動物和我們人類生存在同一個地球上，它們與我們的生活息息相關。長期以來在對動物的細緻觀察中，在與動物的密切交往中，人們逐漸了解和掌握了它們的生活習性及特點，總結出很多經驗，創造出許多諺語。這些諺語具有文字精煉、形象生動、言簡意賅、節奏鮮明的特點，成為人們喜愛的語言表達形式。
據動物學家統計，目前地球上已知的動物大約有150萬種， 而英語諺語中涉及的動物只有幾十種。本文將與動物有關的英語諺語分別列舉出來，由於篇幅有限，有些涉及狗、貓、馬、狼、鳥、魚等的英語諺語較多，不能一一列舉，只能分別列舉幾句。
1. dog 狗
Love me, love my dog. 愛屋及烏。
An old dog will learn no new tricks. 老狗學不了新把戲；老年人很難適應新事物。
A good dog deserves a good bone. 好狗應該啃好骨頭；有功者受賞。
Dog does not eat dog. 狗不吃狗；同類不相殘。
2. cat 貓
A cat has nine lives. 貓有九條命。
A cat may look at a king. 貓也可以看國王；小人物也該有些權利。
Care killed a cat. 憂慮殺死貓；憂慮傷身。
There are more ways than one to kill a cat. 殺貓的辦法不只一個；達到目的的辦法多得很。
3. fox 狐狸
A fox is not taken twice in the same snare. 一隻狐狸不能以同一陷阱捉它兩次。
A fox may grow grey, but never good. 狐狸會變老，卻永遠不會變好；江山易改，本性難移。
The fox changes his skin but not his habits. 狐狸可以改變它的皮毛，但不能改變它的習性。
The fox knows much, but more he that catches him. 狐狸很精明，不及獵狐人。
4. wolf 狼
Who keeps company with the wolf will learn to howl. 與狼為伴將學會嚎叫。
The wolf may lose his teeth, but never his nature. 狼牙可掉，狼性難改。
A thief knows a thief as a wolf knows a wolf. 賊了解賊，正如狼了解狼。
Hunger fetches the wolf out of the woods. 飢餓引狼出森林。
5. tiger 虎
He who rides a tiger is afraid to dismount. 騎虎者難下。
The tiger’s backside shall not be touched. 老虎的屁股摸不得。
The tiger has once tasted blood is never sated with the taste of it. 一次嘗到血，虎欲永難遏。
A tiger leaves a skin behind him. 虎死留皮；人死留名。
6. leopard 豹
The leopard cannot change his spots. 豹不能改變它身上的斑紋；江山易改，本性難移。
7. bear 熊
Sell the bear’s skin before one has caught the bear. 熊未到手先賣皮；過早樂觀。
He who shares the honey with the bear hath the least part of it. 與熊分蜜糖，只得一點嘗。
Kings and bears often worry their keepers. 國王和熊常使守護人憂心忡忡；伴君如伴虎。
We need not take the bear by the tooth. 我們沒有必要去牽著熊的牙齒；我們不要做不必要的冒險事。
8. lion 獅子
Wake not a sleeping lion. 莫吵醒睡獅；別自找麻煩。
The lion is not so fierce as he is painted. 獅子沒有畫上的兇猛。
It is not good to wake a sleeping lion. 睡獅莫驚。
The lion's skin is never cheap. 獅皮從不賤。
9. zebra 斑馬
A zebra does not despise its strips. 斑馬不會小看它身上的條紋。
10. ape 猿猴
An ape’s an ape, a varlet’s a varlet, though they be clad in silk or scarlet. 儘管衣綢穿紅，猿猴還是猿猴，侍從還是侍從。
The higher the ape goes, the more he shows his tail. 猴子爬得越高，尾巴越加暴露。
11. monkey 猴子
The higher the monkey climbs, the more you see of his ass. 猴子爬得越高，它的尾巴就越加暴露。
12. deer 鹿
Where the deer is slain, some of her blood will lie. 鹿死總有血跡留。
13. boar 野豬
The rage of a wild boar is able to spoil more than one wood. 野豬一怒毀樹多。
14. elephant 大象
Many straws may bind an elephant. 草多好縛象；人多力量大。
Don’t use an elephant to crack a nut. 核桃不用大象踩；殺雞焉用牛刀。
15. snake 蛇
Take heed of the snake in the grass. 提防草裡的蛇；當心潛伏的危險。
A bad conscience is a snake in one’s heart. 做賊心虛。
16. crocodile 鱷魚
To shed crocodile tears. 流鱷魚眼淚；貓哭老鼠假慈悲。
17. horse 馬
A man may lead a horse to the water, but cannot make it drink. 牽馬到河邊易，逼馬飲水難。
It is useless to flog a dead horse. 鞭打死馬無益。
Money makes the mare go. 錢使母馬走；有錢能使鬼推磨。
Never swap horses while crossing the stream. 行到河中不換馬。
18. ox/bull/cow 公牛/公牛/母牛
You cannot flay the same ox twice. 一頭牛不能剝兩次皮。
An old ox makes a straight furrow. 老牛犁溝直；生薑還是老的辣。
The bull must be taken by the horns. 遇牛要抓角；快刀斬亂麻。
If you sell the cow, you sell her milk too. 賣了母牛吃不了奶；事難兩全。
19. ass/donkey 驢
An ass endures his burden, but not more than his burden. 驢能負重，但也不宜過重。
Every ass likes to hear himself bray. 凡是驢子都愛聽自己的叫聲。
The ass wags his ears. 驢子搖耳朵，傻瓜裝聰明。
If a donkey bray at you, don’t bray at him. 如果驢朝你叫，你不要朝他喊；別和蠢人一般見識。
20. mule 騾
He who wants a mule without a fault, must walk on foot. 指望騾子無缺點，只有自己徒步行。
21. pig/swine/hog/sow 豬/豬/豬/母豬
Never buy a pig in a poke. 不要隔袋買豬。
Cast pearls before swine. 把珍珠丟在豬面前；明珠暗投；把珍貴的東西送給不識貨者。
What can you expect from a hog but a grunt? 豬嘴裡除了哼哼聲，還會有什麼；狗嘴裡吐不出象牙。
One cannot make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. 豬耳朵做不成絲線包；朽木不可雕也。
22. sheep/lamb/goat 綿羊/小羊/山羊
One scabbed sheep infects the whole flock. 一隻羊生瘡，整群羊遭殃。
There is a black sheep in every flock. 個個羊群有黑羊；每個羊群都有害群之馬。
as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb. 偷大羊偷小羊反正都得挨絞刑；一不做，二不休。
If the beard were all, the goat might preach. 如果長了鬍子就什麼都行，那麼山羊也可以說教了。
23. camel 駱駝
It is the last straw that breaks the camel’s back. 最後一根草，壓斷駱駝腰。
The camel going to seek horns, lost his ears. 駱駝想要角，反而丟耳朵；偷雞不成蝕把米。
24. hare 兔子
First catch your hare then cook him. 先抓住兔子再煮兔肉；勿謀之過早。
If you run after two hares, you will catch neither. 同時追趕兩隻兔子，一隻也追不到；腳踏兩隻船，必定都落空。
He that will have a hare to breakfast must hunt overnight. 早餐想吃野兔肉，頭晚就須去捕捉。
25. rat/mouth 老鼠
Rats desert a sinking ship. 老鼠逃離一艘正在沉沒的船；船沉鼠先逃。
The mountains have brought forth a mouse. 大山生小鼠；費力大，收效小。
The mouse that has but one hole is quickly taken. 只有一個洞的老鼠很快就被抓住。
A speck of mouse dung will spoil the whole pot of porridge. 一粒老鼠屎，壞了一鍋粥。
26. mole 鼴鼠
Don’t make a mountain out of molehill. 不要將鼴鼠丘看作大山；不要小題大做。
27. bird 鳥
Birds of a feather flock together. 物以類聚，人以群分。
He that will take the bird must not scare it. 捕鳥者不能驚鳥。
A bird in the hand is worth than two in the bush. 雙鳥在林不如一鳥在手；多得不如現得。
Kill two birds with one stone. 一石兩鳥；一箭雙鵰。
28. swallow 燕子
One swallow does not make a spring. 孤燕不報春。
One swallow does not make a summer. 一燕不成夏。
29. crow/raven 烏鴉
Crows do not pick out crows』 eyes. 烏鴉不啄烏鴉的眼睛；同類不相殘。
A crow is never the whiter for washing herself often. 烏鴉即使常洗澡，羽毛也不會變白；江山易改，本性難移。
The crow thinks her own bird fairest. 烏鴉總以為自己的雛鳥最美；孩子都是自己的好。
Wheresoever the carcase is, there will the ravens be gathered together. 哪裡有死屍，烏鴉就成群。
30. hawk 鷹
Hawks will not pick hawks』 eyes out. 老鷹不啄老鷹眼；同類不相殘。
Empty hands no hawk allure. 空手不能誘鷹來。
31. owl 貓頭鷹
An owl is the king of night. 貓頭鷹是黑夜之王。
He who lives nearest a wood is not afraid of owls. 家在林邊住，不怕貓頭鷹；見多不怪。
32. nightingale 夜鶯
Nightingales will not sing in a cage. 夜鶯困籠不唱歌。
33. swan 天鵝
The swan sings when death comes. 死期來到，天鵝歌聲美妙。
The swan sings before death. 天鵝臨死歌聲美。
34. sparrow 麻雀
Two sparrows on one ear of corn make an ill agreement. 一穗兩雀爭，意見亂紛紛。
A slow sparrow should make an early start. 笨鳥先飛。
35. peacock 孔雀
The peacock has fair feathers, but foul feet. 孔雀雖有華羽，但有賤足。
36. lark 雲雀
If the sky falls, we shall catch larks. 天塌正好捉雲雀；切勿杞人憂天。
Lovers live by love as larks live by leeks. 情侶靠愛情生活，正如雲雀靠韭蔥生活。
37. cuckoo 布穀鳥
The cuckoo comes in April, and stays the month of May; sings a song at Midsummer, and then goes away. 布穀鳥，四月來，五月一直在，仲夏唱支歌，然後就離開。
38. butterfly 蝴蝶
Break a butterfly on the wheel. 殺雞用牛刀。
Take not a musket to kill a butterfly. 殺蝶不用槍；殺雞焉用牛刀。
39. frog 青蛙
The frog in the well knows nothing of the great ocean. 井底之蛙，不知大海。
40. fish 魚
All’s fish that comes to the net. 到了網裡都是魚；只要到手全都要。
Fish begins to stink at the head. 魚爛頭先臭；上梁不正下梁歪。
It is good fishing in troubled water. 水混好摸魚。
The best fish smell when they are three days old. 最好的魚三天也要變臭；作客不可久留。
41. cock/hen/chicken公雞/母雞/小雞
A cock is bold on his own dunghill. 公雞總是在自己的糞堆上稱雄；在家個個逞英豪。
A barley corn is better than a diamond to a cock. 對公雞來講，一粒大麥粒要比一顆鑽石好。
A black hen lays a white egg. 黑雞生白蛋；醜婦生俊兒。
Don’t count your chickens before they are hatched. 雞蛋未孵出，先別數小雞；不要過早樂觀。
42. duck 鴨
A duck will not always dabble in the same gutter. 一隻鴨子不會常在同一條溝裡玩水。
43. goose/gander 鵝/雄鵝
The older the goose, the harder to pluck. 鵝越老，越是難拔毛；年紀越大，越是一毛不拔。
What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. 母鵝愛吃的公鵝也愛吃；適用於甲也適用於乙。
Kill not the goose that lays the golden eggs. 勿殺下金蛋的鵝。
44. crab螃蟹
You cannot make a crab walk straight. 不能使螃蟹直行；莫強人所難。
45. oyster 牡蠣
He was the bold man that first ate on oyster. 第一個吃牡蠣的人是勇士。
46. worm 蟲
As worms are bred in a stagnant pool, so are evil thoughts in idleness. 蟲蛆在死水中孵化，邪念在懶惰中養成。
Tread on a worm and it will turn. 蚯蚓被踩也會動；困獸猶鬥。
47. bee 蜜蜂
Honey is sweet, but the bee stings. 蜜糖是甜的，但蜜蜂會螫人。
Use a book as a bee does flowers. 像蜜蜂採花那樣利用書；讀書要吸取其精華。
No bees, no honeys; no work, no money. 沒有蜂，沒有蜜；沒有勞動，沒有收益。
48. fly 蒼蠅
A close mouth catches no flies. 嘴唇緊閉，蒼蠅難進；口緊不招禍。
To a boiling pot flies come not. 蒼蠅不叮沸水壺。
You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. 蜜比醋更能抓住飛蟲；好話比尖刻言詞管用。
49. ant 螞蟻
None preaches better than the ant, and she says nothing. 螞蟻不說話，但最善於說教。
50. flea 跳蚤
If you kill one flea in March you kill a hundred. 三月殺跳蚤，殺一少百。
51. cat and mouse 貓和鼠
A cat in gloves catches no mice. 戴手套的貓捉不到耗子；怕玷汙手指的人做不出什麼事情來。
When the cat’s away, the mice will play. 貓兒一跑耗子鬧；貓兒不在，鼠兒成精。
52. cat and fish 貓和魚
All cats love fish but fear to wet their paws. 貓都愛吃魚，卻怕爪弄溼。
53. cat and dog 貓和狗
The cat and dog may kiss, yet are none the better friends. 貓狗雖相吻，總難成好友。
54. cat and lion 貓和獅子
A baited cat may grow as fierce as a lion. 被逼急的貓，兇得像獅子。
55. owl and nightingale 貓頭鷹和夜鶯
When the owl sings, the nightingale will hold her peace. 貓頭鷹唱歌，夜鶯屏息。
56. eagle and lion 鷹和獅子
A good surgeon must have an eagle’s eye, a lion’s heart, and a lady’s hand. 一位好的醫生必須有鷹的眼、獅子的心和女人的手。
57. lion and mouse 獅子和老鼠
A lion may come to be beholden to a mouse. 獅子也有感謝老鼠的時候；弱者也能幫強者。
A lion at home, a mouse abroad. 在家兇如獅，在外卻如鼠。
58. lion and sheep 獅子和羊
A lion among sheep, and a sheep among lions. 在羊群中是獅子，在獅子中是羊群；欺軟怕硬。
59. lion and stag 獅子和牡鹿
An army of stags led by a lion would be more formidable than one of lions led by a stag. 一隻獅子率領的一群鹿，比一隻鹿率領的一頭獅子更難對付。
60. dog and lion 狗和獅子
A living dog is better than a dead lion. 活狗勝於死獅。
Better be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion. 寧為狗頭，勿為獅尾；寧為雞首，勿為牛後。
Every dog is a lion at home. 每條狗在家都是獅子；狗在家中，八面威風。
A barking dog is better than a sleeping lion. 吠犬勝於睡獅。
61. dog/hound and hare 狗和兔子
Dogs that put up many hares kill none. 狗把許多野兔趕出巢穴，必然一隻也咬不死；多謀寡成。
You cannot run with the hare and hunt with the hounds. 你不能既同兔子跑，又隨獵犬追；人不能兩面討好。
62. dog and wolf 狗和狼
While you trust to the dog, the wolf slips into the sheepfold. 當你以為狗可信，羊圈已被狼溜進；不能全依靠別人。
63. ass and horse 驢和馬
Better be the head of an ass than the tail of a horse. 寧為驢頭，勿為馬尾；寧為雞首，勿為牛後。
64. sheep/lamb/goat and wolf 羊和狼
It is a foolish sheep that makes the wolf his confessor. 蠢羊才向狼懺悔。
The lone sheep is in danger of the wolf. 孤羊遇狼，必然遭殃。.
The life of the wolf is the death of the lamb. 狼的生就是羔羊的死。
Don’t trust a goat with the kitchen-garden, or a wolf with sheepfold. 不能請羊管菜園，不能請狼管羊圈。
65. lamb and ox 羊和牛
A lamb is as dear to a poor man as an ox to the rich. 窮人的一隻羔羊比富人的一頭牛還要珍貴。
66. wolf and fox 狼和狐狸
The wolf and fox are both of one counsel. 狐狸和狼是同一種意見；狐狸和狼是一丘之貉。
The wolf and fox are both privateers. 狐狸與狼，搶劫大王。
67. wolf and crow 狼和烏鴉
When the wolf grows old, the crows ride him. 狼老烏鴉欺。
68. fish-guts and sea-maw 魚下水和海鷗
Give your own fish-guts to your own sea-maws. 魚腸要給自己的海鷗吃；好處留給自己人；肥水不流外人田。
69. hare and lion 兔子和獅子
Hare may pull dead lions by the beard. 野兔可捋死獅之須；死老虎人人敢打。
70. crow and sheep 烏鴉和羊
Carrion crows bewail the dead sheep and then eat them. 烏鴉吃死羊，先要哭一場；貓哭老鼠假慈悲。
71. fox and goose 狐狸和鵝
When the fox preaches, then beware of your geese. 狐狸說教時，當心你的鵝；聽到狐狸說教，當心鵝兒被盜。
The old goose plays not with foxes. 老鵝不跟狐狸耍。
A fox should not be of the jury at a goose's trial. 審鵝不應狐陪審。
72. goose and swan 鵝和天鵝
All his geese are swans. 自家的鵝都是天鵝；敝帚自珍。
73. cock and bull 雞和牛
He that will have his farm full, must keep an old cock and young bull. 要使農家富又足，必須養雞又養牛。
74. kite and hawk 鳶和隼
A kite will never be a good hawk. 鳶永不會變成隼。
75. fox and hen/chicken 狐狸和雞
When the fox says he is a vegetarian, it is time for the hen to look out. 狐狸說它吃素時，母雞該更加小心。
Though the fox run, the chicken hath wings. 狐狸雖會跑，小雞有翅膀。
76. fox and poultry 狐狸和家禽
The sleeping fox catches no poultry. 睡著的狐狸捉不到雞。
77. eagle and sheep 鷹和羊
Eagles fly alone, but sheep flock together. 鷹單飛，羊群集。
78. fox and lamb 狐狸和羊
It is an evil sign to see a fox lick a lamb. 狐狸舔羔羊，不是好跡象；黃鼠狼給雞拜年，沒安好心。
79. fox and lion 狐狸和獅子
The fox’s wiles will never enter the lion’s head. 狐狸的詭計永遠進不了獅子的頭腦。
80. weasel and cat 黃鼠狼和貓
When the weasel and the cat make a marriage, it is a very ill presage. 黃鼠狼和貓結親，不是好事情。
81. dog and flea 狗和跳蚤
He that lies down with dogs must rise up with fleas. 與狗同眠的人必然惹一身跳蚤；同壞人為伍必然吃虧。
82. tortoise and hare 烏龜和兔子
The tortoise wins the race while the hare is sleeping. 兔子睡覺，烏龜跑贏。
83. bird and worm 鳥和蟲
The early bird catches the worm. 早起的鳥兒有蟲吃；捷足先登。
84. snail and swallow 蝸牛和燕子
The snail slides up the tower at last though the swallow mounteth it sooner. 燕子一飛就上塔，蝸牛悄悄爬，最後也上塔。
85. fly and trout 蒼蠅和鱒魚
You must lose a fly to catch a trout. 捨得蒼蠅作誘餌，才能釣得鱒魚歸。
86. fly and hornet 蒼蠅和黃蜂
Laws catch flies and let hornet go free. 法網只捕蠅，黃蜂由它去。
87. hake and herring 鱈魚和鯡魚
We lose in hake, but gain in herring. 丟了鱈魚，卻捕到了鯡魚；失之東隅，收之桑榆。
有關動物的英語諺語是整個英語諺語中的重要組成部分。其語言簡潔凝鍊、準確鮮明、生動形象，富有獨特魅力；其寓意深刻、耐人尋味、發人深思，給人以啟迪和警示，富有教育意義，值得我們認真學習和掌握。
（作者單位：牡丹江大學外語學院）
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從弗洛伊德之死，回顧馬丁·路德·金經典演講——《我有一個夢想》（中英雙語）
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