervising adults. Not worrying about somebody wanting to 'Snatch the princess' is related to the princess's 'snatch' I suspect and so the person feels that they do not need to worry about sexual shennanigins.
: fear of losing : Money (overt), Power (souls), Sexual control (princess)

Thank you for the explanation, I'll pass it on.

• Thank you on behalf of my friend Miri Barak 27/November/03