Found the owl in
THE HINDUS: AN ALTERNATIVE HISTORY, which I think means
I can stop reading it if I want. Yes, I have once again proven
my famous and much beloved statement that every book has an owl in it. There is a particular penance for killing "a
cat or a
mongoose, a
blue jay, a
frog, a
dog, a
lizard, an owl, or a
crow." It's quoted from Manu's DHARMA-SHASTRA, reminding me of
the time John Aubrey quoted Sir Thomas Browne on the subject of
"Owles," ha ha, am I right? Good times. Yeah? Are you with me? Huh? No? Is this all a little "inside owlball," to use the popular phrase? I should try to get a grip.