Correspondence on not-so-famous lost words

Correspondence on not-so-famous lost words

Jane Arnold seeks a short story, possibly from the 1960s, about a judge known for mercilessness who goes fishing on his day off without his toupee, teeth, or ID, and is picked up for vagrancy. His cellmate tells him about the horrible judge they’ll face the next day (himself, of course), and they break out of jail. The next time he is faced with a case, he tempers the law with mercy. Star asters are important in the story, and may appear in the title.

“Menasseh ben Israel” (November-December 2018). On clothing made from stone in China, Vincent Daly wrote that Marco Polodescribes an asbestos mine in “Ghinghin talas” province “from which the cloth which we call of salamander, which cannot be burnt if it is thrown into the fire, is made…” (A.C. Moule and Paul Pelliot, Marco Polo: The Description of the World, 1938, page 156). On swollen thighs in Cochin, India, Bernard Witlieb wrote that elephantiasis was widely prevalent there and often referred to as “Cochin leg.”

Send inquiries and answers to Chapter and Verse, Harvard Magazine, 7 Ware Street, Cambridge 02138, or via email to chapterandverse@harvardmag.com.

You might also like

How Stories Help Us Cope with Climate Change

The growing genre of climate fiction offers a way to process reality—and our anxieties.

Open Book: A New Nuclear Age

Harvard historian Serhii Plokhy’s latest book looks at the rising danger of a new arms race.

Novelist Lev Grossman on Why Fantasy Isn’t About Escapism

The Magicians author discusses his influences, from Harvard to King Arthur to Tolkien.

Most popular

Ben S. Bernanke ’75 Shares Economics Nobel

Three scholars honored for work on banking and financial crises.

Massachusetts General Hospital's resident mummy undergoes restoration and study

MGH's resident mummy undergoes restoration and a medical exam.

Mindfulness—the unconventional research of psychologist Ellen Langer

Psychologist Ellen Langer's unconventional research. Plus, read about applying mindfulness techniques to eating.

Explore More From Current Issue

Firefighters battling flames at a red building, surrounded by smoke and onlookers.

Yesterday’s News

How a book on fighting the “Devill World” survived Harvard’s historic fire.

A black primate hanging lazily on a branch in a lush green forest.

What Bonobos Teach Us About Female Power and Cooperation

A Harvard scientist expands our understanding of our closest living relatives.

Modern campus collage: Rubenstein Treehouse Conference Center, One Milestone labs, Verra apartment, and co-working space.

The Enterprise Research Campus in Allston Nears Completion

A hotel, restaurants, and other retail establishments are open or on the way.