# Curse Origin ; Fleas, Camel, Beard

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curse-origin-fleas-camel-beard/694953>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 6, 2014, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curse-origin-fleas-camel-beard/694953 "2014-08-06T15:56:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![UncleFred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f0a364/32.png) [@UncleFred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleFred)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2014, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curse-origin-fleas-camel-beard/694953/1 "2014-08-06T15:56:32Z")

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Where did the following curse originate;

“May the fleas of a thousand camels nest in your beard.”

Now I know Johnny Carson used variants of it (substitute ‘crotch’, ‘armpit’, etc.) back in the 70’s, but I’m specifically asking about the exact quote referring to a beard. I assume that’s where Carson got it from.

I clearly remember, and I’ve heard so from other people, that it was used in some old Black & White movie from maybe the 30’s or 40’s, but I can’t find it. And maybe it goes back even further.

One person suggested the quote I’m chasing is actually drawn from an earlier quote;

“May the fleas of a thousand camels nest in your enemy’s beard.”

I’d be happy to find out about either. Cites, anyone?

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**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2014, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curse-origin-fleas-camel-beard/694953/2 "2014-08-06T17:18:19Z")

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In Classical Arabic:

لِتُعَشِّشْ بَراغيثُ أَلْفُ جَمَلٍ لِحْيَةَ عَدُوِّكَ

_Li-tu‘ashshish barāghīth alf jamal liḥyat ‘adūwik_