Biting off more than you can chew

"On removing the earth and leaves, the shocking spectacle was presented to our view-the four quarters of a human body roasted."

The Sun, A Cannibal Feast

Tall tales were of great consumption during the early days of America and still are to a lesser extent. In The Sun's "A Cannibal Feast" American troops are lodged in New Zealand were they are confronted with an act of cannibalism that native New Zealender's inflict upon a young slave. What sticks out is the use of gaudy terms to spike up the sensationalism of the story to give it some legs. The soldiers talk at length about the disgust they underwent when they heard of the act as well as going into great detail about witnessing the body roasted as if it were cattle. For the most part this piece seems top be like the tabloid of its day. Without celebrity debutantes there needed to be tales of debauchery, cannibalism or anything that would catch the extensive readers eye.