Podcast Summary

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Host: Harold’s Old Time Radio
Episode: Ripley's Believe It Or Not – 1 Minute Episodes xx-xx-xx (365) Animal Pack
Date: November 29, 2025

Overview

This brief episode features a classic "Ripley's Believe It Or Not" radio segment, spotlighting fascinating facts about language oddities and historical “animal taxes” that supported hospitals in Spain for centuries. The main purpose is to share one of Ripley’s signature slices of history: peculiar, surprising truths from around the world.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Linguistic Curiosity: The Word "Cherami"

• Ripley’s Host:
  • Shares the story of how the Russian word cherami traces its origins to French, originally meaning “dear friend.”
  • Points out the evolution of the word during the Napoleonic invasions, where French stragglers would address hosts as “cher ami.”
  • In modern Russian, however, the term cherami ironically came to mean “tramp.”
  • Quote (B, 00:33):

    “The Russians have a word, cherami, which is derived from the French cher ami, or dear friend in begging for food. French stragglers in the Napoleonic invasion always addressed their host as cher ami. In Russian, it means a tramp, believe it or not.”

2. The Enigmatic Animal Tax and the Hospital of Santiago de Compostela

• Ripley’s Host:
  • Describes the Royal Hospital of Santiago de Compostela, established in 1499 by Ferdinand and Isabella.
  • For 310 years, Spanish farmers were legally required to pay an annual tax to support the hospital: one third of a bushel of grain per pair of oxen, mules, or donkeys they owned.
  • This extraordinary hospital funding system lasted until it was abolished by Napoleon in 1809.
  • Quote (B, 01:02):

    "...for a period of 310 years, every Spanish farmer was obliged to make an annual contribution to the hospital at the rate of one third of a bushel of grain for every pair of oxen, mules, or donkeys he owned. The tax was finally terminated by Napoleon when he invaded Spain in 1809. Believe it or not."

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On linguistic twists:

  “In Russian, it means a tramp, believe it or not.” (B, 00:48)

• On the endurance of the animal tax:

  “No hospital was ever supported as widely or as long as the Royal Hospital of Santiago de Compostela, founded by Ferdinand and Isabella in 1499.” (B, 00:57)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:33 – Introduction of the cherami story and language evolution
• 01:02 – The animal tax funding a hospital: details and historical context
• 01:30 – The tax’s dramatic end at the hands of Napoleon

Tone and Style

True to the original Ripley’s radio segments, the host presents these trivia tidbits in a brisk, dramatic style—delivering history with intrigue and a touch of disbelief. The pacing is swift, keeping to the classic one-minute format.

Conclusion

While short, this Ripley's Believe It Or Not episode packs two remarkably strange-but-true stories—a testament to the show’s enduring appeal. Anyone interested in quirky history and linguistic oddities will find these segments as entertaining as they are educational.