Several years ago I asked B where in the world the old adage "don't look a gift horse in the mouth," came from. I did not expect an answer because it was most certainly rhetorical in nature. He had an answer that he has defended and has made me laugh myself to tears every since.
According to B, the phrase doesn't make any sense because it's not a horse. It's a camel. Yes. A camel. He says it comes from biblical times from when the three wise men came to Bethlehem riding camels bearing gifts. And? Yes, you don't look a gift CAMEL in the mouth....because it will spit at you.
It doesn't matter how many times we go over it, and how I surmise that it came from when people gave horses, like cars, as gifts, and how it's rude to scrutinize a gift.
No. It's a camel, and they WILL spit at you if you look them in the mouth.
2 comments:
Camel... hahahaha. That's funny. But I think it's horse and because a horse's teeth grow long and ugly as they age, so you check a horse in the mouth before you buy it so gauge health and age. Gift horse, don't go a'checking (at least in front of the giver).
But the camel one is funnier. Because it'll spit in your face... Bwaaaaahahahaha. Your husband is a comedian, he just doen't know it.
Yes, he is hilarious. And his humor always catches me off-guard. Like going on a walk and coming up with the idea to have a moose head above the front door that says "DING DONG" in Barry White's voice. I was crying from laughing so hard.
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