Fatted calf

Metaphor
James Tissot's The Return of the Prodigal Son

Fatted calf is a metaphor or symbol of festive celebration and rejoicing for someone's long-awaited return. It derives from the Parable of the Prodigal Son in the New Testament. In biblical times, people would often keep at least one piece of livestock that was fed a special diet to fatten it up, thus making it more flavorsome when prepared as a meal. Slaughtering this livestock was to be done on rare and special occasions. Thus when the prodigal son returns, the father "kills the fatted calf" to show that the celebration is out of the ordinary.

In modern usage, "killing the fatted calf" can simply mean to celebrate in an exuberant manner.

References

  • The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy (3rd ed. 2002)
  • v
  • t
  • e
The Parable of the Prodigal Son in arts and culture
Source
  • Luke 15
  • Parables of Jesus
Art
Film
  • L'Enfant prodigue (1907)
  • The Prodigal (1955)
  • The Gospel (2005)
  • The Prodigal Trilogy (2008)
  • The Imposter (2008)
  • Preacher's Kid (2010)
Stage
  • The London Prodigal (1605 play)
  • Prodigal Son (1929 ballet)
Opera
  • L'enfant prodigue (1850)
  • The Prodigal Son (1968)
Music
  • The Prodigal Son (1869)
  • L'enfant prodigue (1884)
Songs
  • Symphony No. 4
  • "Walkin' to Missouri" (1952)
  • "Prodigal Son" (1994)
Album
  • Ants'hillvania (1981)
  • The Prodigal Son (1983)
LiteraturePapal
  • Dives in misericordia (1980)
  • Reconciliatio et paenitentia (1984)
Other
See also
  • The Prodigal Son (disambiguation)
  • Return of the Prodigal Son (disambiguation)
Stub icon

This Christianity-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

  • v
  • t
  • e