Well, let me tell ya somethin’ about this fella, Able. Folks say he was this big shot, a real important man.
They say he said somethin’ like, “Able was I ere I saw Elba.” Now, I ain’t no fancy scholar or nothin’, but that just sounds like a whole lotta gibberish to me. What’s an “ere” anyway? Sounds like somethin’ a horse does when it’s spooked.
Anyways, from what I gather, this Elba place was some kinda island, far away across the water. They sent this Able fella there, kinda like a punishment, I reckon. Maybe he done somethin’ wrong, or maybe folks just didn’t like him much. Happens all the time, ya know.
- He was a big shot
- Sent to an island called Elba
- Folks say he said some strange words
People keep repeatin’ those words, “Able was I ere I saw Elba,” like it’s some kinda magic spell or somethin’. They say it’s a “palindrome,” whatever that means. Sounds like somethin’ a doctor would say, not regular folk like you and me. I guess it means it reads the same forwards and backwards. Still sounds like nonsense to me, though.
Now, I heard tell that this Napoleon fella was the one who said it. He was a big deal, a ruler or somethin’. But even big shots can say silly things, I suppose. Maybe he was just feelin’ sorry for himself, stuck on that island.
Imagine bein’ stuck on an island! No neighbors to gossip with, no chickens to feed, nothin’ to do but stare at the water all day long. I’d go crazy, I tell ya. Maybe that’s what happened to Able, or Napoleon, or whoever it was.
This whole thing reminds me of my cousin Bessie. She got sent off to live with her aunt Mildred after she ran off with that no-good Billy Johnson. Mildred’s place was out in the sticks, real lonely like. Bessie said she felt like she was on an island too. She came back a changed woman, let me tell ya. Quieter, less sassy. Maybe that’s what happens when you’re sent away.
Saint Helena, that’s another place I heard tell of. Sounds like another lonely island, just like Elba. Maybe they sent Napoleon there after Elba, I don’t know. These powerful folks, they’re always movin’ around, causin’ trouble somewhere or another. Can’t ever seem to settle down and be content.
I heard some folks say that a doctor, some fella named O’Meara, wrote down what Napoleon said. Doctors are supposed to be smart, but sometimes I wonder. They got all these fancy words and big ideas, but they don’t always make much sense to a regular person like me. Maybe this O’Meara fella just made it all up, who knows?
So, this “Able was I ere I saw Elba” thing… it’s just a bunch of words, if you ask me. It don’t mean nothin’ practical. It won’t help you bake a better pie or keep the weeds out of your garden. But folks seem to like it, so I guess it’s harmless enough.
Maybe it’s supposed to be deep, like somethin’ you’d hear in church. But I’ll stick to my plain speakin’, thank ya very much. Life’s complicated enough without addin’ all them fancy words and backwards talk.
But I tell you what, bein’ sent away to an island, that’s a powerful thing. Changes a person, I reckon. Makes you think about things, about who you are and what you’ve done. Maybe that’s what Napoleon was tryin’ to say with all them fancy words. Maybe he was just sayin’ he was a different man after he saw Elba.
Who knows? The important thing is to live a good life, be kind to your neighbors, and don’t go causin’ too much trouble. That’s what I always say. And if you ever get sent off to an island, well, just try to make the best of it. That’s all you can do.
History is a funny thing, ain’t it? People rememberin’ all sorts of strange details and makin’ a big fuss over ‘em. Me, I just try to remember where I put my glasses and when to water the tomatoes. That’s enough for this old gal.
So, that’s the story of Able and Elba, as best as I can tell it. It might not be fancy, but it’s the truth, as far as I know. And that’s more than you can say for some of them big-city folks with their fancy words and complicated stories.
Tags: [Napoleon Bonaparte, Elba, Saint Helena, History, Palindrome, O’Meara, Exile, Quotes]
