Comments on: How the cow ate the cabbage http://www.word-detective.com/2010/01/how-the-cow-ate-the-cabbage/ Semper Ubi Sub Ubi Wed, 20 Mar 2013 19:32:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Gal http://www.word-detective.com/2010/01/how-the-cow-ate-the-cabbage/comment-page-1/#comment-50168 Gal Sun, 23 Dec 2012 07:50:52 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/2009/07/15/how-the-cow-ate-the-cabbage/#comment-50168 The saying is NOT merely "how the cow ate the cabbage." The expanded TEXAS version(s) include, but are not limited to, semblances and/or versions of TEXAS DISCIPLINE. For example: the cause and affect of feeding a cow cabbage is very interesting and should be researched to be believed..., all in all - it is not a very smart thing to do. Your research will tell you why. This priceless adage will certainly be used on someone who needs discipline in taking responsibility for his/her own actions and the consequences of them, i.e., cause and affect or Karma baby, Karma. This priceless Texas knowledge goes on and on to include TEXAS JUSTICE as in, "I am taking his bahonkey behind the barn to show him HOW the COW EATS the cabbage." Take my advice here and never follow anyone behind the barn to see how the cow eats the cabbage. NOT a good idea for more reasons than I have time to explain. I wish I had time to go on to explain how this adage also is applied to condolences and sympathies for varying reasons. OR how this adage applies to FAIR WARNINGS or roundabout being fair play. I think being Texan is the only real way anyone can truly understand what it means to have cows and cabbage. Anyone else trying to find an origin of such a saying is one leaf shy of a fig tree. SMILING BIG HERE. The saying is NOT merely “how the cow ate the cabbage.” The expanded TEXAS version(s) include, but are not limited to, semblances and/or versions of TEXAS DISCIPLINE. For example: the cause and affect of feeding a cow cabbage is very interesting and should be researched to be believed…, all in all – it is not a very smart thing to do. Your research will tell you why. This priceless adage will certainly be used on someone who needs discipline in taking responsibility for his/her own actions and the consequences of them, i.e., cause and affect or Karma baby, Karma.

This priceless Texas knowledge goes on and on to include TEXAS JUSTICE as in, “I am taking his bahonkey behind the barn to show him HOW the COW EATS the cabbage.” Take my advice here and never follow anyone behind the barn to see how the cow eats the cabbage. NOT a good idea for more reasons than I have time to explain.

I wish I had time to go on to explain how this adage also is applied to condolences and sympathies for varying reasons. OR how this adage applies to FAIR WARNINGS or roundabout being fair play.

I think being Texan is the only real way anyone can truly understand what it means to have cows and cabbage. Anyone else trying to find an origin of such a saying is one leaf shy of a fig tree. SMILING BIG HERE.

]]> By: Molly http://www.word-detective.com/2010/01/how-the-cow-ate-the-cabbage/comment-page-1/#comment-44329 Molly Tue, 16 Oct 2012 19:50:13 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/2009/07/15/how-the-cow-ate-the-cabbage/#comment-44329 My mom and dad (born 1911 and 1914 in PA and lived there all their lives) and my aunts and uncles used this statement all the time. Having lived in Texas many years and never having heard anyone besides me use the phrase, I have a hard time believing that it migrated east - more likely the opposite. My mom and dad (born 1911 and 1914 in PA and lived there all their lives) and my aunts and uncles used this statement all the time. Having lived in Texas many years and never having heard anyone besides me use the phrase, I have a hard time believing that it migrated east – more likely the opposite.

]]> By: Art Fruncillo http://www.word-detective.com/2010/01/how-the-cow-ate-the-cabbage/comment-page-1/#comment-43750 Art Fruncillo Wed, 10 Oct 2012 15:49:46 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/2009/07/15/how-the-cow-ate-the-cabbage/#comment-43750 Just saw this phrase today in relation to the recent (October 2012) presidential debates. Thanks for the great explanation, and by the way, I think the joke is funny! Just saw this phrase today in relation to the recent (October 2012) presidential debates. Thanks for the great explanation, and by the way, I think the joke is funny!

]]> By: Sheila Johnson http://www.word-detective.com/2010/01/how-the-cow-ate-the-cabbage/comment-page-1/#comment-40892 Sheila Johnson Wed, 20 Jun 2012 21:55:33 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/2009/07/15/how-the-cow-ate-the-cabbage/#comment-40892 Wow! I have used this phrase for years. A few years ago I said it to a friend in an email. She was from the west coast. She didnt admit til later that she had to google the phrase out of sheer curiosity at my usage. LOL. I knew what it meant and assumed everyone did, but I googled it to see what she found. This is the link, today I'm sharing it with a new friend, who'd never heard it before either. Its ironic how many people have heard me say it that had no idea what it was supposed to mean and never asked or batted an eye. I'm going to print this today and post it in my office. Thanks for the great detective work! Wow! I have used this phrase for years. A few years ago I said it to a friend in an email. She was from the west coast. She didnt admit til later that she had to google the phrase out of sheer curiosity at my usage. LOL. I knew what it meant and assumed everyone did, but I googled it to see what she found. This is the link, today I’m sharing it with a new friend, who’d never heard it before either. Its ironic how many people have heard me say it that had no idea what it was supposed to mean and never asked or batted an eye. I’m going to print this today and post it in my office. Thanks for the great detective work!

]]> By: Dexter http://www.word-detective.com/2010/01/how-the-cow-ate-the-cabbage/comment-page-1/#comment-40253 Dexter Tue, 05 Jun 2012 19:12:48 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/2009/07/15/how-the-cow-ate-the-cabbage/#comment-40253 My Maternal Grandmother from Missouri (born 1907)used the phrase "how the cow ate the cabbage" quite frequently, as did my Father's Texas parents as well. The reason is not the joke, but rather the biology of the cow. If a cow eats cabbage, they start expanding and it's not a pretty sight, and quite uncomfortable for the cow. Additionally, ranchers would have to place a large syringe into the cow's stomach to relieve the pressure. Apparently flatulation is not easy for an animal with 4 stomachs (or one stomach with 4 sections). My Maternal Grandmother from Missouri (born 1907)used the phrase “how the cow ate the cabbage” quite frequently, as did my Father’s Texas parents as well. The reason is not the joke, but rather the biology of the cow.
If a cow eats cabbage, they start expanding and it’s not a pretty sight, and quite uncomfortable for the cow. Additionally, ranchers would have to place a large syringe into the cow’s stomach to relieve the pressure. Apparently flatulation is not easy for an animal with 4 stomachs (or one stomach with 4 sections).

]]> By: A Labor Of Love « Oilpressure http://www.word-detective.com/2010/01/how-the-cow-ate-the-cabbage/comment-page-1/#comment-40012 A Labor Of Love « Oilpressure Fri, 25 May 2012 09:04:55 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/2009/07/15/how-the-cow-ate-the-cabbage/#comment-40012 [...] same warped sense of humor. We laughed a lot about “How the cow ate the cabbage” (meaning found here). But I suspect John would have jumped at the chance to attend qualifying even if we had to strap [...] [...] same warped sense of humor. We laughed a lot about “How the cow ate the cabbage” (meaning found here). But I suspect John would have jumped at the chance to attend qualifying even if we had to strap [...]

]]> By: Of analogies and how to properly eat cabbages. « RedheadCarol http://www.word-detective.com/2010/01/how-the-cow-ate-the-cabbage/comment-page-1/#comment-37045 Of analogies and how to properly eat cabbages. « RedheadCarol Sat, 31 Mar 2012 15:29:41 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/2009/07/15/how-the-cow-ate-the-cabbage/#comment-37045 [...] Anyway, because the post explaining it was long and I had no time at the moment, I just saved the link. Today I opened the link and skipped the first few paragraphs, because that’s the way to read a post explaining something, apparently. Because when you do this, one of two things will happen. Either you’ll get so confused by reading the middle paragraph that you’ll get lost, jump to the last paragraph, get even more lost, then you’ll decide to read the opening paragraph but won’t understand a thing, and you’ll finally leave the blog/site clueless as to why in the heck you even opened that in the first place. Or you’ll read a paragraph that will be intriguing enough to have you read the whole post. So here’s the paragraph I chose to read (from the middle, of course) about how the cow ate the cabbage: [...] [...] Anyway, because the post explaining it was long and I had no time at the moment, I just saved the link. Today I opened the link and skipped the first few paragraphs, because that’s the way to read a post explaining something, apparently. Because when you do this, one of two things will happen. Either you’ll get so confused by reading the middle paragraph that you’ll get lost, jump to the last paragraph, get even more lost, then you’ll decide to read the opening paragraph but won’t understand a thing, and you’ll finally leave the blog/site clueless as to why in the heck you even opened that in the first place. Or you’ll read a paragraph that will be intriguing enough to have you read the whole post. So here’s the paragraph I chose to read (from the middle, of course) about how the cow ate the cabbage: [...]

]]> By: Stan http://www.word-detective.com/2010/01/how-the-cow-ate-the-cabbage/comment-page-1/#comment-34992 Stan Sun, 04 Mar 2012 03:23:41 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/2009/07/15/how-the-cow-ate-the-cabbage/#comment-34992 I have often used a similar saying, "Show 'em how the boar eats the cabbage", meaning "Let's get after it and show them how it's meant to be done." I have often used a similar saying, “Show ‘em how the boar eats the cabbage”, meaning “Let’s get after it and show them how it’s meant to be done.”

]]> By: texas http://www.word-detective.com/2010/01/how-the-cow-ate-the-cabbage/comment-page-1/#comment-22016 texas Fri, 26 Aug 2011 16:00:32 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/2009/07/15/how-the-cow-ate-the-cabbage/#comment-22016 Oops! I've been assuming the origin of this saying had to do with the improbability of a cow eating a cabbage because cattle, unlike horses, have no upper front teeth and would not be able to grasp a large spherical object. What's worse, I've been sharing my opinion with older generations of my straigth-laced family for decades. I wonder if any of them were thinking "Sure, thats it!" :) Oops! I’ve been assuming the origin of this saying had to do with the improbability of a cow eating a cabbage because cattle, unlike horses, have no upper front teeth and would not be able to grasp a large spherical object. What’s worse, I’ve been sharing my opinion with older generations of my straigth-laced family for decades. I wonder if any of them were thinking “Sure, thats it!” :)

]]> By: Steve B. http://www.word-detective.com/2010/01/how-the-cow-ate-the-cabbage/comment-page-1/#comment-15360 Steve B. Tue, 22 Mar 2011 02:19:57 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/2009/07/15/how-the-cow-ate-the-cabbage/#comment-15360 I wonder if there is any correlation between the phrase "to see the elephant" and the scene in Tolkein's "The Two Towers" where Frodo & Sam see the "Oliphaunt," a creature that had been mythical to them previously, like much of the world outside of their native Shire? I wonder if there is any correlation between the phrase “to see the elephant” and the scene in Tolkein’s “The Two Towers” where Frodo & Sam see the “Oliphaunt,” a creature that had been mythical to them previously, like much of the world outside of their native Shire?

]]> By: 0uterj0in http://www.word-detective.com/2010/01/how-the-cow-ate-the-cabbage/comment-page-1/#comment-15351 0uterj0in Mon, 21 Mar 2011 21:07:24 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/2009/07/15/how-the-cow-ate-the-cabbage/#comment-15351 Go see the elephant also meant go conduct business with a prostitute. Go see the elephant also meant go conduct business with a prostitute.

]]> By: boogie freeze http://www.word-detective.com/2010/01/how-the-cow-ate-the-cabbage/comment-page-1/#comment-13284 boogie freeze Mon, 14 Feb 2011 01:17:34 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/2009/07/15/how-the-cow-ate-the-cabbage/#comment-13284 A few years ago,I was in an arguement with my ex. After a couple years of hearing me use this expression,to my suprise she said,"you're always making up little sayings that you pass off as real!" I started laughing cause i've heard it all my life here in Louisiana. i think it's one of those cliches that alot of people just have never heard. I might add though that she wasn't the "sharpest tool in the shed"...now that one i made up. Silly girl A few years ago,I was in an arguement with my ex. After a couple years of hearing me use this expression,to my suprise she said,”you’re always making up little sayings that you pass off as real!” I started laughing cause i’ve heard it all my life here in Louisiana. i think it’s one of those cliches that alot of people just have never heard. I might add though that she wasn’t the “sharpest tool in the shed”…now that one i made up. Silly girl

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