I smell a rat.
We all know the phrase. It means that we suspect trickery or deception. We think that something or someone is not as it appears to be. Or, perhaps, that something dishonest is happening.
This idiom is very old. It originates from at least the 16th century. It first appeared in 1540 in a poem by English poet John Skelton called “The Image of Ipocrysy”:
“But then beware the catte; For yf they smell a ratt, They grisely chide and chatt.”
Like anyone can understand a word that Skelton guy was saying.
Supposedly, the saying “to smell a rat” comes from the idea of a cat hunting a rat. Just as a cat can smell that there is a rat nearby, we can also, at times, sense that something is close that needs to be hunted down or investigated. Another theory is that rats “stink,” hence the smelling of one. But they are typically pretty clean and aren’t putrid in any way.
And we know that the word “rat” is a metaphor for a something bad. It is not surprising given the reputation they have for starting plagues and such.
And they got a bad rap about the plague. While it’s commonly believed that rats spread the bubonic plague, also known as the Black Death, recent research suggests that they may not have played a critical role. Studies suggest that the plague spread too quickly for rats to be the main carriers. It was most likely human-to-human spreading through fleas and other carriers.
Here is another thing of note. A person in a group who secretly gives information to the authorities or an enemy is known as a “rat.” And with that, to “smell a rat” refers specifically to suspecting there is an informer in the group.
And yet. There is a lot to be appreciated about a rat. Rats are super intelligent creatures. They are fantastic problem solvers. They can solve puzzles fast and find their way through complex mazes with spatial awareness.
Rats can interpret human-like communication cues. They can even recognize their names and obey orders. “Sit Fido. Sit.”
Rat, extraordinarily, make close links within their societies. In their rat groups, they exhibit empathy and cooperative actions. These things are all clear indicators of their social intelligence. Not only that. They have language. Yes. Rats have an intricate system of body language, scent marking, and vocalizations for communication that helps them survive in various habitats. They laugh when you tickle them.
So.
What I’m trying to say is this.
If you smell a rat, it may not be such a bad thing. Rats are pretty cool.
(And please stop insulting rats by likening them to orange people and such.)
“””””””””
“Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them.” — Bruce Lee
“””””””””
“We are all the same person trying to find our way home.” — Jim Morrison
“””””””””
“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” — Anatole France
“””””””””
Do you smell it? The mice might know.
