An Old Saw that is Senseless

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXIII, Issue 17, 27 April 1905, Page 6

An Old Saw that is Senseless

In olden times when a person died it was customary to toll Uhe cjhurch bell a certain number of times to indipate whether it was a man, woman, or child. For 'a, woman it was tolled three times and for a man thrice three times. The stroke of a bell was called a ' teller,' and hence it was nine tellers for a man ; or, as folks said in those days, ' Nine tellers mark a man.' This sayirtg, which was continued long after the tolling custom was abolished, finally became converted into the present saying, ' Nine tailors make a man,' which is devoid of both sense and reason.