Saturday, October 11, 2008

Corrected in Translation

In the September 15 issue of Publishers Weekly, THE BOOK OF LIES by Brad Meltzer is #2 on the hardcover bestsellers list. A sidebar informs us that in Meltzer's first book,
The Tenth Justice, the original opening lines are: "Ben Addison was sweating. Like a pig." In the Hebrew translation, it became: "Ben Addison was sweating. Like a horse." The author's not sure if it's a kosher thing or what.
Actually, it's a fact thing. Because PIGS DON'T SWEAT. Per the Wikipedia entry on Pig:
Pigs do not have functional sweat glands,[4] so pigs cool themselves using water or mud during hot weather.
And as anyone who's been around horses knows, they sweat like crazy. One of the more arresting sights after a hot race or cross-country event is the horses being led around with one groom at their head and another at their hind end, holding a huge icebag wedged into their crotch. You'd think the horses would kick anyone who did such a thing, but they seem to enjoy it.

2 comments:

David said...

Oracular!

Doreen Orion said...

I learn the most amazing things reading your blog.