Dropping like flies

Posted by Victoria S Dennis on June 23, 2009 at 20:50

In Reply to: Dropping like flies posted by ESC on June 20, 2009 at 20:47:

: : Dropping like flies:

: : Your site states that the origin is unknown. While I don't have any printed reference material, the story I heard goes like this:

: : When pioneers were settling the American continent, the fly problem was so great that they came up with a solution. They soaked poisonous mushrooms in sweet cream that they left out overnight in open bowls. The gluttonous flies drank the milk, staggered around the edge of the bowl, and 'dropped like flies' onto the table, where they could be scooped up in the morning.

: : I hope this is the appropriate forum for me to pass along this information, and I hope it is helpful. Thank you for all the great information you provide. the research must be exhausting!

: Thanks. It's all grist for the mill, as they say. When I hear dropping like flies, it reminds me of the tale of The Brave Little Tailor. www.pitt.edu/ ~dash/grimm020.html

I just can't imagine pioneers being so bothered by flies that they would waste good cream poisoning them! In any case, for centuries flies have been a metaphor for anything that appears in huge numbers. See here:www.word-detective.com/ 071000.html.