In both Dutch and English when the cat’s away the mice will play. You can also catch bulls by the horns and run around like headless chickens but in Dutch you can do take part in much more animal-related behaviour.

Lesson 60: phrases involving animals

Wash a pig. If someone says: Ik zal dat varkentje wel eens wassen, they mean they will tackle a job good and proper.

Be as stoned as a shrimp. This entered the language thanks to comedian Kees van Kooten who had a hit with his carnival song parody Stoont als een garnaal (Stoned as a shrimp). You can hear it on YouTube.

Be naked as a poodle or poedelnaakt. Except the word has nothing to do with poodles and comes from poedelen, or splashing about in the bath.

Have your sheep on dry land. If you have your schaapjes op het droge you have your finances in order and more than enough to live on.

Be caught in dog’s weather or hondenweer. You wouldn’t send your dog out in it. Unless you give him a little raincoat.

Take the hare’s path. Het hazenpad kiezen, or scarper.

Be as bald as nits. Slightly puzzling. Nits don’t commonly have hair but there is probably a connection between a shaven head as a consequence of having nits. Hence Zo kaal als de neten.

See a monkey appear from a sleeve. Daar komt de aap uit de mouw means Aha! Now we know what’s really at the bottom of this. Or “now the cat’s out of the bag”.

Be as healthy as a fish, or zo gezond als een vis. Surely a remnant of less polluted times. You can also have butter with the fish – boter bij de vis – which means you pay for goods and services straight away.

Be in the presence of a man and a half and a horse’s head. Did lots of people come to your birthday party? No, anderhalve man en een paardenkop. It means a sprinkling of people.