It was a big old chunk of a book, so only a couple of the kids including myself read it. Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled, origin of phrase - "if the creek don't rise". If the Good Lord is Willing and the Creek don't rise If the Creek Don't Rise Quotes by Leah Weiss - Goodreads I first heard of the notion of creek meaning Creek on a camping trip a couple of years ago at Barkcamp State Park in the area of Wheeling, WV. Georgia-born blogger Jennifer Collins says she always rolled her eyes when her mom said this to her. Funny Phrases ben stanczyk 10/25/01 Older than Methuselah. When the road looks rough ahead, remember the 'Man upstairs'. Have you ever seen a wet hen? Here is an article that casts rather a lot of doubt on your assertion: 'God willing and the creek don't rise' M Quinion_World Wide Words: Q From Bob Scala: An item that has been floating around the internet claims that the expression 'God willing and the creek don't rise' referred to the Creek Indians, not a body of water. I doubt it will ever be possible to prove the source of some of these old sayings,but they sure are alot of funThis post set me a thinkin bout some things we grew up saying that we took from our eldersfor example when one is astonished you say Oh my Stars! Or when you havent seen someone in awhile you say I aint seen Hide nor Hair of em since..and there was plenty of times I was toldquit rootin around an causin such a ruckass!usually refering to me being in Granmas gardenand one can never forget the simpleSkeedaddle! Now the devil may knowWhere those sayings come from. Step into the Deep South and experience the lives and hardships, hopes and dreams, of folk who have nothing except gritand sometimes loveas their currency. Youre still going to the grocery store. Though youre likely to hear Southernisms such as hold your horses and pretty as a peach nationwide, youll likely only hear the following from a true Southerner. Take a look at some of our favorite Southern sayings that we just couldn't live without. Origin debaters point to Col. Benjamin Hawkins of North Carolina, a Continental Congress senator. "Come Hell or high water" vs "Lord willing and the creek don't rise" At the time Hawkins was Congressman, he joined other well known Southeastern American leaders in negotiating a major treaty with the Creek and Cherokee at the South Carolina city of Hopewell. This is a point of emphasis and exclamation that often ends without any additional telling at all. With a colorful cast of characters and a flair for the Southern Gothic, If the Creek Don't Rise is a debut novel bursting with heart, honesty, and homegrown grit. In fact, virtually all the examples that Ive found in books and newspaper archives down to the present day are in lower-case. What Do Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday, And Lent Mean? Someone reminded me not to be reminded of you. In the 1900s, the word evolved, taking on a Southern spin as well as new meanings such as "courage" and "get-up-and-go.". Whether you're talking about volume or value, a hill of beans isn't worth much. The expression make groceries is a translation of the French faire son march (to do ones market shopping). Paperback, 305 pages. Nor is grammar an argument in favor the the subject being plural. What in tarnation? "You've heard that old saying, 'I'll be there if the creek don't rise?' Well, they've all risen, and a lot of people are staying home because of that." 04 Mar 2023 03:30:05 This is our creative way of saying that you shouldn't crow like a rooster about your wealth and belonging today, because it could all disappear tomorrow. If the Creek Don't Rise is a collection of hard-used characters, tangled relationships, family angst, and fortitude. And really, wouldn't we all druther have our druthers? If you've read the book summary, you already know Sadie Blue lives with a devil of a man, but she's not the only one who has lived with a wife beater of a husband. It mentions Benjamin Hawkins of the late 18th century, who was asked by the US president to go back to Washington. By extension, maybe the Southern US expression was the way for an affronted or shocked listener to say none of that crazy untoward talk or behavior shall have power over me.. He would tell the audience that we would meet again, "If the good Lord's willin', and the creek don't rise". Wow! 40 OLD PHRASES AND SAYINGS - Grammy's Grid You'll most often hear it coming out of Mama's mouth when the kids are running amok. And that is the highest praise from me. Devil's beating his wife (when it would be sunny and raining). Like trying to meet a friend for lunch but having the car breakdown on the way. Baines Creek, high up in the Appalachian mountain, a poor place filled with impoverished people, a place where moonshine is king. Don't worry, though, everyone hears this every now and again. As was the case with Dr Mattox, the remark is routinely attributed to first being said by Benjamin Hawkins. This phrase enjoyed national exposure in 1988 after Texas Governor Ann Richards remarked: When we pay billions for planes that wont fly, billions for tanks that wont fire, and billions for systems that wont workthat old dog wont hunt.. It is 1970, and we follow the story of a young Appalachian girl, Sadie Blue age 17, pregnant and newly married to an evil young man who is abusive. A sister who is afraid of losing her brother and Sadie's grandmother and aunt, all tell their stories adding to Sadie's own. While this phrase may sound made up, it's simply our multisyllabic manner of saying something is askew. Another publication, Proceedings of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge Jurisdiction, Volumes 88-89, coins the phrase: if the Lord is willing and the creek dont fire, we will so do. Copyright 2023 KAIT. Though youre likely to hear Southernisms such as. Your email address will not be published. (LogOut/ Yet here I stand before you a speckled hermit, wrapt in the risen-sun counterpane of my popilarity, an intendin, Providence permittin, and the creek dont rise, to go it blind!. Let me love you again, give me one more try. on, This page was last edited on 22 January 2022, at 17:42. Because he capitalized Creek its asserted that he was referring to the Creek Indian tribe and not a body of water. The "creek don't rise" phrase is now sometimes credited to this time of unrest and displacement. We like to read this as one of the greatest Southern encouragements, but, like most of these phrases, you can use it however you'd like. If God Is Willing and Da Creek Don't Rise, If the Good Lord's Willing and the Creek Don't Rise, Good Lord's Willin and The Creek Don't Rise, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_creek_don%27t_rise&oldid=1136534691, This page was last edited on 30 January 2023, at 20:39. Here are a couple of examples of this claim. If the Creek Don't Rise|Paperback - Barnes & Noble The word you use for a fizzy, carbonated drink reveals a lot more about you than you know. PS A belated congratulations on your appointment as moderator, Tom. But, what we do know is English once used you and ye strictly to address a group of people. "If the creek don't rise" is a slang phrase predominantly used in the Southeastern United States and can translate to "if all goes well." It's a more conditional action statement than the famous phrase "come hell or high water." Yes, I had heard of the Appalachians and how the culture spreads along those mountains over more than a dozen States. In his response, he was said to write, God willing and the Creek dont rise. Because he capitalized the word Creek it is deduced that he was referring to the Creek Indian tribe and not a body of water. 133 Copy quote. 50 of the Best Southern Sayings | Serving Up Southern It must surely be the creation of a fertile modern mind desiring to put the flesh of evidence on the dry bones of outright invention. 132 Copy quote. Southern Slang: If The Creek Don't Rise | What does it mean? | Ask A (the good) Lord willing and the creek don't rise rural If all goes as it should; if everything goes well. Cows aren't known for their speed, and they are usually out and about, wandering until feeding time. Actually this is not proven. Rather, when this phrase is used, we'd like you to mind your manners and stop acting inappropriately. If the Creek Don't Rise. Other words sites Anecdotal evidence from people who have got in touch with me down the years suggests that it has been in regular use throughout the lifetimes of some elderly folk in parts of the US, either in the form you give or as the good Lord willing and the creek dont rise. You will have spotted that neither of these capitalises creek, which suggests they didnt have the Creek people in mind. It took a further decade for it to become popular as a supposedly hayseed utterance, sometimes as and the crick dont rise to reflect a regional form. Dont worry, if youre helping a friend make groceries, youre not expected to create food from scratch. Some say it originated with the Scottish-Irish term ye aw. Stop right there! Donate via PayPal. The story of Benjamin Hawkins relationship with the Creek,Cherokee, Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians goes back to 1786, when America was working on solidifying its hold on the new nation. Dylan LeBlanc - If The Creek Don't Rise Lyrics | Genius Lyrics If the Creek rose, Hawkins would have to be present to quell the rebellion. writes one commentator.. (Or maybe the Piggly Wiggly, a Southern market chain that originated in Memphis, Tennessee). Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. When you're in the South, "over yonder" is a distant directionany direction. At the same time there is some evidence that the creation of Fort Deposit (Fort Deposite) in Georgia was a cause of concern in that munitions and arms were stockpiled.