Hey all:
I did not put this under True Tickling Stories because I do not know how true it is. It is a story that does turn up in more than one book (which I guess makes it a legend) about Catherine The Great of Russia. It seems that Catherine once had a servant girl who was either slow 2 carry out an order or who disobeyed. Catherine ordered the girl 2 remove her shoes and go 2 the Great Hall were all public audiences were held. She also ordered the court Lords and Ladies 2 appear ther @ once.
One historians account says when the barefoot girl entered the room amongst all these titled people " . . . she looked neither left nor right but kept her gaze fixed on the floor, more embarrassed than if she were naked." Catherine ordered hel tied 2 an ornate sofa, explained her "crime" 2 the audience and announced they would all witness her punishment. Then The Great Catherine knelt by the sofa and began 2 tickle the girl's feet. How long this went no one can say but the historian reported " . . . not a single eye turned away . . ." and then theEmpress ordered (not invited but ordered) the nobles 2 all contribute 2 the torture of the poor girl. It was written that many obeyed willingly and the servent girl was tickle tortured for some four hours! It only stopped when the court physician said she could die if it went on N E longer, so the servant was released. More then likely she never disobeyed again. Would U?
I question the truth of this because we all know now that prolonged tickling can cause spasms, convulsions, tachycardia and even death from asphyxia so four hours of tickling seems unlikely. No doubt the story has been embellished more than somewhat. Still it is an interesting bit of history.
What is a proven historical fact is that wealthy Russian ladies often hired peasant men 2 come 2 their palaces and ticlke their feet. While doing the tickling the men sang tavern songs with bawdy, risque lyrics that "polite" women were not supposed 2 hear. Allegedly this served as some kind of sexual substitute while the ladies husbands were away fighting wars.
As Mark Twain once wrote "It might have happened, it might not have happened; but it could have happened."
I did not put this under True Tickling Stories because I do not know how true it is. It is a story that does turn up in more than one book (which I guess makes it a legend) about Catherine The Great of Russia. It seems that Catherine once had a servant girl who was either slow 2 carry out an order or who disobeyed. Catherine ordered the girl 2 remove her shoes and go 2 the Great Hall were all public audiences were held. She also ordered the court Lords and Ladies 2 appear ther @ once.
One historians account says when the barefoot girl entered the room amongst all these titled people " . . . she looked neither left nor right but kept her gaze fixed on the floor, more embarrassed than if she were naked." Catherine ordered hel tied 2 an ornate sofa, explained her "crime" 2 the audience and announced they would all witness her punishment. Then The Great Catherine knelt by the sofa and began 2 tickle the girl's feet. How long this went no one can say but the historian reported " . . . not a single eye turned away . . ." and then theEmpress ordered (not invited but ordered) the nobles 2 all contribute 2 the torture of the poor girl. It was written that many obeyed willingly and the servent girl was tickle tortured for some four hours! It only stopped when the court physician said she could die if it went on N E longer, so the servant was released. More then likely she never disobeyed again. Would U?
I question the truth of this because we all know now that prolonged tickling can cause spasms, convulsions, tachycardia and even death from asphyxia so four hours of tickling seems unlikely. No doubt the story has been embellished more than somewhat. Still it is an interesting bit of history.
What is a proven historical fact is that wealthy Russian ladies often hired peasant men 2 come 2 their palaces and ticlke their feet. While doing the tickling the men sang tavern songs with bawdy, risque lyrics that "polite" women were not supposed 2 hear. Allegedly this served as some kind of sexual substitute while the ladies husbands were away fighting wars.
As Mark Twain once wrote "It might have happened, it might not have happened; but it could have happened."
