The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-08-14
DO YOU KNOW
WHAT YOU MEAN?
Origins Of Some of the Sayings
That Are Quoted in Everyday
Conversation,

''The lions SHARE embodied the
sarcasm of old Aesop, in whose fable,
at the conclusion of their joint rest,
the animals announce their wish to d.
vide the booty, the lion claiming one
quarter by reason of kingly preroga-
tive, one quarter for his superior
courage. one quarter for his dam and
cubs. "As for the fourth quarter, sald
the lion, ''let who will dispute IT with
me-
every man for himself and the
devil take the hindmost,' Is q cynlcal
slogan derived from the Spanlards, ac-
| cording to The New York Press. 1t is
said that his satanic majesty once
conducted a school of magic at TOLEDO.
At the end Of the term the graduating
| class was, it appears, made to run
through a long subterranean hall, the
president Of the institution being en-
titled to the hindmost Ii he could eaten
him. !.
"A feather in ones cap" is derived
from Scotland. Among the woodcraft
enthusiasts it was the custom for the
individual first to kill a woodcock to
pluck out a feather and place 1t in his
cap. oliver Cromwell conferred dig
nifty upon his expression when, on MS
refusal of the English crown, he OBJ
served: royalty is but q feather in a.
mans cap; let children enjoy their rat
tie"
A thoroughbred game cock shows
| only red and black feathers, and a
! crossbreed is known by a white feath-
er in it's tail. Hence, ito show the
white feather conveys a strong no.
ton of cowardice, from n point Of
xyiouy Of leaSt
One may search the scriptures in
| vain for any allusion to Jobs turkey.
The expression, "As poor as Jobs
turkey; had its origin in the brain Of
a humorist, sam Slick" He de-
| scribed the bird as being possessed OF
but one feather in its tail, and as OF SO
! feeble a condition that 1t was only
by leaning against a fence that 1t was
enabled to gobble.
The ancient Greeks are responsible
for the expression, ITO throw dust
in ones eyes," Epaminondas, wishing
To surprise the Lacedemonians, is said
to have caused 1900 cavalry to advance
in front, kicking up q great dust tnat
the wind blew into the faces OF the
enemy, thus binding them to q flank
movement he was executing with q
view to taking the coveted heights in
| their rear.
parking up the wrong tree" may
be referred to the mistake sometimes
made by hunting dogs when game flies
from tree to tree.
"Dead Mans Shoes"
"Dead mans shoes" is undoubtedly
TO be traced to an old Hebrew custom.
On the transfer Of an inheritance the
successor received a shoe belonging to
the deceased owner.
For many years in front of the pulpit
In Scottish churches persons under
censure sat during the service. Aft
erward they stood to receive public
rebuke. From this practice we derive
the stool of repentance"
'"To eat humble pie" is to be ascrib-
ed to he fact that in feudal days the
umbles, inferior parts of deer, were
baked in pies for the poor retainers,
"Whole hog or none" refers to the
alleged custom of Mohammed to allow
his followers to eat all except one por-
ton of a pig, which portion, however
was not specified. The result, there
fore. was that If a Mohammedan did
not wholly avoid the use Of pork he
might as we'll run the risk of consum-
ing the whole portion as to eat any
portion thereof.