Post 10 Run with the hare and hunt with the hounds
A hare is an animal similar to a rabbit but bigger. A hound is a type of dog used in hunting and it hunts by following a scent. It is said that hunting hare is challenging because the hare seldom travels in a straight line and is difficult to catch. The hare is always the winner in the hide-and-seek race.
When one runs with the hare and hunts with the hounds, one is supporting two competing sides in an argument. However, in reality it is impossible for one to please the two warring parties simultaneously and a clear stand has just got to be made. In trying to please both sides of a dispute, one may end up undertaking a thankless task. No one can run with the hare while at the same time join the hounds in hunting the hare.
On another aspect, a husband may want to pacify both his wife and his mother, who are having a misunderstanding. In this case he has to think of a way to please one without offending the other. He may go from the frying pan to the fire.
When one runs with the hare and hunts with the hounds, one is supporting two competing sides in an argument. However, in reality it is impossible for one to please the two warring parties simultaneously and a clear stand has just got to be made. In trying to please both sides of a dispute, one may end up undertaking a thankless task. No one can run with the hare while at the same time join the hounds in hunting the hare.
On another aspect, a husband may want to pacify both his wife and his mother, who are having a misunderstanding. In this case he has to think of a way to please one without offending the other. He may go from the frying pan to the fire.
In his Merchant of Venice Shakespeare wrote: "When I shun Scylla your father, I fall into Charybdis your mother.” This is a case of having to choose between two unattractive options. In ancient Greek mythology, Scylla was a female monster who could rip sailors apart and Charybdis was a whirlpool likened to a monster too. When a person says he is between Scylla and Charybdis, it implies he is between the devil and the deep blue sea. He is in a dilemma as to what to do.
Love never fails. When there is empathy, there will be understanding.
8 September 2009
'To run with the hare and hunt with the hounds' means to support two competing sides in an argument.
ReplyDelete'Between Scylla and Charybdis' means to choose betweeen two unattractive choices.
Though the two are opposite in nature, they nevertheless are worthy food for thought.
You have 'run with the hare and hunt with the hounds' and 'between Scylla and Charybdis'. Let me give you one more..'From the frying pan into the fire.' It means getting out of a bad situation into a worse one...Hope this completes the story.
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