There was (maybe still is?) a TV show called Mythbusters, and in one episode, they tested the “Bull in a China Shop.” They actually set up many rows and displays of small items on shelves and let a bull walk freely all through it. If I recall correctly, he very carefully and gingerly made his way, zig-zagging through without knocking down anything. Almost as if he had whiskers!
I've heard about this particular episode! It shouldn't be too much of a surprise. I guess the idea of a bucking bull seemed terrifying enough so that when someone suggested one inside a shop with breakable stuff, people just kind of skipped ahead and put 2 and 3 together to come up with 4.
I have often thought that bulls are more placid than we believe them to be. I have a fond childhood memory of walking through a field with my parents and grandparents, wearing a red jumper. Grandma was very superstitious and promptly leapt over the nearest stone wall for safety leaving me in the field. The phrase, “Like a red rag to a bull”, came into play.
The bull was oblivious, snorting and huffing away as he grazed the field!
Anthropomorphism is a major component of the fiction I write. It's also a vital component of animation and children's fiction, who employ it regularly for characterization (including the portrayals of foxes and wolves as you noted, although both are based more on prejudice than actual behavior in the wild.)
I think we're composed of our DNA and our experiences, and nothing more. I think you can overcome a lot of genetics with experience, but not all of it.
There was (maybe still is?) a TV show called Mythbusters, and in one episode, they tested the “Bull in a China Shop.” They actually set up many rows and displays of small items on shelves and let a bull walk freely all through it. If I recall correctly, he very carefully and gingerly made his way, zig-zagging through without knocking down anything. Almost as if he had whiskers!
I've heard about this particular episode! It shouldn't be too much of a surprise. I guess the idea of a bucking bull seemed terrifying enough so that when someone suggested one inside a shop with breakable stuff, people just kind of skipped ahead and put 2 and 3 together to come up with 4.
That’s hilarious-- testing it!
I have often thought that bulls are more placid than we believe them to be. I have a fond childhood memory of walking through a field with my parents and grandparents, wearing a red jumper. Grandma was very superstitious and promptly leapt over the nearest stone wall for safety leaving me in the field. The phrase, “Like a red rag to a bull”, came into play.
The bull was oblivious, snorting and huffing away as he grazed the field!
I've read that bulls can't really see the color red.
Yeah give them one of those children’s toys where you match the colours and red, nah, they just don’t get it.
They're also really bad with sudoku.
Quite good at The Times crossword though. Very Bullish with the stock markets.
I get worse! Sorry lol
Dad, is that you?
It would eat anything- they're omnivorous...
We are getting dangerously close to this conversation: https://youtu.be/A7Gvgdk8dCk
Anthropomorphism is a major component of the fiction I write. It's also a vital component of animation and children's fiction, who employ it regularly for characterization (including the portrayals of foxes and wolves as you noted, although both are based more on prejudice than actual behavior in the wild.)
I'm just saying, a fox is gonna eat a chicken if given the opportunity.
Can someone change their nature or is it true that a tiger can't change it's stripes?
I think it depends on what you mean by "nature."
I think we're composed of our DNA and our experiences, and nothing more. I think you can overcome a lot of genetics with experience, but not all of it.
I’m going to renew my midjourney subscription for cats pyjamas!
Bull in a china shop it seems to me has an element of fantasy or whimsy about it like a nursery rhyme dhole the fox is real experience
Note: they did not feel the need to test the "fox in a henhouse" on Mythbusters.
Haha!
Did you invent the “goat in the garden” one? The others are very familiar to me but I’m sure I’ve never heard about the goat…
I cannot claim the credit. I think it's cute and clever, though, for what it's worth!
But the others are older idioms of unknown origin whereas “Goat in the Garden” is the name of a kids’ book, right?
It's also of unknown origin, but I think I've heard it more than most (probably not a shocker).
“Furious Goat in the Garden”?
I rather like “Foxfury”, though it sounds a bit like a WW2 fighter plane, or as if it would end up mispronounced as “Foxfurry”.
Thank you for clarifying, in any case.
If I was a web browser, I'd love to be called FireFoxFury.
Okay but make sure your default search engine is DuckDuckGoat
This post was like a peacock in a lavatory. Like a vulture in a football stadium. And, most obviously, like a fly in your chardonnay.
I am the ME in MEdiocre, and also the meaty in meaty ochre.
Here is what GPT-4 has to say about animal-related idioms (some I never heard before)
1. **Busy as a bee**
2. **Eager beaver**
3. **Cry wolf**
4. **Like a fish takes to water**
5. **Sly as a fox**
6. **Snug as a bug in a rug**
7. **The lion's share**
8. **A sitting duck**
9. **Watching like a hawk**
10. **Monkey around**
11. **Ants in one's pants**
12. **Chicken out**
13. **Like herding cats**
14. **Let the cat out of the bag**
15. **Wild goose chase**
16. **Hold your horses**
17. **Kill two birds with one stone**
18. **A wolf in sheep's clothing**
19. **Fish out of water**
20. **Cat got your tongue?**
21. **Barking up the wrong tree**
22. **A bull in a china shop**
23. **As blind as a bat**
24. **Busy as a beaver**
25. **Dead as a dodo**
26. **Birds of a feather flock together**
27. **Elephant in the room**
28. **Swan song**
29. **Rat race**
30. **Don't count your chickens before they hatch**
31. **Straight from the horse's mouth**
32. **Crocodile tears**
33. **Pig out**
34. **Dog-eat-dog**
35. **As the crow flies**
36. **Cat's pajamas**
37. **Happy as a clam**
38. **Batting a thousand**
39. **When pigs fly**
40. **Play possum**
41. **A different kettle of fish**
42. **Scapegoat**
43. **Cat on a hot tin roof**
44. **Dog days of summer**
45. **Fox in the henhouse**
46. **Clam up**
47. **Go to the dogs**
48. **Like a moth to a flame**
49. **Black sheep**
50. **Lone wolf**
51. **Horse around**
52. **Fish or cut bait**
53. **Get the lion's share**
54. **Like a bull at a gate**
55. **Make a beeline for**
56. **Night owl**
57. **Quiet as a mouse**
58. **Squirrel away**
59. **Take the bull by the horns**
60. **Until the cows come home**
61. **Worm out of**
62. **Bee in one's bonnet**
63. **Bird-brain**
64. **Cat and mouse game**
65. **Duck soup**
66. **Eat crow**
67. **Frog in one's throat**
68. **Guinea pig**
69. **Hawk-eyed**
70. **Jump the shark**
71. **Let sleeping dogs lie**
72. **Monkey business**
73. **Piggyback**
74. **Rabbit hole**
75. **Smell a rat**
And there are more…