--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To say that the farmer laughed would be…" description: "\"“To say that the farmer laughed would be to express the matter feebly. That his young opponent, who had been irritating him unspeakably since the begin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/494/p-g-wodehouse-723_gratitude_to-say-that-the-farmer-laughed-would-be_895880.jpg" --- # To say that the farmer laughed would be to express the… ![“To say that the farmer laughed would be to express the matter feebly. That his young opponent, who had been irritating him unspeakably since the beginning of the game with advice and criticism, should have done exactly what he had cautioned him, the farmer, against a moment before, struck him as…” quote by P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/494/p-g-wodehouse-723_gratitude_to-say-that-the-farmer-laughed-would-be_895880.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/494/p-g-wodehouse-723_gratitude_to-say-that-the-farmer-laughed-would-be_895880.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/494/p-g-wodehouse-723_gratitude_to-say-that-the-farmer-laughed-would-be_895880.jpg) > ““To say that the farmer laughed would be to express the matter feebly. That his young opponent, who had been irritating him unspeakably since the beginning of the game with advice and criticism, should have done exactly what he had cautioned him, the farmer, against a moment before, struck him as being the finest example of poetic justice he had ever heard of, and he signalized his appreciation of the same by nearly dying of apoplexy.”” [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The farmer’s ironic triumph shows how a warning can backfire, delivering poetic justice when the warned party repeats the warned‑against behavior. **In simple terms:** Warnings can become self‑fulfilling, leading to unexpected justice. Key Takeaway Recognize the irony in your own warnings. Themes irony justice humor Mood witty reflective Type literary satirical. When to use this quote - business negotiations - personal disputes - legal arguments - creative writing Key Concepts poetic justice self‑fulfilling prophecy Questions to Reflect On - When have you seen a warning turn into the very outcome it warned against? - Do you think the farmer’s reaction was justified? A Different Perspective The humor relies on exaggerated reaction, which may not translate to serious contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Gratitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gratitude/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Poetic Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetic-justice/) ## Related quotes > [“Now let’s say that the farmer has two seeds in his”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-nightingale/now-let-s-say-that-the-farmer-has-two-seeds-in-his/) [Earl Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-nightingale/) > [“The past is dangerous, not least because it cannot go away. It is simply there , never to change, and in its constancy it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-esolen/the-past-is-dangerous-not-least-because-it-cannot-go-away-it-is/) [Anthony Esolen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-esolen/) > [“He wanted to laugh at the poetic justice of it all. 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