I thought some list members might appreciate a translation of the
Russian passage relating the crown-crow-cow incident that Don
submitted (below).


"Legendary misprints"

Some misprints were so good that they would have been worth inventing.
Vikenty Veresaev relates one such: "In an Odessa newspaper, in the
description of a coronation, the text read: 'The Metropolitan placed
the crow [vorona] upon His Imperial Majesty's head.' The paper's next
issue printed the following notice: 'In our paper's last issue, a
regrettable misprint crept into the account of the sacred coronation
of Their Imperial Majesties. As printed: 'The Metropolitan placed the
crow upon His Imperial Majesty's head.' [in place of crow] read 'cow'.
[korova]


This reminded me of an anecdote, possibly apocryphal, that I read
years (and years!) ago about a misprint in a small town American
newspaper. In a news item, a police officer was referred to, and
identified as "Sgt. Whoosis, a defective on the city police force."
The correction the next day read: We apologize for the misprint
identifying Sgt. Whoosis as a defective on the police force. The
passage should of course have read: 'Sgt. Whoosis is a detective on
the city police farce'."


On 29Dec2006, at 11:16 PM, D. Barton Johnson wrote:


<excerpt><bold><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>From
Don Johnson:</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily></bold></excerpt><excerpt>

 

<bold><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>I ran
across this on a Russian web site that gave no attribution. Without
thinking about it, I had always assumed VN invented it.  Does anyone
know whether the word play korona, korova, vorona has pre-Nabokov ian
roots?</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily></bold></excerpt><excerpt>

 

 

<bold><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>Легендарные</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>опечатки

</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily></bold><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>Некоторые</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>опечатки</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>были</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>так</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>хороши</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>,
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>что</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>их</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>стоило</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>придумать</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>.
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>Об</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>одной</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>такой</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>рассказывает</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>Викентий</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>Вересаев</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>:
"</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>В</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>одной</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>одесской</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>газете</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>при</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>описании</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>коронации</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>было</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>напечатано</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>:
"</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>Митрополит</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>возложил</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>на</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>голову</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>Его</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>Императорского</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>Величества</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>ворону</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>".
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>В</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>следующем</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>выпуске</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>газеты</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>появилась</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>заметка</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>:
"</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>В</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>предыдущем</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>номере</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>нашей</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>газеты</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>,
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>в</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>отчете</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>о</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>священном</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>короновании</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>Их</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>Императорских</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>Величеств</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>,
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>вкралась</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>досадная</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>опечатка</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>.
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>Напечатано</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>:
"</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>Митрополит</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>возложил</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>на</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>голову</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>Его</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>Императорского</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>Величества</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>ворону</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>"
--
</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>читай</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>:
"</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Lucida Grande</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>корову</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller><x-tad-smaller>".</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily></excerpt><excerpt>


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</excerpt><fontfamily><param>Geneva</param><smaller>"The most
beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious ... the fundamental
emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science." -
Albert Einstein (1879-1955).</smaller></fontfamily>