1.A Dog in the Manger占著茅坑不拉屎的人

出自《伊索寓言》(Aesops Fables),說的是一條狗躺在堆滿稻草的馬槽里。狗是不吃草的動物,而當(dāng)馬或牛一走近稻草時,這條狗卻朝著馬或?？穹?不準(zhǔn)食草動物享用。

因此,“狗占馬槽”就成了一個家喻戶曉的成語而進(jìn)入英語中,常用來比喻a person who prevents others from enjoying sth. that is useless to himself; a churlish fellow who will neither use a thing himself nor let others use it,諷刺那些占據(jù)某職位或某物品卻不做事的人。

a dog in the manger是個名詞性短語,常與系動詞連用,充當(dāng)表語(主語補(bǔ)足語)。

例:He borrowed a lot of books from the library, but he didnt read a book. He was really a dog in the manger.

There are some officials who are only the dogs in the manger.

Smith was a dog in the manger over that roll of wire; it was no use whatever to him, but he wouldnt let us have it.

2.Bell the Cat自告奮勇去冒險;老虎頭上拍蒼蠅

bell the cat系成語to hang the bell about the cats neck的簡略,原意是“給貓的脖子上掛鈴”。它來自《伊索寓言》中的《老鼠會議》(“The Mice in Council”)。

這篇寓言講的是:一群老鼠在鼠洞里舉行會議,討論如何對付兇狠的貓。白胡須老鼠提出:“我有個方法,在貓的脖子上掛一個鈴。這樣,貓一走動鈴就響,我們就可以聞鈴聲而逃避了?！比菏笠恢峦膺@個建議,歡呼:“Thats a capital idea.We will bell the cat!No more fear of the cat!”但是,誰去給貓掛鈴鐺呢?沒有一只老鼠敢去,一個個都溜掉了。老鼠會議毫無結(jié)果,它們不安全的處境當(dāng)然也無法改善。

寓言所寄托的意思很明白:遇到困難問題的時候,既需要有出謀劃策的智者,更需要有挺身而出的實(shí)干家。

bell the cat常用來比喻to do sth. dangerous in order to save others; to step forward bravely to face the danger; to take a risk for the good of others.

例:Everybody made suggestion,but no one actually offered to bell the cat.

We didnt know who would put him this delicate question when my friend offered to bell the cat.

3.Cry Wolf虛發(fā)警報;謊報險情;危言聳聽

cry wolf來自《伊索寓言》中的《牧童和狼》 (“The Shepherdboy and the wolf”)。

有個牧童在離村子不遠(yuǎn)的山坡上放羊。有一次,他為了開心作樂,突然大喊:“Help!Help!The wolf!”全村的人都聞聲跑來援助他,可跑到山坡上一看才知道他在開玩笑。如此惡作劇重復(fù)了兩三次。后來,狼真的來了,那個牧童再呼號求救時,誰也不理會他了。于是,狼把他的羊吃了。

這篇寓言的意義很清楚:愛說謊話的人,即使在他說真話時,也沒人相信他。由此,人們用to cry wolf 來概括這篇寓言的基本情節(jié)及其教誡意義,比喻to give false alarms; to warn of danger where there is none。按此比喻意義,這個成語相當(dāng)于漢語中出自《東周列國志》的典故:烽火戲諸侯。周幽王為博得寵妃褒姒一笑,竟然把軍國大事當(dāng)兒戲,烽火報警,使各路諸侯倉促發(fā)兵,馳援京師,卻受到嘲笑。后來犬戎進(jìn)犯,幽王再舉烽火調(diào)兵,誰也不來了,結(jié)果周幽王遭殺身亡國之禍。這兩個典故的情節(jié)雖不同,寓意卻完全一致,都是表示“一朝說假話,一世無人信”。

例:Nobody will believe he is in trouble because he has cried wolf so many times.

Is she really sick or is she just crying wolf?

4.Fish in Troubled Waters渾水摸魚;趁火打劫;陷于混亂

fish in troubled waters直譯是:“渾水里捕魚”,出自《伊索寓言·漁夫》。

這篇寓言講的是:有個漁夫在河里張網(wǎng)捕魚。他把魚網(wǎng)橫攔在河道里,然后拿了一條縛著石塊的繩子,不停地拍擊河水,使泥沙泛起,河水渾濁,魚兒在慌亂中紛紛自投羅網(wǎng)。漁夫用這個方法捕得了好多魚,但住在附近的人指責(zé)漁夫說:“我們飲水全靠這條河,你把水搞得這么渾,叫我們到哪里去找清水飲用呢?”漁夫回答說:“可是,我若不把水搞渾,那就非餓死不可了。”

因此,人們常用fish in troubled waters 比喻to try to win advantages for oneself from a disturbed state of affairs; to make use of sb.s misfortune to serve ones own ends,并因此產(chǎn)生了諺語Its good fishing in troubled waters(渾水好摸魚)。

在英語中,to fish in troubled waters 也可寫成to fish in the muddy waters,而且water必須用做復(fù)數(shù)waters。

例:The man who interferes in South American politics is fishing in troubled waters.

I refused to let them come here because I knew they only wanted to fish in troubled waters。

Those who made large profits out of illegally selling rationed goods during World War II were fishing in troubled waters.

5.Cats Paw 被他人利用的人;受人愚弄者

cats paw 也寫做cats-paw或catspaw,字面意思為“貓爪子”,出自17世紀(jì)法國著名的寓言作家拉封丹的《猴子與貓》,講的是狡猾的猴子哄騙頭腦簡單的貓兒,替它從爐火中取出烤熟的栗子來。貓兒應(yīng)命去做,結(jié)果貓爪子被火燒傷了,而取出的栗子卻由猴子享用了。追根溯源,遠(yuǎn)在公元前3世紀(jì)的《伊索寓言》中就有這個故事,不過沒有題目。

cats paw常用來比喻a person used as a tool by another; one who is used merely for the convenience of a cleverer or stronger person之意。按其內(nèi)涵,這個成語與漢語成語“為虎作倀”所比喻的意義相似,僅僅動物的形象不同。

cats paw除了單獨(dú)作為復(fù)合名詞使用外,還構(gòu)成to make a cats paw of sb.(利用某人作為工具或爪牙)。

例:It is easy for him to be used as a cats paw of evil-doing.

I am afraid that he is making a cats paw of you.

6.Pull the Chestnuts Out of the Fire火中取栗;替別人冒險

Pull the chestnuts out of the fire同樣來自拉封丹的《猴子與貓》。cats paw與pull the chestnuts out of the fire是同源成語,但兩個成語無論在結(jié)構(gòu)上或意義上都不相同,前者比喻充當(dāng)別人的工具或爪牙,后者常用來表示to do sth. dangerous for others的意思。

這個成語也寫做to pull sb.s chestnuts,或者to put the chestnuts for sb.。

例:I had pulled the chestnuts out of the fire for him on several occasions and was unwilling to do it again.

They are pulling chestnuts out of the fire for the imperialists without knowing it.

You cant make me your catspaw to pull your chestnuts out of the fire...

(唐 珂 摘)