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There is a veritable farm of idioms in Europe which express the impossibility of something happening and an indication of the eternal estimated arrival time that lies in store. From a Spanish ultra pessimist’s point of view, something will happen when frogs sprout hairs (cuando las ranas críen pelo) or and from pursed French gloommongers' one, the good time will come when chickens grow teeth (quand les poules auront des dents).
The Brits and Italians propel animals through the air, waiting respectively and positively for pigsand donkeys to fly (aspettare che gli asini volino). The Russians wait until the crawfish whistles on the mountain (когда рак на горе свистнет). From the fine hands of the Poles (Chopin, for example), you’d be waiting for the cactus to grow (aż mi kaktus na ręce wyrośnie).
You can also cross your fingers and wait for the day of a saint: in France something will happen à la Saint Glinglin- the origin of this expression is obscure, perhaps having something to do with the sounds of bells. There is also the German Sankt Nimmerleinstag, Portuguese o dia de São Nunca and the Polish Święty Nigdy , all referring to Saint Never’s Day.
Fernando Navarro Sordo, Nabeelah Shabbir.
A conversation with investigative reporters Stefano Valentino and Giorgio Michalopoulos, who have dissected the dark underbelly of green finance for Voxeurop and won several awards for their work.
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