Show how it started by JEAN NEWTON THE DEVIL TAKE THE HINDMOST THIS saying a popular and self ex placatory plan atory member of our modern slang lexicon was originally the devil takes the hindmost and al though it Is agreed that it was in the superstition and mth tenanted ten anted das of the middle ages that it and its beginning there are two accredit ed versions of its origin according to one the circumstance of its beginning took place in scot land where it Is slid tant when a class of medieval students had ande certain progress in their mystic studies they were required to run through a subterranean hall and the last man was understood to have been selled by the devil and become hs imp the other version attributes the saying to the in germany when people first began straying from the confessional and the catholic church and parish priests were ex hooted to keep their flocks in their efforts to do this we are told they admonished fhelt to come to church and to come early because the devil takes the hind most 1 in he minds of the simple folk of those days there was fertile soil for the nurture and growth of aufa an idea which once expressed was quickly passed on and given widespread credence how widespread tills was Is proven by the duct that it has survived to this day in literature and in speech it Is found in the works of arlor pope burns and oth er greit names in literature butler in used it as fol lows bid the devil take the hindmost copyright |