Gerry
A short-lived event. The term originated in a proverb dating from the time of Chaucer, “Full wonder lost back nine days never in toune” and was found in quotes from John Hayward in 1546, “This wunder as wunder’s last nine days”.
I found an interesting usage in the comic actor Will Kemp’s ‘Nine Daies Wunder’ described as “a performance in daunce from London to Norwich, containing the pleasures, paines and kinde entertainment of William Kemp betweene London and that Citty in his late Morrice (dance qv Morris Dance). Wherein is somewhat set downe worth note, to revile the slaunders spred of him. Many things merry, nothing hurtful. Written by himself to satisfie his friends.” I didn’t read the book but it looks fun and can be found in full at The Project Gutenberg eBook of Kemp’s Nine Daies Wonder, edited by Alexander Dyce
So something that generates interest for only a short amount of time. The Free Dictionary cites the example of the musician fearing to become a nine days wonder forgotten long before he ever achieved success in his career. It is often used figuratively, for example ‘Don’t worry about what’s in the papers, it’ll be only a nine day wonder and then people will forget.’ Another version considers ‘A wonder last nine days and then the puppy’s eyes are open’, referring to the fact that dogs are born blind, which might be the ultimate source of the analogy; that is, after nine days one’s eyes are open and the so called wonder is seen for what it really is .
Reassuringly it implies that most things in life are quickly forgotten and the world continues turning in its inexorable way. Overall though it is another example of those neat little aphorisms in which the English language excels.
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