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People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

Posted by Anon on July 08, 2000

In Reply to: People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. posted by Roger Fuelster on July 02, 2000

: : : I would be surprised if the following phrase isn't in your database in one form or the other, but a cursury look was unable to find it: Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. I know what it means, but I have long wondered about its origin.

: : I've come across a variant "Those who live in glass houses shouldn't stow thrones"

: The corrupted version is "Those who live in GRASS houses shouldn't stow thrones." It derives from an old "graoner" about a king on a tropical island who lived in a grand two-story house built of grass and other local vegetation. On the anniversary of his accession, his loyal subjects gave him a splendid new throne. The king, however, being the sentimental sort, couldn't bear to part with the throne he'd sat on for so many years. He had his servants stow it on the second floor. Not long after, as the king was sitting on his new, splendid throne, a violent storm arose, and the old throne came crashing down, killing the king. Thus the saying "THOSE WHO LIVE IN GRASS HOUSES SHOULDN'T STOW THRONES."

I like my version better cos you can see the thrones that are being stowed and, in any case, grass houses are a bit rare and really not the sort of place you would expect to find a throne. Glass houses, on the other hand, can be elegant and befitting of a throne owner: even a multiple throne owner.

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