Purchasing Local Bridges

[ThisIsNotDan]

OK, dumb question. I don't get the reference of Haley's last line in OOTS 675. While purchasing local bridges is a funny, useless, and random thing for Elan to be doing, it seems a bit too random to me. Does it come from some sort of expression?

[Turkish Delight]

I think it's an Americanism. There's an expression that goes, "And if you believe that, I have a bridge I can sell you."

It apparently comes from 19th century hucksters in Europe who would con wealthy Americans out of their money by pretending they had authority to sell famous landmarks, such as Tower Bridge in London. The meaning is essentially, "If you believe that, you're a complete and total sucker."

[Morquard]

There's the "And if you believe this, I have a bridge to sell you" for example, after a really really stupid thing someone just said.
I think Haley is simply saying that this is one of the more harmless things he can screw up, especially since the item he's buying is actually useful for him.

[Tass]

:redcloak: If you think for one round that Xykon gives a withered crap about the goblin race, then I have a bridge to sell you to Terabithia (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0548.html)

Edit: Heh. I am the best ninja ever :p

[Herald Alberich]

The joke's been done in the comic before, actually, combined with an excellent fantasy reference in #548 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0548.html): "If you think for one round that Xykon gives a withered crap about the goblin race, I have a bridge to sell you to Terabithia."

edit: Ninja'd, of course.

It's especially appropriate because Terabithia (and its bridge, in reality just a rope swing over a ditch) are a product of the main characters' imaginations in-story - not only is Redcloak not authorized to sell it, it doesn't even exist.

[spectralphoenix]

I'm pretty sure the original bridge from the expression is the Brooklyn Bridge (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_C._Parker).

[FoE]

It comes from con men in the early part of the century who would attempt to "sell" famous landmarks, notably George C. Parker. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_C._Parker)

Basically, the joke references an old saying denoting gullibility. "I ate 500 pancakes today ... and if you believe that, I've got a bridge to sell you."

[Cpt. Red Beard]

They are also in the desert in a Medieval, fantasy setting, so even though the historical relevance of the phrase as it pertains to us is irrelevant to the story, it can be deduced that there are no, or at least very few, bridges--much like that to Terabithia. Similarly, Haley could have referenced Elan buying sandboxes.

[Malkar Grumbo]

The the joke refers specifically to the Brooklyn Bridge. In the 19th century conman would convince immigrants they could sell them said bridge. Some people actually would believe them and try to set up toll booths, and hilarity would ensue. (if you consider people being arrested and thrown in jail hilarious)

[Carnivorous_Bea]

Yep, exactly, it's a very common Americanism, based on those early scam artists.

What makes it even funnier is that they're in a desert .... so Elan buying a (fake) interest in a local bridge would mean that he was doubly gullible, in their current location! :smallsmile: