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by Andy Is Wicked Married to Penal Colony on June 18th, 2004

Andy Is Wicked Married to Penal Colony

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What is the origin of the phrase "cock and bull story"?

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  • by Miranda on July 29th, 2004

    Miranda

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    Perhaps there is no identifiable origin, but I suggest that this saying is much older than it appears. Witty sayings of this nature indubitably circulated orally for any amount of time before they were recorded or used in a written way: this one could be anywhere between 700 or 2000 years old. (I suscribe to the Ancient Greek or Roman theory.) A number of 17th century English proverbs refer to the cock or cockerel who makes a lot of noise, but achieves little by doing so. Each of these proverbs has regional variations: one of interest to your question remarks to the effect that 'the cock sat on the midden, and told the bull a story'. The midden of course was a manure or household refuse pile, and the implication seems to be that the cock was full of nonsense, but the bull was happy to listen.Tilley's 'Proverbs of the Seventeenth Century' gives fuller examples, and examples of the way the says were used. Remembering that 17th century culture was shared over Europe as well as exported to the American settlements, it is unsurprising but interesting that most of us comprehend the meaning of this saying: it demonstrates the enduring power of oral wisdom.

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