Fox paws

The little girl comes running in to her mother who's in the kitchen. She's carrying a book and she looks up to her mother and asks:

"Mummy, what are 'fox paws'?

"Fox paws?" her mother asks. "What do you mean?"

"See," says the little girl, holding up her book and pointing, "'fox paws'!"

"Oh," say her mother. "You mean 'faux pas' (ed. correctly pronounced)! It's French, you know (ed. roll your rrrr's), 'faux pas'."

"I see, but what does it mean, mummy?"

"Well, it means a 'faux pas', you know. It's French!"

"I don't understand, mummy."

"Well, let me explain. Do you recall last week when the Vicar was here for tea?"

"Uh huh."

"And do you recall when we went out into garden to see the flowers?"

"Uh huh."

"And do you remember when he was smelling the roses and he pricked his finger horribly on a thorn, and was just bleeding all over everywhere?"

"Uh huh."

And do you remember later that afternoon when we were in the drawing room about to have tea and you walked in and said 'Hello Vicar. How's your prick?' and I said 'Oh shit!' and dropped the teapot?"

"Uh huh."

"Well, THAT's a faux pas!"