Date: Wed, 10 Dec 1997 05:47:26 -1000

From: Norman Roberts nroberts[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]HAWAII.EDU

Subject: Re: How cold was it?



My understanding of the phrase, "It's cold enough to freeze the balls on a

brass monkey" is that the monkey is a triangle made of brass upon which cannon

balls were stacked. When it got cold enough, the balls would freeze on the

brass monkey.

Nothing to do with the little guy's anatomy.



David R. Carlson

Springfield College

Springfield MA



However, in the frozen north, at least when I lived there long ago, there

was the expression "cold enough to freeze the balls OFF a brass monkey."

As I recall, it was also "colder than a well digger's arse in January."



And here in Hawaii right now it is "long sleeve days and two blanket nights."



Aloha e



N