Chapter a Well to Tunkers of T by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Tune the Old Cow Died of (The). Advice instead of relief; remonstrance instead of help. As St. James says (ii. 15, 16), “If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say to them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?” Your words are the tune the old cow died of. The reference is to the well-known song-

“There was an old man, and he had an old cow,
But he had no fodder to give her,
So he took up his fiddle and played her the tune-
`Consider, good cow, consider,
This isn't the time for the grass to grow.
Consider, good cow, consider.' ”

Tuneful Nine The nine Muses: Calliope (epic poetry), Clio (history), Erato (elegy and lyric poetry), Euterpe (music), Melpomene (tragedy), Polyhymnia (sacred song), Terpsichore (dancing), Thali'a (comedy), Urania (astronomy).

Tuning Goose The entertainment given in Yorkshire when the corn at harvest was all safely stacked.

Tunisian The adjective form of Tunis.

Tunkers A politico-religious sect of Ohio. They came from a small German village on the Eder. They believe all will be saved; are Quakers in plainness of dress and speech; and will neither fight, nor go to law. Both sexes are equally eligible for any office. Celibacy is the highest honour, but not imperative. They are also called Tumblers, and incorrectly Dunkers. Tunker means “to dip a morsel into gravy,” “a sop into wine,” and as they are Baptists this term has been given them; but they call themselves “the harmless people.” (W. Hepworth Dixon: New America, ii. 18.)