Words and Their Stories: Apple Pie Order
When everything is just perfect | WORDS AND THEIR STORIES
04 September 2010
Now, the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.
Today we tell about the expression, "apple pie order." It means in perfect order, very well organized.
Nobody is sure where and when the expression apple pie order began. Some say that Scottish and English writers used the expression a long time ago. Others say it first was used in the northeastern American states known as New England.
The housewives of New England cut their apples in even slices. Then they filled pie pans with them in an organized way, row upon row. As one writer said, the women of New England loved to have everything in its place. This perhaps explains why it generally is believed that the expression apple-pie order began in New England.
Another old expression describes the opposite condition – wild disorder. That expression is apple of discord. It comes from ancient mythology.
The myth says that all the gods and goddesses were sitting around the table to celebrate the marriage of Thetis and Peleus. One of the goddesses, Discord, was a troublemaker. She threw a golden apple on the table to be given as a prize to the most beautiful goddess.
It was not an easy decision to make. How could they choose among Juno, Minerva and Venus. Paris was given the task of deciding. He decided to give the golden apple to Venus. Juno and Minerva were very angry and threatened him. This, the myth says, began the long Trojan war.
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