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stranger
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stranger
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I have been wondering about the story of an expedition hurrying through Africa, whose bearers one day refuse to move, They are, they say, "waiting for their souls to catch up."
Do any of y'all happen to know where this story or expression come from? They sure do capture some wisdom.
--------- My Novels and Poetry (Romance! Theology! Tantra! and an occasional recipe) http://btwreviews.com
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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It's the African way to have jetlag since even before airplanes were invented.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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wow. what a great phrase! we could all use a little of that, I think.
formerly known as etaoin...
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Carpal Tunnel
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Yes, I've read that idea too; maybe also it was a scene from a movie, but I don't think it should be considered as an expression or story. It is a fact. I wasn't trying to be funny with my reply. There is a resemblance between out jetlag and this idea of letting the soul catch up with the body. Edit: It's a story that just runs along world wide and must be based on facts. "In the deep jungles of Africa, a traveler was making a long trek. Coolies had been engaged from a tribe to carry the loads. The first day they marched rapidly and went far. The traveler had high hopes of a speedy journey. But the second morning these jungle tribesmen refused to move. For some strange reason they just sat and rested. On inquiry as to the reason for this strange behavior, the traveler was informed that they had gone too fast the first day, and that they were now waiting for their souls to catch up with their bodies." link link
Last edited by BranShea; 07/26/09 06:31 PM.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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After a little googling around the web, I think it's more of an urban legend than anything else. It has a lot of the earmarks of folklore: e.g., differing locales (Africa, the Americas, Australia) and participants (Africans, Native Americans, Aborigines [on walkabout]), absolutely no citations, when, where, who ... The context is a vaguely Christian one (I saw one person saying it was an Orthodox bishop's favorite saying). Here's an example: link. In it's poresent form it seems to go back no further than the '80s.
Ceci n'est pas un seing.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Urban legend? Is that what it's called? Funny, we call this type of stories 'monkey sandwich'.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Monkey sandwich! Is that from a particular story?
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Funny, we call this type of stories 'monkey sandwich'Thanks, Brannie. I've got my new favorite word Broodjeaapverhaal ( link).
Ceci n'est pas un seing.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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but I don't think it should be considered as an expression or story. It is a fact. it being a fact means it's not an expression? how does that work?
formerly known as etaoin...
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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I thought a fact is something 'real' or that really happened and that an expression is a way of saying. But I'm no grammar or laguage expwert.
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