It would seem we have a lot in common with animals, although sometimes it seems animals get along better than humans do. Ask anyone who has had to spend a night in a barn with several different species of animals. Then there was Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, who were supposedly brought up by a wolf pack. Now, if Romulus and Remus had been wolf pups found by humans, the humans probably would have killed them, not taken care of them. Of course, predators do kill and eat their prey. Law of the jungle, afterall. Man doesn't kill man for food, but for other insidious (evil) reasons. We still, however, use many expressions that compare ourselves to animals. Someone might say they are sick as a dog. Men (usually not women I don't think) can be called dogs because of their promiscuity and unfaithfulness. There is also a "wolf in sheep's clothing", referring to a man who uses his charm to prey upon single or available women, or sometimes referring to a criminal who preys on the innocent. If you go too long without food you might be ravenous, a word we use for some extremely hungry animals; or you might be "hungry as a bear." Someone who eats large amounts of food in a fast and messy manner we say eats like a pig, although I have heard pigs are actually well behaved and clean animals. You could say they got a "bad rap." People also say "I could eat a horse" when they're hungry. There are so many expressions using traits of animals to describe people. We sometimes call women who don't play nice with other women, "catty." When two women are fighting (physically usually) it's called a cat fight. When someone is single or unattached, becomes single or unattached, or gets out of prison, they might say they are "free as a bird." A husband who is always nagged and bossed around by his wife is said to be "henpecked." When someone is afraid of another person and will not stand up to that person, they are said to be "cowed" by that person, which many times refers to a wife who is cowed by her husband. Then there is the expression "happy as a clam." I had no idea a clam could be happy. People sometimes say "You look like the cat that swallowed the canary." Other descriptive phrases are "swift as a hawk", "eyes like an eagle", "reflexes like a cat", "ferocious as a tiger", "runs like a gazelle", he is a "bear" until he has his morning coffee, and just way too many others to list. I don't believe we give animals all the credit they deserve. I think they are much smarter than most people think, and they are a very important and valuable part of the world. Personally, I feel great love for animals. One of my favorite Mel Gibson (an actor) lines in a movie goes something like, "I can't shoot a dog. Ok, people I can, but not a dog." On that note, Edgar my feathered friend is asleep, and it is time for me to go "hibernate" for the night. Until next time, sweet dreams.