Never Let It Be Said Your Mother Bred A Jibber
Never Let It Be Said That Your Mother Bred A Jibber
My mother gave me a lot of advice on life the most memorable of which was "Never let it be said that your mother bred a jibber". I can't recollect when she first said it, it was always with me. She certainly did not explain the meaning of the the phrase and I never asked what it meant. Over the years I interpreted it to mean any number of different things. I certainly did not want to be a 'Jibber' whatever one was. Not knowing was probably good for me. Not wanting to be one probably made me more polite, more honest and respectful in spite of not being a particularly good boy.
It was much later that I discovered that a 'jibber' was a horse which gave up and refused to go forward. A person who was a jibber was someone who gave up at the first hurdle. Life is a series of hurdles and there are many who give up at the first one they meet or weave around it and miss out on one of life's lessons.
I haven't I'm pleased to say. In spite of not knowing what a Jibber was I have managed not to become one. I used the same phrase on my own children "Never let it be said your mother bred a jibber". I hope that it stands them in good stead too whether they understand the phrase or not. It is good advice for all.