Speak of the devil

Common card · No. 393774

"Speak of the devil" is the short form of the English-language idiom "Speak of the devil and he doth appear" (or its alternative form "speak of the devil and he shall appear"). The form "talk of the devil" is also in use in the United Kingdom. It is used when an object of discussion unexpectedly becomes present during the conversation. It can also be used about a topic that quickly becomes relevant, such as the onset of rain or a car breaking down. A similar construction appears in the 15th century Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms as 说曹操，曹操到 or "Speak of Cao Cao, Cao Cao arrives". In many cultures, a different dangerous person or creature is referenced in the phrase. Serbian: "Speak of the wolf and he is at your door." French: "Speak of the wolf and you see its tail." Italian: "Speak of the devil and the horns appear." Finnish: "Pirusta kun puhuu, niin sarvet näkyy." Czech: "We talk about the wolf, and the wolf is at the door." Tunisian: "Mention the cat, and it comes to you...

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