The Cheek Of The Nine Blind Beggars

[Pudcat]

Does anyone know where this saying originates from.

[elliemay1]

Never heard it before but it sounds Biblical. Makes me think of when Jesus cured 10 lepers and only one came back to thank him.

[kvalidir]

There are seven beggars in Judaism who figure in stories, but not heard of nine.

[vetuste_ennemi]

If it's about the Biblical story (and I've no idea that it is) to which Ellie alludes (from Luke 17) it's rather delightful:
"12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole."

[elliemay1]

Pudcat, where did you hear this saying? I have Googled it and nothing shows up.

[jno]

this isn't cheeky, and Buddhist stories seem unlikely to have made their way into English proverbial expressions, but...

The Buddha, it is said, used to delight in relating the following parable:
A King once, for his amusement, invited nine blind beggars to his palace. Then he had an elephant brought in, and having each man examine one part of the elephant, ordered them to tell them what an elephant was.
One felt the trunk, and said "it is a palm-tree". One felt the head, and said "it is a big cooking-pot". One felt the tusk, and said "it is a plough-share". One felt the ear, and said "it is a winnowing basket". One felt the belly, and said "it is a grain silo". One felt the leg, and said "it is a pillar". One felt the tail, and said "it is a snake". One felt the end of the tail, and said "it is a big brush". And one felt the back and said "it is a quern".
Hear the other's outlandish claims, each blind man became enraged and tried to shout the other's falsehoods down, until at last they came to blows, which greatly amused the king.
"Just so", says the Buddha, "are scholars who, groping in the dark about this world, claim it is this way or that way, being noisy and quarrelsome about it".

[kvalidir]

Actually what VE says makes perfect sense, that the nine show a sense of entitlement, but they were lepers instead of blind. Makes you wonder if it's not a regional saying and someone got the original parable wrong and thought they were blind. Where did you hear it Pudcat?

[Pudcat]

I have heard it a few times on building and engineering sites.
To be honest I to needed to tone it down a little to avoid giving offence , the last word is B..t...s

[vetuste_ennemi]

Certainly love the JNO story which I've never heard before:

"Just so", says the Buddha, "are scholars who, groping in the dark about this world, claim it is this way or that way, being noisy and quarrelsome about it".

It's a very clever comment on speculative exercises. (I think, though, that more scientifically inclined blind beggars might have up with a better theory of elephant the whole than just elephant the bits).

[jno]

ah, Pudcat, you do need to give the exact quote if you can. There are a few google links to the phrase. None of them are much help but one has "luck" rather tahn "cheek" and says it's Australian.

[Old_Geezer]

Hadn't realised the story was attributed to the Buddha. Thought most would have heard about the blind men and the elephant though. Nine of them were there, and beggars to boot. I don't always remember the details.