bellthecat 　　NowtheVOASpecialEnglishProgramWordsandTheirStories. 　　Ourexpressionstodayallcontainthewordcat.“Tobellthecat”meanstodosomethingdangers,somethingthatmightendindisaster(灾难）. 　　Theexpressioncomesfromanoldstory.Afamilyofmice（老鼠）couldnotliveatholetogetfoodbecauseofitsfearofacat.Themicedecidedtotieabellaroundthecat’sneck（颈）.Thebellwouldringasthecatmoved.Sothemicewouldalwaysknowwherethecatwas.Allagreeditwasawonderfulplan.Thatisuntilonewiseoldmouseasked,“Whowillbellthecat?” 　　Anothercatexpressionis“togrin露齿而笑[(+at/with)]likeaCheshirecat.”Manypeoplehavereadthosewordsinthebook“AliceAdventuresinWonderland”byBritishwriterLewisCarroll.InthestoryalittlegirlnamedAlicefindsacatsmilingorgrinningfromeartoear.Sheisverysurprised.Shedoesnotknowcatscangrin.“Ah,”sheistold,“thiscatisspecial;itcomesfromCheshire”---thatisacountyinEngland.” 　　WhenevertheCheshirecatleaves,itstail（尾巴）disappeared消失first,thenitsbody,itswidegrinisthelastthingyousee. 　　Somewordexperts专家saythemysterious神秘的smileofCheshirecatswasknownlongbeforeLewisCarrollwrotehisbook.ItseemsamanpaintedapictureofasmilingliononthesigninCheshire.Itwasastrangesmileindeed,forhewastryingtopaintanangrylion. 　　Anotherexpressionnotoftenusednowis“tobesomebody’scat’spaw.”成为某人的猫爪,被某人利用Itmeanstobefooledintodoingsomeoneelse’sdirtywork.Itcomesfromanoldstoryaboutamonkey.Hewantssomenutsheatingonafire.Themonkeytriestostealthenuts.Butheburnshisfingers.So,heseizesthefootorpawofacatandheusesthattopullthenutsoutofthefire. 　　Theexpression“FatCat”describessomeonewhoisrich.Youoftenhearitduringpoliticalcampaigns政治竞选.Somefatcatsgivelotsofmoneytopoliticianstheyhopedwillbeelected将被选举上.Americanjazzmusicianshaveusedtheword“cat”tomeanaman. 　　Asharpcat,forexample,isamanwhoisdressedinthelatestfashionableclothing.ThegreatAmericanhornplayerLouisArmstrongusedtheexpressionthiswaymanyyearsago.Armstrongsaid,“Ihadonanewcowboyhat牛仔帽,afineblacksuit,andnewshiningleathershoes皮鞋.Iwasasharpcat.” 　　ThisVOASpecialEnglishProgram“WordsandTheirStories”waswrittenbyHalBurman.ThenarratorwasMauriceJoyce.I’mWarrenScheer. 　　Bellthecat给猫系上铃铛,这当然是没什么难的,但如果联想一个古老的寓言里,"给猫系上铃铛"还是一件很冒险的事情呢!故事的发生是这样的：一窝老鼠因为怕猫,结果饿的要命.于是它们认为最好的办法是在猫的脖子上系一个铃铛.这样,铃铛一响,它们就知道猫来了.大家都觉得thisisagreatidea."这是个好主意",但是有一只比较聪明的老鼠说到"这个想法是好,但是谁去给猫系上铃铛呢?".当然"老鼠给猫系铃铛"是奢谈,但如果真的有个老鼠敢为猫系上铃铛,那它也算是"为救众多的老鼠而"奋不顾身"了,不过最终也是得到死无葬身之地的结果.所以bellthecat就表示"为众人的利益承担风险"的意思.不知道现在的社会中是不是It'sverydiffculttogetamanwhocanbellthecat."很难找到危险时刻能够挺身而出的人"了. 　　所以bellthecat就表示"为众人承担风险、替别人冒险"的意思. 　　**** 　　TheFoxandtheTiger 　　AnArcher,huntinginthewoods,wassosuccessfulwithhisarrowsthathekilledmanyofthewildanimals.Thisfrightenedtherestsomuchthattheyranintothedensestpartofthebushestohide.AtlasttheTigerstoodup,andpretendingtobeverybrave,toldtheotheranimalsnottobeafraidanymore,buttorelyonhiscourage,andhewouldattacktheenemyonhisown.Whilehewastalking,andlashinghistailandtearingatthegroundwithhisclawstoimpresstheothers,anarrowcame