Pilgrim Or Gypsy?

If someone held a gun to your head and you had to choose between being a pilgrim woman or a gypsy, which would you be? Remember, saying "yes" to one means saying "no" to the other, so choose wisely. As you can see, both wore long skirts and some form of flimsy cotton hat. Obviously the gypsy was better accessorized. But the pilgrim women carried a mean basket loaded up with squash and hedge apples, and their upper arm strength was second to none. Still, gypsies knew how to dance and sing and cavort, and cavorting is in much too short a supply these days. (Ca-vort: To bound or prance about in a sprightly manner; caper. ) And many a gypsy played violin. Keep in mind though, that gypsies were often reviled by young children who were taught to fear them, while Pilgrims have been fashioned out of construction paper and made into centerpieces for the Thanksgiving table since time immemorial. Certainly, Pilgrim women were known for their cooking of sumptious meats, they with their open hearths and rolling spits. It was their deft plucking of turkeys that led people to declare them "full of pluck," hence our modern-day expression. However, one need only remember Hester Prynne and her big scarlet "A" to know what happened to plucky Pilgrim gals. Personally, I would rather be born on the wagon of a travelin' show to a family of gypsies, tramps and thieves. That is, if a gun were put to my head.