Yesterday as we were on our way to Kampala for some needed grocery shopping and a meeting, I saw a patch of fire-blackened papyrus stubs. I was reminded of a saying I heard a couple of months ago. One of the priests used the phrase "stupid as papyrus" in his homily. Everybody laughed. I didn't get it, not at all.
Later Modest explained to me that sometimes when the wind blows through thick patches of papyrus in the swamp the friction of the papyrus stalks rubbing against each other sets the papyrus on fire. The papyrus is standing in the water of the swamp, but it burns anyway. It can't make use of the water to put out the fire. Hence the saying, "stupid as papyrus."
The traditional belief is that the local gods are upset--with the people or whatever--and set the papyrus on fire as a way of showing their displeasure. This explanation still works for some folks. Sounds just about as good as friction.
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