Say What? Even a worm will turn / The early bird catches the worm
This week's Say What? looks at two sayings that are related to annelids, and both of them counsel caution in different ways. My examples for explaining these sayings will be from Person of Interest.
Even a worm will turn
When most people think of worms, it's very likely the small, somewhat slimy creates that we occasionally encounter when digging or gardening. Even considering that some worms can be quite large, to a human being they're small and certainly couldn't hurt us. However, this proverb counsels caution because, when pushed too far, even the humble worm will eventually strike back. This is a thought that dates back to the early part of the sixteenth century because by 1546 it was recorded in Dialogue of Proverbs by J. Heywood:
Treade a worme on the tayle, and it must turne agayne.
The saying had reached a more moden form by 1854 when it was used by M. Langdon in Ida May:
Even the worm turns when he is trodden upon
Here's an example of using the expression in a more modern situation:
Shaw turned in surprise as she heard a body falling behind her only to see Harold lowering his briefcase while standing over an unconscious Samaritan operative.
"What's the matter, Sameen, dear?" Root said as she walked up behind Harold. "Even a worm will turn eventually."
The early bird catches the worm
The way in which this particular saying counsels caution is that you need to act quickly to reach your goals because someone else may beat you to them. This comes from the fact that worms, being light sensitive and so largely nocturnal, would tend to already be disappearing before a bird that is largely active during the day might catch one. In looking at the history of the saying, it seems that this line of thinking goes back to at least 1636 when W. Camden write in Remains concerning Britain:
The early bird catcheth the worme.
Of course, the caution this proverb expresses can also be reversed, as the comedian Steven Wright said in 2001:
The early bird may get the worm, but it's the second mouse that gets the cheese.
So while there may be inspiration to be found, or goals achieved, by rising early, it's also possible that there are equal benefits to starting later in the day.
Taking this back to the streets of New York and our friends at Person of Interest, an example of using this saying is:
"How long have you been here, wonder boy? I haven't even had my coffee yet."
"The early bird catches the worm, Lionel," John replied, smiling at his partner's tired tone.
So even though both these sayings involve worms and are cautionary in nature, the first is all about not pushing someone past their breaking point, and the second is about seizing an opportunity before it disappears. And perhaps those things have a little in common, because pushing others out of the way as you try and grab opportunities could well leave you finding that you've pushed someone a little too far.
Sources
Simpson, John and Speake, Jennifer, A Dictionary of Proverbs, Oxford University Press, 2008.
Taggert, Caroline, An Apple a Day, Readers Digest, 2011.
Even a worm will turn
When most people think of worms, it's very likely the small, somewhat slimy creates that we occasionally encounter when digging or gardening. Even considering that some worms can be quite large, to a human being they're small and certainly couldn't hurt us. However, this proverb counsels caution because, when pushed too far, even the humble worm will eventually strike back. This is a thought that dates back to the early part of the sixteenth century because by 1546 it was recorded in Dialogue of Proverbs by J. Heywood:
Treade a worme on the tayle, and it must turne agayne.
The saying had reached a more moden form by 1854 when it was used by M. Langdon in Ida May:
Even the worm turns when he is trodden upon
Here's an example of using the expression in a more modern situation:
Shaw turned in surprise as she heard a body falling behind her only to see Harold lowering his briefcase while standing over an unconscious Samaritan operative.
"What's the matter, Sameen, dear?" Root said as she walked up behind Harold. "Even a worm will turn eventually."
The early bird catches the worm
The way in which this particular saying counsels caution is that you need to act quickly to reach your goals because someone else may beat you to them. This comes from the fact that worms, being light sensitive and so largely nocturnal, would tend to already be disappearing before a bird that is largely active during the day might catch one. In looking at the history of the saying, it seems that this line of thinking goes back to at least 1636 when W. Camden write in Remains concerning Britain:
The early bird catcheth the worme.
Of course, the caution this proverb expresses can also be reversed, as the comedian Steven Wright said in 2001:
The early bird may get the worm, but it's the second mouse that gets the cheese.
So while there may be inspiration to be found, or goals achieved, by rising early, it's also possible that there are equal benefits to starting later in the day.
Taking this back to the streets of New York and our friends at Person of Interest, an example of using this saying is:
"How long have you been here, wonder boy? I haven't even had my coffee yet."
"The early bird catches the worm, Lionel," John replied, smiling at his partner's tired tone.
So even though both these sayings involve worms and are cautionary in nature, the first is all about not pushing someone past their breaking point, and the second is about seizing an opportunity before it disappears. And perhaps those things have a little in common, because pushing others out of the way as you try and grab opportunities could well leave you finding that you've pushed someone a little too far.
Sources
Simpson, John and Speake, Jennifer, A Dictionary of Proverbs, Oxford University Press, 2008.
Taggert, Caroline, An Apple a Day, Readers Digest, 2011.