[Curiosities] Why do we have sheep to sleep?

[#Wittels-]

Thanks to the sheep we can make milk, cheese, clothes and even sayings and expressions. How many times have you heard that "I am the black sheep" of the family? In context, the Spanish proverb is full of metaphors and phrases where these animals are protagonists. And they are not only present in prayers, they are also famous in sleep, why are sheep counted in order to sleep? We discover this and more curiosities in Now or Never!

 

count sheep to sleep
Sheep are already an icon of sleep and insomnia. "You can not sleep? Well, count sheep!" How many times have you heard that phrase? They say that doing so prevents the mind from thinking and puts you in a drowsy state. But who had this idea? Why sheep?

The truth is that the exact origin of this method of sleep is unknown, however, the first written reference dates back to the 12th century and points to a children's story that was created with the aim of making those who read its legends fall asleep.

 

In relation to the sheep, the story told the story of a king who had a storyteller at his service who invented fables and stories every night so that the monarch would fall asleep, since he suffered from insomnia. Each time he asked for longer stories and, in this way, the storyteller came up with the chronicle of a farmer who bought a thousand sheep and who, when taking them back home, hit a river. To lengthen the story, the narrator counted each sheep one by one. Thus, the story points out, that the king entered a deep sleep.

Why is it said not to mix churras with merinos?
When one begins to mix songs in an incoherent way, it is very common to hear someone tell them: Don't mix churras with merinas. But where does this phrase come from? Because it is said? The reason lies in the types of sheep, in this sense there is the Churra sheep, which gives good meat, and the Merino sheep, which gives good wool. And what if they get together? According to the experts, instead of being encouraged, these qualities are damaged, that is, they would not give good meat or good wool.

Crazy is the sheep that confesses to the wolf...
Another saying, less used and less known, but which also refers to sheep, is the one that says: Crazy is the sheep that confesses to the wolf. A saying that basically means that you have to be careful who you tell things to, lest you end up regretting it.

Why is being the black sheep spoken of as something derogatory?
But the sheep give more play, not only for sayings, we also have the derogatory expression: Being the black sheep. Which comes from the unusual presence of a black sheep in the flock. It was said that this was bad for the breeder, since that wool was not quoted in the market.

In Iceland there are more sheep than people
In Iceland there are not only more sheep than people, but the number of these animals doubles the number of inhabitants. In addition, there is a myth that says that in Iceland the sheep always go three by three, this is because the Icelandic sheep usually have two young and they grow so fast that in a few months they usually have the same size as the mother. that is why it is common to see them in a trio.

 

Link: https://www.rtve.es/television/20230412/ovejas-dormir-sueno-contamos-refranes-animal/2438317.shtml