Old wives' tales.

[MargaretR]

Many a mickle macks a muckle

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by MargaretR

Many a mickle macks a muckle

Is that from Harry Potter, err no thats a muggle

[MargaretR]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Is that from Harry Potter, err no thats a muggle

"'Many a mickle makes (or 'maks') a muckle' is a curious Scottish saying of antiquity, although it is also common in the North of England and not entirely unknown elsewhere. It is derived from 'A wheen o' mickles mak's a muckle', and means 'many of one thing make another, larger, thing'. A simple lesson, but one which needs restating; one must always look after the pennies. What are 'mickles' and 'muckles'? Webster 1913 states that each word is essentially a variant of the other, both meaning 'amount'. Arguments arge as to whether 'mickle' is in this case a corruption of 'pickle' (a Scots word for 'little'), and as to whether 'mickle' was once inherently inferior to 'muckle' or merely a variant. Whatever the case, the proliferation of this proverb has ensured that 'muckle' is now widely regarded as being the superior of 'mickle', something which is likely to persist.

So now you know

[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by Neil

You should look into that statement deeper, have about how an egg pops out

How a Hen Lays Her Egg

Now we know where you came from, secrets out at last, always thought you were found under a gooseberry bush.
Retlaw

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Retlaw

Now we know where you came from, secrets out at last, always thought you were found under a gooseberry bush.
Retlaw

Gooseberry bush don't be daft, a spiky bramble more like it

[mobertol]

Originally Posted by MargaretR

"'Many a mickle makes (or 'maks') a muckle' is a curious Scottish saying of antiquity, although it is also common in the North of England and not entirely unknown elsewhere. It is derived from 'A wheen o' mickles mak's a muckle', and means 'many of one thing make another, larger, thing'. A simple lesson, but one which needs restating; one must always look after the pennies. What are 'mickles' and 'muckles'? Webster 1913 states that each word is essentially a variant of the other, both meaning 'amount'. Arguments arge as to whether 'mickle' is in this case a corruption of 'pickle' (a Scots word for 'little'), and as to whether 'mickle' was once inherently inferior to 'muckle' or merely a variant. Whatever the case, the proliferation of this proverb has ensured that 'muckle' is now widely regarded as being the superior of 'mickle', something which is likely to persist.

So now you know

My Nanny always used to say "Count the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves"

See a penny, pick it up, and all day long you'll have good luck!

Don't put new shoes on the table -brings a death in the family.

An owl hooting on your roof brings the same....

In England we say "Touchwood", in Italy they say "Toccando il ferro" or "Touch iron"

[mobertol]

I have a book of these sayings which i use when teaching English, some have equals in Italian and others are completely different, the one i have to avoid is:
A bird in the hand.....

In Italian "Uccello" (bird) is also used to describe a certain part of the male anatomy!!!!

[mobertol]

Originally Posted by garinda

There are lots, and lots.

Are any based on fact?

Which ones do you know?

I'll start off.

Picking dandelions, and getting the white sap on your skin, will result in bed wetting.

Eating bread crusts makes your hair curl.

If you hold a buttercup under your chin, and there's a yellow reflection, it means you like butter.

The dandelion - Dente-de-leon (French) -Dente di leone (Italian) -known colloquially as "Pis-en-lit" both in France and Italy where the leaves are picked young and eaten as a salad. Very bitter with well-known diuretic effect -Pis-en-lit literally means "wet the bed"! There is always some wisdom/ truth in these sayings...

[cashman]

Originally Posted by mobertol

The dandelion - Dente-de-leon (French) -Dente di leone (Italian) -known colloquially as "Pis-en-lit" both in France and Italy where the leaves are picked young and eaten as a salad. Very bitter with well-known diuretic effect -Pis-en-lit literally means "wet the bed"! There is always some wisdom/ truth in these sayings...

15 pints can have the same effect...or so i was told.

[mobertol]

With me a large mug of tea has the same effect...

[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by cashman

15 pints can have the same effect...or so i was told.

Thats a gudun fro thee
Be carefull of that stuff, it has female hormones in it.
After 15 pints tha starts to talk daft & that can't drive.
Retlaw.

[walkinman221]

Originally Posted by cashman

15 pints can have the same effect...or so i was told.

Thats true cashy like the old song goes, 15 pints and wad do you get,you wake up in di mornin and the bed is wet.

[Eric]

Originally Posted by walkinman221

Thats true cashy like the old song goes, 15 pints and wad do you get,you wake up in di mornin and the bed is wet.

... and you're sleeping next to your mother-in-law

[garinda]

Originally Posted by mobertol

There is always some wisdom/ truth in these sayings...

Some, not all.

The wind did change, and my face didn't stay like that.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Eric

... and you're sleeping next to your mother-in-law

Even 15 pints would have worked on either of my mother in laws, there was nowhere in the bedroom to park their brushes