| 在距今五千年前的古埃及，人們發(fā)現(xiàn)野外的貓捕食老鼠，就開(kāi)始在家中馴養(yǎng)野貓。古埃及成為最早養(yǎng)貓的國(guó)家。貓?jiān)诠虐＜跋碛袠O高的地位，被奉為月亮女神巴斯特的化身。從那時(shí)起，貓和狗一樣，一直是人類(lèi)最親密的朋友，關(guān)于貓的比喻和成語(yǔ)也特別多，尤其是在英語(yǔ)國(guó)家。今天就來(lái)給大家介紹幾個(gè)有意思的"貓語(yǔ)"。
1. Cats hide their claws.
"貓藏利爪而不露"，意思是，告誡那些與人交往毫無(wú)戒備之心的人，意思與"知人知面不知心"差不多。
2. The cat shuts its eyes when stealing cream.
這一句是嘲笑那些掩耳盜鈴者。（貓咪喜歡偷奶油嗎？這好像是老鼠喜歡做的事情哦。）
3. The cat did it.
做錯(cuò)了事情，用"這是貓干的"來(lái)推卸責(zé)任?？赡苁且?yàn)樨堖湎矚g到處亂跑吧，難免會(huì)造成一點(diǎn)小亂子啦！
4. When the cat's away, the mice will play.
貓是老鼠的天敵。沒(méi)有貓，老鼠就會(huì)肆意妄為。在中世紀(jì)的歐洲，基督教徒曾認(rèn)定貓是魔鬼附身的動(dòng)物，數(shù)以萬(wàn)計(jì)的貓因此被處死。不料，貓的厄運(yùn)招致老鼠的猖獗。很快，鼠害成災(zāi)，黑死病一波接一波的橫掃歐洲大陸。這段慘痛的歷史教訓(xùn)充分證明"貍貓不在，老鼠鬧債"--When the cat's away, the mice will play。
類(lèi)似諺語(yǔ)也出現(xiàn)在其他歐洲語(yǔ)言中。在法國(guó)，人們說(shuō)"只要貓上了房，老鼠就在地上忙"--When the cat runs on the roofs, the mice dance on the floors.
德國(guó)人則說(shuō)"家里沒(méi)了貓，老鼠伸懶腰"--Cat outside the house, response for the mouse.
5. A cat may look at a king.
"貓也可以傲視國(guó)王"，意思是，"既然貓都可以傲視國(guó)王，那么人人平等更是理所當(dāng)然，小小老百姓也應(yīng)該有說(shuō)話的權(quán)利。"這一成語(yǔ)來(lái)源于德國(guó)。據(jù)說(shuō)16世紀(jì)巴伐利亞國(guó)王馬克西米利安一世曾造訪一家木雕作坊。作坊主的貓一直懶洋洋地臥在桌上看著這個(gè)國(guó)王，臉上滿(mǎn)是猜疑的神情。這只貓能肯定想不到，一句諺語(yǔ)會(huì)因它而生--"貓也能傲視皇帝"（Darf doch die Katze den Kaiser ansehen. "Even a cat may look at an Emperor."）。到了法國(guó)，這句話成了"狗也能傲視主教"（Un chien regarde bien un eveque. "Even a dog may look at a bishop."）
6. A cat has nine lives.
英語(yǔ)國(guó)家的人相信，貓這種動(dòng)物命大，福大，造化大。2001年，美洲動(dòng)物醫(yī)療協(xié)會(huì)雜志刊登過(guò)一份研究報(bào)告，研究人員調(diào)查了132起貓從高空墜地的事件，墜地的平均高度是六層樓，結(jié)果百分之九十的貓墜地后都存活下來(lái)了。它們?cè)诳罩徐`活地翻轉(zhuǎn)身體，四肢著地，爪子上的肉墊大大緩解了墜地時(shí)的沖力。古人對(duì)此肯定也有所了解，認(rèn)為"貓有九條命"（A cat has nine lives.）。下面這段故事講一條名叫"船長(zhǎng)"的小獵狗如何命大，就以"貓有九條命"做對(duì)照：
Mischief was Captain's middle name. One time, I remember he decided to take a look at the roof of the conservatory. Portly little Captain found his way out on to the roof much to Mr Woolley's dismay. He then followed in the Captain's foot-step, or should I say paw prints, in order to rescue his poor hound. Unfortunately Mr Woolley slipped and spent the next a few days unconscious in hospital. But Captain was fine. Talk about a cat's nine lives!
7. He's like a cat; fling him which way you will. He'll light on his legs.
貓之所以摔不死，是因?yàn)樗鼈兏叱闹乇绢I(lǐng)。過(guò)去形容一個(gè)人大難不死或逢兇化吉，就說(shuō)"他像一只貓，不管怎么扔，都會(huì)以腿著地"（He's like a cat; fling him which way you will. He'll light on his legs.）。
8. There are more ways of killing a cat than by choking it with cream.
"殺貓的方法很多，不必非用奶油嗆死它"，有點(diǎn)類(lèi)似于中國(guó)的"不要非在一棵樹(shù)上吊死"。
你還能想到那些關(guān)于貓的故事么？
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