Bunkum and tummyrot! You'll never get anywhere if you go about what-iffing like that. Would Columbus have discovered America if he'd said 'What if I sink on the way over? What if I meet pirates? What if I never come back?' He wouldn't even have started.

Roald Dahl
About This Quote

'Bunkum and tummyrot!' is a term of derision used to describe something that is utterly ridiculous or false. In this quote, the speaker is talking about someone who tells the world what they hope will happen, but is never prepared for any of the possibilities that may occur. There is a very common saying: "Don't just do something, stand there." If you're going to do something, it's important to be ready. Columbus didn't just start sailing across an ocean just because he wanted to see what was over there. He was prepared for any number of possibilities.

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  5. Bunkum and tummyrot! You'll never get anywhere if you go about what-iffing like that. Would Columbus have discovered America if he'd said 'What if I sink on the way over? What if I meet pirates? What if I never come back?' He wouldn't even have...
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