Let's look at it in order. Firstly, in the old days, ‘ravings’ meant aimless walking, that is, when a person wandered back and forth without any meaning. Secondly, horses with blue-gray colored manes – gray with dark shimmers – look gray-haired. So, it turns out that, when people talk about gray mare’s ravings, they mean the meaningless wandering of an old horse. And in a figurative sense – meaningless tales, the chatter of old people. An English equivalent would be: “That’s hogwash!”
The expression “врёт, как сивый мерин” (“vryet, kak sivy merin”) or "lies like a gray gelding" has a similar meaning. In the old days, gray horses were traditionally considered stupid and unfit for farming. Therefore, over time, another meaning appeared – the tales of a stupid person.
Dear readers,
Our website and social media accounts are under threat of being restricted or banned, due to the current circumstances. So, to keep up with our latest content, simply do the following:
If using any of Russia Beyond's content, partly or in full, always provide an active hyperlink to the original material.
Subscribe
to our newsletter!
Get the week's best stories straight to your inbox
