There's a Saying About That Trivia Quiz

Answer: Spoil the broth

There is an old story that a group of men (!), tiring of quickly cooked food on washing day, decided to make a pot of soup to share. They were each to bring one ingredient and add it to the pot secretly. The pot was cooked but when it was opened, it was inedible because they had each brought a pinch of salt!

This saying is used when someone offers unwanted help.

Answer: To paint on the outside of the ship

Tar was painted over the outside of the ship's hull when they were made of wood, to make it watertight, and was needed on voyage in case a leak occurred. By the way, a ha'penny is a half of a pre-decimal penny, which is a very small amount.

This is the same as saying that if a job is worth doing at all, it is worth doing well.

Answer: An elephant

It is said that a tailor once sat by the watering hole of the local elephants as he worked. Every evening the elephants would come for their bath and drink. On the way home the tailor always gave one a bun until one day, not having a bun he pricked the elephant's trunk with his needle. The elephant went away to work elsewhere, and many years later returned. As he came past the tailor, he squirted a trunkful of water over him.

Another saying that means roughly the same thing is "Be sure your sins will find you out."

Answer: The law is not always fair

You can interpret this as you will - rank has its privileges or some people can get away with anything or there is one law for the rich and another for the poor.

Whichever you choose, it says that you cannot always expect to be treated fairly.

Answer: Mighty oaks

In other words persistence will pay off in the long run. Also, small actions can sometimes result in big changes more effectively than great efforts.

Answer: Numbers

This comes from one of Aesop's fables. He spoke of a man with many quarreling sons. He gave them a bundle of tightly bound sticks and told them to break one. When they failed, he took the bundle apart and repeated the challenge. Of course, it was then easy, which proved that they would be better working together.

Answer: Hours of sleep

This is supposed to be the amount of sleep they need to function properly and is a warning not to waste unnecessary time in bed, or, if you are talking to a teenager, how long they SHOULD sleep each day.

Answer: Silver

This really speaks for itself. These days usually only the second half is used, and it is mostly used as a warning when the speech could be unkind.

Answer: Home

This is applied to all kinds of work where skimping to finish quickly produces the need to do it again and is similar to the saying about a ha'penth of tar.

Answer: Good intentions

Think of the old description of the road you travel in life. There are many side roads and turnings which must be avoided. They can be "I would have done that if I had had time," or "If I were able," or "If it had been my business," or "If I had known."