源自欧洲寓言名著的英文典故_英美文化

源自欧洲寓言名著的英文典故

1.a dog in the manger占着茅坑不拉屎的人

出自《伊索寓言》(Aesop"s Fables)，有一篇狗站马槽的故事，说的是一头狗躺在堆满稻草的马槽里，狗是不吃草的动物，而当马或牛一走进稻草时，这头狗却朝着马，牛狂哮，不准食草动物享用。

因此，“狗站马槽”就成了一个家喻户晓的成语而进入英语中，常用来比喻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，讽刺那些占据说职位或某些物质却不做事的人。

a dog in the manger是个名词性短语，常与系动词连用，充当表语（主语补足语）

eg:He borrowed a lot of books from the library,but he didn"t 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 wouldn"t let us have it.

2.bell the cat自告奋勇去冒险；老虎头上拍苍蝇

bell the cat系成语to hang the bell about the cat"s neck的简略，愿意是“给猫的脖子上挂铃”。它来自《伊索寓言》(Aesop"s Fables)中的《老鼠会议》(The Mice in Council)

这篇寓言讲的是：一群老鼠在鼠洞里举行会议，讨论如何对付凶狠的猫。白胡须老鼠提出：“我有个方法，在猫的脖子上挂一个铃。这样，猫一走动铃就响，我们就可以闻铃声而逃避了”，群鼠一致同意这个建议，欢呼：“That"s a capital idea.We will bell the cat!No more fear of the cat!”但是，谁去给猫挂铃铛呢？没有一只老鼠敢去，一个个都溜掉了。老鼠会议豪无结果，它们不安全的境况当然也无法改善。