I was thinking the other day about how animals help us express things and can symbolise alot of events etc. For example stag due and hen night- does anyone know where these descended from?

In those specific cases I believe that stags and hen used to mean the male and female of any species of animal not just deer and chicken respectively, so naturally a male night was called a stag night and the name has just stuck even though the meanings of stag and hen have changed to be more specific over the years.

That's really interesting, I never knew that. It is amazing how language changes so quickly.

Interesting fact. Pity us ladies got stuck with a hen and the men are symbolised with great majestic creatures!

There is nothing wrong with the hen, they are just as majestic as stags!

Another animal saying is the football "Sick as a parrot". I've never quite got why a parrot would be sick, does anyone know why?

This post was last modified: 03-08-2007 06:58 AM by Bill.

I've always understood 'sick as a parrot' as almost making fun of the expression 'sick as a dog.' Sick as a dog is quite an understandable expression because dogs are usually throwing up all sorts, but parrots don't, like an exaggeration- if that makes any sense?

This post was last modified: 03-08-2007 08:47 AM by sunshine.

The one that I've never understood is: sweating like a pig. As pig's don't sweat, I'd love to know where this came from .

Thanks, Sunshine, you've just put me off getting a dog

Oops, sorry. They make lovely pets really!

This post was last modified: 03-08-2007 12:56 PM by sunshine.

I think the "Sick as a parrot' comes from the fact that parrots look SO bad when they are off.

As to 'sweating like a pig', since pigs don't sweat (they cool off by wallowing in mud), perhaps the expression indicates that it is so hot that a mud bath would be good?

Kingfisher