Delicious Phrases - Day 3

DAY 3 - To eat crow


This saying, which means to humiliate oneself, has a pretty amusing legend behind it. During a truce in the war of 1812, a New Englander ventured over to the British camp to do some hunting. Frustrated by the lack of wild game, he decided to shoot the first thing he saw—a crow, which he nailed. A British officer, hearing the gunshot, decided to punish the American for trespassing, but since he was unarmed he used a bit of cunning. The Brit complimented the American on his aim and then asked to see the fine weapon with which the damage was done. The unsuspecting Yank handed over the weapon, after which the British officer turned it on the American, berated him and ordered him to eat a bite of the crow he’d killed. After a bit of useless begging, the American complied. The officer then gave the gun back and told the American to go home. But before the Brit could leave, the bitter Yank quickly turned the gun on the officer and forced him to eat the rest of the bird.

The tale would have gone unknown, except that the infuriated British officer went the next day to the American camp, demanding retribution. After hearing the tale, the U.S. commanding officer had the soldier brought to him and asked him if he’d seen this Englishmen before. After several attempts to respond, the soldier managed to stutter, “W-why y-y-yes, Captain, I d-d-dined with him y-y-yesterday.”