Mainly from France
April 20, 2012 (Friday)
“The writing is on the wall.” That was the little headline about the president of France about to lose an election. There was no effort to explain the saying. Everyone around the world knows what it means. Where did the saying come from? The Bible.
Emphasizing that the election is already lost, the Prime Minister of France said, “The carrots are cooked.” I don’t think I’ve ever heard that one. Apparently it originated as a coded message from Britain to the French resistance during the Normandy invasion, meaning it was time to begin certain special operations against the enemy. Evidently the saying has hung around in France.
Another phrase that went with the “carrots” was “the dice have been thrown,” which was another coded message for the French Resistance.
Anatole France, a French novelist, poet and journalist, (1844-1924), was author of many memorable sayings. Here are a few:
“To accomplish great things, we must not only act but also dream, not only plan but also believe.”
“If 50 million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing.”
“Nine tenths of education is encouragement.”
“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.”
Previous generations had lots of “old sayings.” I heard them when I was a kid but paid little attention. I wish I could remember them now.
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If you like old sayings, you probably like this blog site (Click here)Warning: some quotes not nice.