The origins of some figures of speech are obvious, putting the cart before the horse, putting all of your eggs in one basket, killing two birds with one stone. Others are a little more obscure. I wonder if Mr. Aesop wrote fables about some of the expresssions listed in Jeff Rovin’s book, The Unbelievable Truth! (Signet, 1994.)

   A former boyfriend who was a smart and interesting man, probably has a dog-eared copy of Jeff Rovin’s book. He was always the go-to person when bits of odd and often useless information was needed or desired. I have always had a soft spot and much affection for these over-load folks, even if I do scratch my head and wonder how and why they know these things. Take a look at the explanations behind three common expressions that we continue to use today:

Pulling the wool over their eyes. In the 17th and 18th centuries, thieves and robbers would yank their victims’ wool wigs down over their eyes so they couldn’t see who was attacking them.

Blackmail. In 16th-century England, mail meant “rent” or “tribute.” Debts that had to be paid in silver were called “whitemail.” A debt that could be paid in any other way from was called “blackmail.” Blackmail did not have a set value, and the person collecting the debt could collect (or extort) any amount or anything they wished from the debtor.

Red tape. For centuries, it was British custom to seal important documents with red wax and red tape. Cutting through it was the only way to get at the documents and read them.

Quote: Perplexity is the beginning of knowledge. — Kahlil Gibran