To ape: To copy.

Donkey’s ages or donkey’s year: Refers to a long period of time

To talk the hind legs off a donkey: To talk continuously, especially till the listeners are bored.

The doves: People who want to promote peace; peacemakers.

Get somebody’s goat: To irritate or annoy somebody greatly.

When I got to know that Sally had been lying to me, it got my goat and I decided to end my friendship with her.

Separate the sheep from the goat: To distinguish good or useful people from bad or useless ones.

Stubborn as a mule:To be obstinate and not to cooperate.

To keep the wolf from the door: To keep poverty away.

The animals in column A are in some way related to the qualities in column B. Match the two correctly:

A B

1. Pig a. Strong

2. Bull b. Deceitful

3. Chicken c. Unclean

4. Eel d. Graceful

5. Swan e. Quiet

6. Mouse f. Cunning

7. Cock g. Arrogant

8. Fox h. Fearful

In ancient times, goats were thought to be associated with the devil. The following has been mentioned in the Bible: A goat was chosen for a religious ceremony in which all the sins of the people were placed on its head. This burdened goat was sent away to the desert. The goat came to me known as escape goat and later that became scapegoat. Now scapegoat is a person blamed for the mistakes of the others.

The word "swan" originally meant to make music. It was an ancient belief that swans sang beautiful melodies before dying. This last song was called a swan song. Centuries later it came to be known that swans do not sing at all. The expression was then used to identify the last piece of work completed by a writer, composer, poet etc. In the present time this term is referred to the last speech or job performed by anybody who is about to retire, resign or move to another position.

The overcurious are not overwise. — Massinger.

— Illa Vij