On Gifts, Givers, Giving: Saber and Archer in HSR — Fate Collab, thoughts, anticipation, and random linguistics stuff I nom on

The term ‘gift horse’ is usually used in phrasing such as, ‘to look a gift horse in the mouth.’ It used to mean a necessary practice for horse buyers, who might need to pinch a horse’s mouth to inspect its teeth for indications of youth and health. In broader use, it’s often prefaced with ‘don’t’ or ‘shouldn’t,’ as a reminder that a gift is a gift, not bought — that being too critical of it may sour you and the giver’s relationship, or worse, the horse might bite! It’s now grown into something like ‘to remember to receive gifts with grace.’ Not to be confused with a ‘giving horse’ which an actual horse enthusiast or equestrian might use to refer to a horse that is ‘too good for this world too pure’ like calling someone you know, or a character, a ‘cinnamon roll’ ♡ ‘Gift horse’ has also been misattributed to a certain hollowed wooden horse from Greek mythology, which I find entertaining in light of the _(┐「ε:)_ Steeds on Amphoreus. So… Saber on Penacony? Feelings on Archer so far?