"Pull the blanket" or "be without white": Where do these Spanish expressions come from?

The Spanish language is one of the richest in the world in terms of expressions and vocabulary. We have many phrases and expressions that have a curious and historical origin, and sometimes it is difficult to know where those phrases come from that we usually use on many occasions. For example, “no stick to water” comes from a nautical expression that already in the antiquity was heard when a rower stopped rowing and his oars did not touch the water. There are many expressions that have an unknown historical origin, but that have served over the years to make our already extensive and interesting language much richer. Being without a white A well-known Spanish expression is “being without a white” which makes reference to running out of money. The origin of this expression can be found during the year 1379, with Juan I of Castile. The king minted a new coin during the war against England’s Duke of Lancaster, called the ‘White of Agnus Dei’. At first, when the king put it into circulation, silver and copper began to be made, but with the passage of time, and the devaluation of the currency, it began to be made only in copper, its value being very little. It was during the reign. of Felipe II when the ‘Blanca’ became a currency of little value so that people who did not have money began to use the expression “I have no white.” In the era of pesetas, this expression was updated when we said “I’m without a penny.” Pulling the blanket The expression “pulling the blanket” refers to when someone is about to confess something, or reveal important secrets, that will affect others. This expression has its origin during the reign of the Catholic Monarchs and the expulsion of the Jews in 1492.During the early years, Jews began to convert to Christianity and race Catholics created a census to find out who were “pure-bred Christians” and who were not. This census was carried out and hung on huge canvases in the parishes of Navarre where Jewish convert families were identified with names and surnames. So everyone knew who it was. The “canvas” that was exhibited in 1610 in the Cathedral of Tudela was very famous, where more than 200 Jewish families who had converted to Catholicism appeared. This blanket was on display until the 19th century.