Ever wondered why we say “a stitch in time saves nine” or “don’t look a gift horse in the mouth”? In this laugh-out-loud deep dive, The Strange History Podcast explores the true, weird, and wonderfully human origins of our most common old sayings. Host Amy unravels centuries of forgotten wisdom — from Roman horse traders to 18th-century seamstresses, from spilled milk to midnight oil — uncovering the odd, hilarious, and surprisingly literal history behind each phrase. Featuring signature Strange History humor, fake sponsor ads, and more twisted trivia than a medieval tongue twister, this episode proves that every cliché once had a story… and sometimes, a sword fight. Press play to learn how our ancestors’ best advice got lost, bent, and stitched into everyday speech.
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This episode of The Strange History Podcast was lovingly crafted with the help of ElevenLabs.io — the magical technology that gives Amy her time to sleep, eat, work and spend time with her dog Jack. While some might say she sounds too good to be true, we assure you, Amy is absolutely a real person… who just happens to have access to studio-grade AI vocal cords and an unnatural ability to pronounce “necromancy” without flinching. Any resemblance to an AI is purely coincidental — and mildly flattering. Dan the announcers name is really Bill and Patrick, the fake ad guy who thinks he is funny? well he is questionable at best. So yes, AI was used but the people are real and the shinanigans are.... well.... shinanigans.
Like and Subscribe:
Apple
Spotify
IHeart
Audible
This episode of The Strange History Podcast was lovingly crafted with the help of ElevenLabs.io — the magical technology that gives Amy her time to sleep, eat, work and spend time with her dog Jack. While some might say she sounds too good to be true, we assure you, Amy is absolutely a real person… who just happens to have access to studio-grade AI vocal cords and an unnatural ability to pronounce “necromancy” without flinching. Any resemblance to an AI is purely coincidental — and mildly flattering. Dan the announcers name is really Bill and Patrick, the fake ad guy who thinks he is funny? well he is questionable at best. So yes, AI was used but the people are real and the shinanigans are.... well.... shinanigans.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome back, dear listeners to the Strange History Podcast, where
words never die, they just get weird. Tonight we're diving
into the world of old sayings, not superstitions, not curses,
just the wise, witty, and occasionally nonsensical phrases our ancestors
left us like dusty heirlooms. We use these phrases all
(00:20):
the time without realizing they've been around longer than indoor plumbing.
So tonight we'll explore their origins, their hidden meanings, and
the historical hilarity behind them. So pull up your metaphorical
armchair or your literal one if you're fancy, and let's
decode the wisdom of the ages, one proverb at a time.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
A stitch in time saves nine.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Our first gem of wisdom sounds like something you'd hear
from a grandmother armed with a needle and unstoppable moral authority.
A stitch in time saves nine. It's old, first recorded
in the early seventeen hundreds, and it means exactly what
it sounds like. Fix small problems before they become big ones.
(01:04):
In a world where people actually repaired their clothes instead
of buying new ones, this wasn't metaphorical advice. It was survival.
If you caught a tear early and stitched it, it
saved you nine more stitches later. Nine Apparently ancient tailors
were keeping score. In modern terms, this is update your
(01:25):
software before it crashes, or don't ignore that weird noise
in your car until it's screaming like a bansheet.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
This bit of old school practicality is brought to you
by So What emergency sewing kits for life's little tears
and meltdowns, because sometimes your patience unravels faster than your pants.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Now, this one comes galloping in from medieval Europe. Don't
look a gift horse in the mouth sounds bizarre until
you know that back then people checked a horse's teeth
to judge its age and health. So if someone gave
you a horse and the first thing you did was
pry open its mouth, you were being rude. It was
the thirteenth century equivalent of saying thanks for the new iPhone,
(02:12):
I'm just going to check the warranty. The phrase became
a reminder to accept gifts graciously, even if they come
with horse breath, and considering that a horse was basically
a car, a tractor, and a best friend all in one. Yeah,
gratitude was expected.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
The early bird catches the worm.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
You know this one the motivational poster of all proverbs.
The earliest known use dates to the sixteen hundreds, and
it's exactly what you think. Those who start early reap
the rewards. It was particularly popular among farmers and merchants.
The morning hours were crucial, not because worms were delicious
(02:51):
for them anyway, but because the day's trade and chores
began at dawn. Of course, today the early bird gets
a parking spot and an email inbox full of regrets.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Brought to you by rise and grind coffee the only
roast strong enough to make you feel like an early bird,
even if you're more of a nocturnal pigeon.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Curiosity killed the cat.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
Here's one that's been unfairly used to shame every inquisitive soul.
Curiosity killed the cat. The original one, five hundred and
ninety eight version actually said care killed the cat, meaning
too much worry, not curiosity. Over time, care got replaced
by curiosity, and the phrase evolved into a warning against nosiness.
(03:36):
But there's a forgotten sequel. Curiosity killed the cat, but
satisfaction brought it back. That part got dropped somewhere along
the way, probably by the same people who hated fun.
So really, this old saying isn't about killing curiosity. It's
about revival, about how learning something new can bring you
(03:56):
back to life.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
This philosophical mealment is brought to you by Whisker Wisdom,
the only cat toy designed to answer life's deepest questions.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Curiosity encouraged A penny for your thoughts.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
A penny for your thoughts. It's what people say when
someone looks pensive, or when you're clearly zoning out thinking
about pizza. The phrase goes back to fifteen twenty two,
when Sir Thomas Moore used it in his writings. Back then,
a penny could actually buy something, a loaf of bread,
maybe a pint of ale, so offering one for someone's
(04:32):
thoughts was generous. It was a way of saying, I
value your silence, but I'd like to know what's going
on in there. Today. A penny won't even buy gum,
but emotionally still works.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
This thoughtful pause is brought to you by mindment, the
gum that freshens your breath. And your opinions, because deep
thoughts deserve clean air.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Don't count your chickens before they hatch.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
This bit of barnyard wisdom dates back to Esop's fable
The Milkmaid and her Pale. In the story, a young
milkmaid dreams of selling her milk, buying chickens, and becoming rich.
Then trips and spills the milk. Dream over moral, don't
get ahead of yourself. The saying became a favorite among
(05:16):
farmers and financiers alike. It's a reminder that plans aren't
profits until they're real, or, as modern podcasters would say,
don't spend your ad revenue before the check clears.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
This rural reality check brought to you by cluck Coin,
the only cryptocurrency backed entirely by chickens that may or
may not exist yet.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
You can't have your cake and eat it too.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
This one sounds confusing, I mean, what else are you
supposed to do with cake? But it's about wanting to
enjoy two mutually exclusive things. The phrase shows up as
early as fifteen thirty eight in a letter from Thomas,
Duke of Norfolk to Thomas Cromwell. It means you can't
posses something and consume it at the same time. In
(06:03):
modern terms, you can't binge Netflix and brag about productivity. Ironically,
the duke who wrote it later lost his head for
political scheming, proving that you also can't have your cake
and keep your neck.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
Sponsored by cake logic for when you want your cake,
eat it too, and maybe freeze a slice for the apocalypse.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Let the cat out of the bag.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
This one's pure medieval mischief. In market towns, dishonest traders
sold piglets and sacks. A buyer who didn't check before
paying might find a cat instead. When the cat escaped,
poof the trick was revealed. Thus, letting the cat out
of the bag meant exposing a secret, a scam, or
an embarrassing truth, and somewhere a very annoyed cat started
(06:49):
the world's first consumer protection movement.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
This confession is brought to you by Cats Out, the
new reality show where secret spill, tails twitch, and honesty
always lands on its feet.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Bite the bullet.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Before anesthesia, soldiers undergoing surgery were given a bullet to bite.
It was something to clench their jaws on while doctors
sawed and stitched. Bite the bullet became shorthand for facing
something painful with bravery. Rudyard Kipling later used it metaphorically
in his writings, cementing it into our language. So the
(07:26):
next time you say it, remember it originally involved fewer
metaphors and more screaming.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
This painful truth brought to you by numb now the
only herbal tincture guaranteed to dull the sting of Monday's
meetings and emotional surgery.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
Birds of a feather flock together.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
People have been observing this since ancient Greece. Birds of
the same kind fly in groups. The phrase itself dates
to the sixteenth century and was used by William Turner
in fifteen forty five. It simply means like attracts, like,
whether it's spare scholars or people who owned too many crystals.
It's also the reason why all strange history fans seem
(08:08):
to find each other on the Internet. Welcome to the flock.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
This social observation is sponsored by feather Friends, the dating
app for people who flocked to the same nonsense.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
Burning the midnight oil.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
Before electricity, oil lamps were the only light source for
studying or working after dark, so if someone was burning
the midnight oil. It meant they were up late working,
usually scholars, writers, or insomniacs with the deadline. The phrase
symbolized diligence, effort, and exhaustion, the noble struggle of getting
(08:43):
stuff done. Basically, this podcast exists because I've been burning
the midnight oil for well over one hundred episodes.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
This sleepless tale is brought to you by caffeine and Consequences,
the official energy drink of bad ideas, executed brilliantly.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Pot Calling the kettle black ah hypocrisy. It's timeless. In
the sixteen hundreds, pots and kettles were made of cast
iron and blackened by soot over the fire, so when
one called the other black, it was like saying you're
dirty when they both were. It first appeared in Thomas
(09:20):
Shelton's sixteen twenty translation of Don Quixote, and it's been
roasting hypocrites ever since. So next time you criticize someone
for oversharing on social media, check your own story first.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
This steamy moral is brought to you by clean Kettle,
the self scrubbing cookware that keeps your conscience spotless.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
And there you have it, dear listeners. Twelve sayings that stitched, sipped,
and bit their way through history into our modern mouths.
Each one holds a piece of the past, wisdom born
from war work, and the everyday weirdness of being human.
Join me next for part two, where we'll dig into
thirteen more saying about spilled milk, rotten apples, flying pigs,
(10:04):
and why you should never cry wolf unless you mean it.
Until then, remember, don't count your chickens, don't let any
cats out of any bags. And please, for the love
of all that's idiomatic, be kind to your kettle. Good night,
and good history.
Welcome back, dear listeners to the Strange History Podcast, where
words never die, they just get weird. Tonight we're diving
into the world of old sayings, not superstitions, not curses,
just the wise, witty, and occasionally nonsensical phrases our ancestors
left us like dusty heirlooms. We use these phrases all
(00:20):
the time without realizing they've been around longer than indoor plumbing.
So tonight we'll explore their origins, their hidden meanings, and
the historical hilarity behind them. So pull up your metaphorical
armchair or your literal one if you're fancy, and let's
decode the wisdom of the ages, one proverb at a time.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
A stitch in time saves nine.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Our first gem of wisdom sounds like something you'd hear
from a grandmother armed with a needle and unstoppable moral authority.
A stitch in time saves nine. It's old, first recorded
in the early seventeen hundreds, and it means exactly what
it sounds like. Fix small problems before they become big ones.
(01:04):
In a world where people actually repaired their clothes instead
of buying new ones, this wasn't metaphorical advice. It was survival.
If you caught a tear early and stitched it, it
saved you nine more stitches later. Nine Apparently ancient tailors
were keeping score. In modern terms, this is update your
(01:25):
software before it crashes, or don't ignore that weird noise
in your car until it's screaming like a bansheet.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
This bit of old school practicality is brought to you
by So What emergency sewing kits for life's little tears
and meltdowns, because sometimes your patience unravels faster than your pants.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Now, this one comes galloping in from medieval Europe. Don't
look a gift horse in the mouth sounds bizarre until
you know that back then people checked a horse's teeth
to judge its age and health. So if someone gave
you a horse and the first thing you did was
pry open its mouth, you were being rude. It was
the thirteenth century equivalent of saying thanks for the new iPhone,
(02:12):
I'm just going to check the warranty. The phrase became
a reminder to accept gifts graciously, even if they come
with horse breath, and considering that a horse was basically
a car, a tractor, and a best friend all in one. Yeah,
gratitude was expected.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
The early bird catches the worm.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
You know this one the motivational poster of all proverbs.
The earliest known use dates to the sixteen hundreds, and
it's exactly what you think. Those who start early reap
the rewards. It was particularly popular among farmers and merchants.
The morning hours were crucial, not because worms were delicious
(02:51):
for them anyway, but because the day's trade and chores
began at dawn. Of course, today the early bird gets
a parking spot and an email inbox full of regrets.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Brought to you by rise and grind coffee the only
roast strong enough to make you feel like an early bird,
even if you're more of a nocturnal pigeon.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Curiosity killed the cat.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
Here's one that's been unfairly used to shame every inquisitive soul.
Curiosity killed the cat. The original one, five hundred and
ninety eight version actually said care killed the cat, meaning
too much worry, not curiosity. Over time, care got replaced
by curiosity, and the phrase evolved into a warning against nosiness.
(03:36):
But there's a forgotten sequel. Curiosity killed the cat, but
satisfaction brought it back. That part got dropped somewhere along
the way, probably by the same people who hated fun.
So really, this old saying isn't about killing curiosity. It's
about revival, about how learning something new can bring you
(03:56):
back to life.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
This philosophical mealment is brought to you by Whisker Wisdom,
the only cat toy designed to answer life's deepest questions.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Curiosity encouraged A penny for your thoughts.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
A penny for your thoughts. It's what people say when
someone looks pensive, or when you're clearly zoning out thinking
about pizza. The phrase goes back to fifteen twenty two,
when Sir Thomas Moore used it in his writings. Back then,
a penny could actually buy something, a loaf of bread,
maybe a pint of ale, so offering one for someone's
(04:32):
thoughts was generous. It was a way of saying, I
value your silence, but I'd like to know what's going
on in there. Today. A penny won't even buy gum,
but emotionally still works.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
This thoughtful pause is brought to you by mindment, the
gum that freshens your breath. And your opinions, because deep
thoughts deserve clean air.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Don't count your chickens before they hatch.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
This bit of barnyard wisdom dates back to Esop's fable
The Milkmaid and her Pale. In the story, a young
milkmaid dreams of selling her milk, buying chickens, and becoming rich.
Then trips and spills the milk. Dream over moral, don't
get ahead of yourself. The saying became a favorite among
(05:16):
farmers and financiers alike. It's a reminder that plans aren't
profits until they're real, or, as modern podcasters would say,
don't spend your ad revenue before the check clears.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
This rural reality check brought to you by cluck Coin,
the only cryptocurrency backed entirely by chickens that may or
may not exist yet.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
You can't have your cake and eat it too.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
This one sounds confusing, I mean, what else are you
supposed to do with cake? But it's about wanting to
enjoy two mutually exclusive things. The phrase shows up as
early as fifteen thirty eight in a letter from Thomas,
Duke of Norfolk to Thomas Cromwell. It means you can't
posses something and consume it at the same time. In
(06:03):
modern terms, you can't binge Netflix and brag about productivity. Ironically,
the duke who wrote it later lost his head for
political scheming, proving that you also can't have your cake
and keep your neck.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
Sponsored by cake logic for when you want your cake,
eat it too, and maybe freeze a slice for the apocalypse.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Let the cat out of the bag.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
This one's pure medieval mischief. In market towns, dishonest traders
sold piglets and sacks. A buyer who didn't check before
paying might find a cat instead. When the cat escaped,
poof the trick was revealed. Thus, letting the cat out
of the bag meant exposing a secret, a scam, or
an embarrassing truth, and somewhere a very annoyed cat started
(06:49):
the world's first consumer protection movement.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
This confession is brought to you by Cats Out, the
new reality show where secret spill, tails twitch, and honesty
always lands on its feet.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Bite the bullet.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Before anesthesia, soldiers undergoing surgery were given a bullet to bite.
It was something to clench their jaws on while doctors
sawed and stitched. Bite the bullet became shorthand for facing
something painful with bravery. Rudyard Kipling later used it metaphorically
in his writings, cementing it into our language. So the
(07:26):
next time you say it, remember it originally involved fewer
metaphors and more screaming.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
This painful truth brought to you by numb now the
only herbal tincture guaranteed to dull the sting of Monday's
meetings and emotional surgery.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
Birds of a feather flock together.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
People have been observing this since ancient Greece. Birds of
the same kind fly in groups. The phrase itself dates
to the sixteenth century and was used by William Turner
in fifteen forty five. It simply means like attracts, like,
whether it's spare scholars or people who owned too many crystals.
It's also the reason why all strange history fans seem
(08:08):
to find each other on the Internet. Welcome to the flock.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
This social observation is sponsored by feather Friends, the dating
app for people who flocked to the same nonsense.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
Burning the midnight oil.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
Before electricity, oil lamps were the only light source for
studying or working after dark, so if someone was burning
the midnight oil. It meant they were up late working,
usually scholars, writers, or insomniacs with the deadline. The phrase
symbolized diligence, effort, and exhaustion, the noble struggle of getting
(08:43):
stuff done. Basically, this podcast exists because I've been burning
the midnight oil for well over one hundred episodes.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
This sleepless tale is brought to you by caffeine and Consequences,
the official energy drink of bad ideas, executed brilliantly.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Pot Calling the kettle black ah hypocrisy. It's timeless. In
the sixteen hundreds, pots and kettles were made of cast
iron and blackened by soot over the fire, so when
one called the other black, it was like saying you're
dirty when they both were. It first appeared in Thomas
(09:20):
Shelton's sixteen twenty translation of Don Quixote, and it's been
roasting hypocrites ever since. So next time you criticize someone
for oversharing on social media, check your own story first.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
This steamy moral is brought to you by clean Kettle,
the self scrubbing cookware that keeps your conscience spotless.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
And there you have it, dear listeners. Twelve sayings that stitched, sipped,
and bit their way through history into our modern mouths.
Each one holds a piece of the past, wisdom born
from war work, and the everyday weirdness of being human.
Join me next for part two, where we'll dig into
thirteen more saying about spilled milk, rotten apples, flying pigs,
(10:04):
and why you should never cry wolf unless you mean it.
Until then, remember, don't count your chickens, don't let any
cats out of any bags. And please, for the love
of all that's idiomatic, be kind to your kettle. Good night,
and good history.
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