There were certain things Mama expected us to keep to ourselves. A surprise birthday party, a Christmas present hidden in the closet or something Daddy wasn’t supposed to know until the right time.
And if somebody spilled the beans before the big reveal, Mama had a saying ready.
“Well, you’ve gone and let the cat out of the bag!”
Now, there wasn’t a cat anywhere around, because we were all allergic, and nobody had been carrying a bag. But we knew exactly what Mama meant. Somebody had told a secret that was supposed to stay a secret.
Where did that saying come from?
The expression “let the cat out of the bag” has been around for centuries. It appeared in print in the 1700s, although its exact origin remains uncertain.
One popular explanation takes us back to old marketplaces, where farmers and merchants bought and sold livestock.
According to the story, a dishonest seller might put a cat in a sack instead of the piglet a buyer thought he was purchasing. If someone opened the sack before the transaction was complete, the cat would escape and the trick would be exposed.
It’s a colorful explanation, but historians haven’t established that this practice actually gave rise to the expression.
Whatever its beginnings, the meaning has remained much the same: To let the cat out of the bag is to reveal something that was supposed to remain a secret, usually by accident.
Mama knew who couldn’t keep a secret
Imagine Mama planning a surprise birthday dinner for Daddy who did not like surprises.
She’s called the relatives, baked his favorite coconut cake and arranged for everybody to arrive before he gets home.
Then little Suzy comes bouncing through the kitchen.
“Daddy, are we still having your surprise birthday party Saturday?”
Daddy stops in his tracks.
Mama closes her eyes, puts down her wooden spoon and says, “Suzy, you’ve gone and let the cat out of the bag!”
Looking confused, “What cat, Mama?”
And just like that, the secret is gone, Daddy knows about the party and Mama has another story to tell at the next family gathering.
Some things never change
Today, we might say someone spoiled the surprise, spilled the beans or accidentally shared information that wasn’t meant to be public.
But Mama’s expression somehow said it better.
And if you grew up in a household where secrets were hard to keep, you probably learned one important lesson: Don’t tell the surprise to the child who can’t wait to tell everybody else.
Because once that cat gets out of the bag, there’s no putting it back in!
Mama Said reminds us that the expressions we grew up hearing often carry a little history, a little humor and a whole lot of wisdom.
Enjoyed this article. Read more What Mama Said… by Susan Espiritu.
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