Fred Basset by Alex Graham for July 24, 2024

Now, now, Fred. Time has taken care of him, and he was correct about the long ears. The whole slow in pursuit thing, not so much. Mine are off like a shot in pursuit of critters. Apparently, Shakespeare really didn’t know Bassets well at all.

He’s no one for you to bother about, Fred.

You were always a poet’s dream, Fred……

One of the historical characters who would later appear in one of Shakespeare’s plays, Julius Caesar, referred to unicorns as oxen with a horn. Most people see them as horses with horns. I have mentioned this before on the Phoebe And Her Unicorn strip.

Shakespeare’s play “Julius Caesar” briefly mentions unicorns. One of the conspirators says that as unicorns can be trapped by trees, men can be trapped by flatterers.

I would need some help, please. What means dew lapped?

Fred, I’m surprised you haven’t heard of him, being British and all ;)

The full quote gets a bit more complimentary: “…Slow in pursuit, but match’d in mouth like bells, each under each. A cry more tuneable was never holla’d to nor cheer’d with horn, in Crete, in Sparta, nor in Thessaly. Judge when you hear.” —Theseus, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act IV, Scene 1.

Obviously not a connoisseur of animals!

Maybe your ancestors weren’t as lovely as modern day Basset Hounds. Selective breeding made some improvements.

Don’t worry about it, Fred. He’s not anybody important.

Anne Hathaway’s husband. The 1590’s Anne Hathaway.

Oh Fred, you are still my favourite, listen to Brent Roosenthal!!!

Some old dead white guy, Fred. Don’t sweat it.

I agree with Fred what does Shakespeare know about being a Bassett hound dog