Sunday, August 29, 2010

He that is silent, gathers stones

At first reading this might seem nonsensical. Further thought builds a picture of an angry person suppressing their rage while gathering stones to throw at his enemy. In days gone by, people without weapons found that freely available stones were a pretty effective way of attacking a group of opponents.

The "stones" in the modern world will probably refer metaphorically to verbal weapons of attack. This brings the old saying "Sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me" to mind. Schoolchildren often chant this when they suffer verbal bullying but the truth is that slanders and evil gossip can cause trouble and harm.

So, if you have enemies who are sullen and silent, it might be wise to remain alert for possible attacks.


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