Hector was a pup (1906)

[Lesa Dill]

It relates to the Fenimore Cooper Leatherstocking Series.  As Natty
Bumpo grows old and wanders around  the prairie, so does his dog
Hector, whom I always thought ended up as toothless as his master.  I
don't remember if the phrase actually appears in any of the novels.
But I'm fairly certain I've read about origin of the phrase before--
can't remember where.
On Wed, 10 Mar 2004 11:21:39 EST
 "James A. Landau" <JJJRLandau at AOL.COM> wrote:
> Hector was of course in the Iliad, which dates him as circa 1200 BCE.
> However, the name "Hector" occurs earlier in Linear B tablets,
suggesting that Homer
> (or someone) attached a Greek name to a Trojan prince whose name (if
he
> existed) had been forgotten.
>
> It is, I believe, merely one variant of a number of similar
expressions, such
> as
> - since Jesus was a lance corporal
> - since God was a little boy
> - since xxx was a raw recruit
>
> The first is US Marines, of course.  A Baptist friend re-rendered it
as
> "since Jesus was lanced corporally."  The third is also military, and
I have heard
> several names inserted for "xxx".
>
>      - James A. Landau