It's logic : when you gather no moss, you gather no mass. That is why the Stones are skinny.


Rolling Stone

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Posted by R. Berg on March 23, 2001
In Reply to: Rolling Stone posted by Jorge Romero on March 23, 2001

: What does this proverb mean? Origin?
: "A rolling stone gathers no moss"

: I have heard many versions which lead to opposite interpretations. Some suggest it is desirable to keep moving so that you will not get stuck in moss; others suggest that if you move without control like a rolling stone, then you will not gather desirable "moss." What is the truth?

The proverb apparently has both meanings. Typing "rolling" into the Search box above the discussion will get you a historical explanation.

Rolling stone gathers no mass.

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Posted by Ab Ran on July 10, 2001
Hi,

Can some one please tell me the meaning of this phrase ?

Thanx,
Ab.


"A rolling stone gathers no moss". Bruce Kahl 07/10/01 (0)

It's a simple biological fact, stones on shores (fresh water as well as salty) that experience changes in tides grow moss on them, because there is enough sun on them at times to allow for the growth, but the stones that get constantly rolled about by the tidal movement, rub their surface onto one another and constantly scrape off the moss ....

I think this gets translated into the saying and presumably means " you gotta move " or something along those lines....

In Venezuela there's a saying similar in meaning "the shrimp that falls asleep gets carried off by the current"

Perhaps you ought to get your own little corner on IORR called "The Joker's Semantics"!

In French, it features the same picture :

Pierre qui roule n'amasse pas mousse.

I'm afraid that my vast knowledge of French extends pretty much to "la plume de ma tante" and wasn't very helpful when I visited the Camargue last month.....funny how you always remember these stupid little phrases from when you learned a language at school, another silly one that comes to mind is "la pipe du papa".....equally practical!...and I sure didn't realise that Pierre means stones, is that how you spell the name "Peter" as well? And has there never been a french Stones coverband calling themselves "Pierre roulants" (or whatever the right spelling is) ??