Fossilized Turn of a Phrase Concerning a Prehistoric Measuring Stick

Sticks

"More than you can shake a stick at!"

The purpose of such a stick was to measure what was beyond one's capacity.

For example, two or three wolves might be held off with a stick, but more than three was "a lot" of wolves, and you knew it because the wolves weren't cowed by your stick, no matter how hard you shook that stick at them.

In which case, run!