Harry's hind leg.

Posted by TheFallen on September 29, 2003

In Reply to: Harry's hind leg. posted by Charles on September 29, 2003

: My mother had dozens of expressions, one of which was, "As tough as Harry's hind leg", used in reference to a particularly tough piece of meat. I assume she learned it from her mother whose background was English.

I think the Harry in question may well be the Devil, who is liable to have particularly tough and unpalatable hind legs.

"Old Harry" was one of the many British euphemisms for the Devil, a fact borne out by the eroded chalk formation called Old Harry Rocks just off the Dorset coast in the UK. Legend has it that the Devil laid down for a nap at the top of these chalk cliffs - well, all that evil-doing has to be tiring, I suspect.

• Harry's hind leg. Word Camel 29/September/03