英语词汇bell the cat的起源、历史背景-英语词源词典

bell the cat. To bell the cat is to take on a dangerous mission at great personal risk for the benefit of others. Cats, of course, have long been belled to prevent them from killing songbirds. But the expression derives from a wise mouse. It is from an old fable retold in William “Long Will” Langland’s alliterative poem “The Vision Concerning Piers Plowman,” which was written, as far as is known, between 1360 and 1399. “Piers Plowman” tells of a family of mice who hold a meeting to decide what to do about a cat who has been preventing them from foraging for food. One cunning mouse suggests that a brass bell be hung around the cat’s neck so that they could be warned of its ap- proach. Everyone agrees that this ploy is perfect, except for one sage mouse, who steps forward and says, “Excellent idea, but who will bell the cat?”

词汇	bell the cat
词源	bell the cat. To bell the cat is to take on a dangerous mission at great personal risk for the benefit of others. Cats, of course, have long been belled to prevent them from killing songbirds. But the expression derives from a wise mouse. It is from an old fable retold in William “Long Will” Langland’s alliterative poem “The Vision Concerning Piers Plowman,” which was written, as far as is known, between 1360 and 1399. “Piers Plowman” tells of a family of mice who hold a meeting to decide what to do about a cat who has been preventing them from foraging for food. One cunning mouse suggests that a brass bell be hung around the cat’s neck so that they could be warned of its ap- proach. Everyone agrees that this ploy is perfect, except for one sage mouse, who steps forward and says, “Excellent idea, but who will bell the cat?”
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