英语谚语典故(有哪些英语谚语的典故)
1.有哪些英语谚语的典故
Playing the Lute to a Cow 对牛弹琴 In ancient times was a man who played the zither very well. Once, he played a tune in front of a cow, hoping that the cow would appreciate it. The tune was melodious ,but the cow showed no reaction, and just kept on eating grass. The man sighed, and went away. This idiom is used to indicate[5IndIket]reasoning with stubborn[5stQbLn]people or talking to the wrong audience。
2.有哪些英语谚语的典故
一、源于历史故事或历史事件。
历史上出现过众多的著名历史故事或事件，后人常用一简洁说法表达其内容，沿用久了就成了成语。如Sword damocles出自古代希腊的一则历史故事。
业通古希腊历史、文学的罗马杰出作家与政论家西塞罗（106BC?3BC）在其论文《图斯库拉的谈话》中写道：“纪元前4世纪西西里岛上叙拉古的统治者狄奥尼修斯一世（406BC?67BC）有个亲信的佞叫达摩克里斯，他很羡慕帝王的豪华生活，常说：“君王是人世间最幸福的人”。狄奥尼修斯为了教训这个想得君位者，在一次宴会上，要他坐在国王的宝座上，当他猛然抬头，只见头顶上有一把用头发悬着的宝剑，随时都刺到头顶的危险。
他吓得战战兢兢，如坐针毡，时刻提心吊胆，惶惶不安。由此便产生了“达摩克里斯的宝剑”这个成语，它被用来比喻临头的危险或情况的危急，类似于汉语的“千钧一发”。
又如burn one's boats(bridges)，此成语中的bridges为美国人所使用，原指古罗马朱力斯·凯撒大军乘船越过Rubicon后就把船烧了，以此向士兵指明后路已断，不可能后退。现借用来比喻“不留后路，下定决心干到底”，同汉语的“破釜沉舟“。
二、源于寓言故事。寓言是用比喻的形式说明一定的道理，是文学作品中最为短小精练的一种形式。
如kill the goose to get the eggs，源于希腊寓言，说的是曾有一个乡下人，因为发财心切杀死了自己饲养的那只能下金蛋的鹅，以为如此就可一次获得全部想象中的金块，但其结果一无所获。现借比喻只贪图眼前利益，没有长远打算。
但汉语中不说“杀鹅取卵”而说“杀鸡取卵”，喻体不同，因此汉译时须遵循汉语成语的搭配规律。又如Veper and File出自《伊索寓言》，说的是一条蝰蛇（Viper）发现一把铁锉（File），以为是一顿美餐。
但铁锉说，它的天职是咬别人，而不是被别人咬。后人借此比喻“骗人者反受人骗”，汉译时要作直译或意译处理。
三、源于神话故事。神话是关于神仙或神化的古代英雄的故事，是古代人们对自然现象和社会生活的一种天真的解释和美好向往。
如rain cats and dogs，源于北欧神话，猫对天气有很大影响，英国水手至今说：“猫尾巴藏大风”。据说驾暴风雨的巫士化为猫形。
狗是风的信号，狗和狼都是暴风雨神奥丁的随从。在德国古画中，风被画成狗头和狼头。
因此，猫被年作暴雨的象征，狗是伴随暴雨的强风，to rain cats and dogs就是to rain heavily/hard，汉译便为“下倾盆大到雨”。又如Analthea's horn，汉译常为“丰饶的羊角”。
阿玛尔忒亚（Amalthea），希腊祖籍中一神女，是宙斯（Zeus为主神，相当于罗马神话中的朱庇特Jupiter）的保姆。婴儿时宙斯由神女阿玛尔忒亚喂以羊乳。
为了感思，宙斯敲下一羊角送给她。许诺让羊角主人永远丰饶。
四、传说。传说指的是人们口头流传下来的关于某人某事的叙述。
如swan song，据传说，音乐之神阿波罗（Apollo）的灵魂进入了一只天鹅，由此产生了毕达哥斯寓言：所有杰出诗人的灵魂都进入天鹅体内。另据相传天鹅（swan）在临终前唱的歌最优美动听。
后人就用swan song来比喻诗人、作曲家、演员等的“最后作品”，这也是其汉译形式。又如Leave no stone unturned，相传公元前447年波斯奖军马多尼奥斯在希腊的普拉蒂亚兵败被杀后，留下一大批财宝在军帐里。
底比斯的波利克拉特斯搜寻却一无所获，请示德尔斐神谕后知道要“翻转所有的石头”，最后找到了财宝。现借此比喻想方设法等，汉译为“千方百计，想尽办法”。
五、源于民间飞俗。如a bird of ill omen，源出古代占卜风俗，延至今日，猫头鹰、鹳则被视为吉祥鸟）。
渡鸟嗅觉灵敏，能确定远方死尸和腐尸地点。因此渡鸟象征死亡。
猫头鹰在恶劣天气来临之前喊叫，而坏天气常带来疾病，故猫头鹰被视为丧鸟，阴森之鸟。后人以此比喻“不吉利的人，常带来不幸消息的人”，汉译也是如此。
又如a feather in your cap，汉译为“值得荣耀的事、荣誉”。源于广泛流行于亚洲和美洲印第安人当中的一种风俗：每杀死一个敌人就在头饰或帽子上加插一根羽毛。
古代吕西亚人和许多其他古人也有类似风俗，均以此来显示战绩与荣誉。六、源于谚语。
谚语是在人闪中间流传的固定语句，用简单通俗的话反映出深刻的道理，是社会生活经验的总结。如birds of a feather,birds of a feather flock together.即“物以类聚，人以群分”，转义为“一丘之貉”。
在《鲁迅全集》中有这样一句：“增加混乱的倒是有些悲观论者……将一切作者诋为‘一丘之貉’”。其英译为In fact it is these pessimists who increase the chaos by…considering all writers birds of a feather.又如 early bird，其汉泽为“早起者，早到的人”，源出谚语The early bird gets/catches the worm.意为“捷足先登（得），先下手为强”。
比较First come,first served.意指“先到的先招待”，与前一个有所不同。七、源于某些作品。
英语中有较好的成语出自某些作品，有的是原封未动的摘引，有的是节缩而成。如wash one's hands of a thing，可译为“洗手不干……；与……断绝关系”。
出自《马太福音》，犹太巡抚彼拉多主持审判耶稣，由于他判定。
3.有哪些英语谚语的典故
一、源于历史故事或历史事件。
历史上出现过众多的著名历史故事或事件，后人常用一简洁说法表达其内容，沿用久了就成了成语。如Sword damocles出自古代希腊的一则历史故事。
业通古希腊历史、文学的罗马杰出作家与政论家西塞罗（106BC?3BC）在其论文《图斯库拉的谈话》中写道：“纪元前4世纪西西里岛上叙拉古的统治者狄奥尼修斯一世（406BC?67BC）有个亲信的佞叫达摩克里斯，他很羡慕帝王的豪华生活，常说：“君王是人世间最幸福的人”。狄奥尼修斯为了教训这个想得君位者，在一次宴会上，要他坐在国王的宝座上，当他猛然抬头，只见头顶上有一把用头发悬着的宝剑，随时都刺到头顶的危险。
他吓得战战兢兢，如坐针毡，时刻提心吊胆，惶惶不安。由此便产生了“达摩克里斯的宝剑”这个成语，它被用来比喻临头的危险或情况的危急，类似于汉语的“千钧一发”。
又如burn one's boats(bridges)，此成语中的bridges为美国人所使用，原指古罗马朱力斯·凯撒大军乘船越过Rubicon后就把船烧了，以此向士兵指明后路已断，不可能后退。现借用来比喻“不留后路，下定决心干到底”，同汉语的“破釜沉舟“。
二、源于寓言故事。寓言是用比喻的形式说明一定的道理，是文学作品中最为短小精练的一种形式。
如kill the goose to get the eggs，源于希腊寓言，说的是曾有一个乡下人，因为发财心切杀死了自己饲养的那只能下金蛋的鹅，以为如此就可一次获得全部想象中的金块，但其结果一无所获。现借比喻只贪图眼前利益，没有长远打算。
但汉语中不说“杀鹅取卵”而说“杀鸡取卵”，喻体不同，因此汉译时须遵循汉语成语的搭配规律。又如Veper and File出自《伊索寓言》，说的是一条蝰蛇（Viper）发现一把铁锉（File），以为是一顿美餐。
但铁锉说，它的天职是咬别人，而不是被别人咬。后人借此比喻“骗人者反受人骗”，汉译时要作直译或意译处理。
三、源于神话故事。神话是关于神仙或神化的古代英雄的故事，是古代人们对自然现象和社会生活的一种天真的解释和美好向往。
如rain cats and dogs，源于北欧神话，猫对天气有很大影响，英国水手至今说：“猫尾巴藏大风”。据说驾暴风雨的巫士化为猫形。
狗是风的信号，狗和狼都是暴风雨神奥丁的随从。在德国古画中，风被画成狗头和狼头。
因此，猫被年作暴雨的象征，狗是伴随暴雨的强风，to rain cats and dogs就是to rain heavily/hard，汉译便为“下倾盆大到雨”。又如Analthea's horn，汉译常为“丰饶的羊角”。
阿玛尔忒亚（Amalthea），希腊祖籍中一神女，是宙斯（Zeus为主神，相当于罗马神话中的朱庇特Jupiter）的保姆。婴儿时宙斯由神女阿玛尔忒亚喂以羊乳。
为了感思，宙斯敲下一羊角送给她。许诺让羊角主人永远丰饶。
四、传说。传说指的是人们口头流传下来的关于某人某事的叙述。
如swan song，据传说，音乐之神阿波罗（Apollo）的灵魂进入了一只天鹅，由此产生了毕达哥斯寓言：所有杰出诗人的灵魂都进入天鹅体内。另据相传天鹅（swan）在临终前唱的歌最优美动听。
后人就用swan song来比喻诗人、作曲家、演员等的“最后作品”，这也是其汉译形式。又如Leave no stone unturned，相传公元前447年波斯奖军马多尼奥斯在希腊的普拉蒂亚兵败被杀后，留下一大批财宝在军帐里。
底比斯的波利克拉特斯搜寻却一无所获，请示德尔斐神谕后知道要“翻转所有的石头”，最后找到了财宝。现借此比喻想方设法等，汉译为“千方百计，想尽办法”。
五、源于民间飞俗。如a bird of ill omen，源出古代占卜风俗，延至今日，猫头鹰、鹳则被视为吉祥鸟）。
渡鸟嗅觉灵敏，能确定远方死尸和腐尸地点。因此渡鸟象征死亡。
猫头鹰在恶劣天气来临之前喊叫，而坏天气常带来疾病，故猫头鹰被视为丧鸟，阴森之鸟。后人以此比喻“不吉利的人，常带来不幸消息的人”，汉译也是如此。
又如a feather in your cap，汉译为“值得荣耀的事、荣誉”。源于广泛流行于亚洲和美洲印第安人当中的一种风俗：每杀死一个敌人就在头饰或帽子上加插一根羽毛。
古代吕西亚人和许多其他古人也有类似风俗，均以此来显示战绩与荣誉。六、源于谚语。
谚语是在人闪中间流传的固定语句，用简单通俗的话反映出深刻的道理，是社会生活经验的总结。如birds of a feather,birds of a feather flock together.即“物以类聚，人以群分”，转义为“一丘之貉”。
在《鲁迅全集》中有这样一句：“增加混乱的倒是有些悲观论者……将一切作者诋为‘一丘之貉’”。其英译为In fact it is these pessimists who increase the chaos by…considering all writers birds of a feather.又如 early bird，其汉泽为“早起者，早到的人”，源出谚语The early bird gets/catches the worm.意为“捷足先登（得），先下手为强”。
比较First come,first served.意指“先到的先招待”，与前一个有所不同。七、源于某些作品。
英语中有较好的成语出自某些作品，有的是原封未动的摘引，有的是节缩而成。如wash one's hands of a thing，可译为“洗手不干……；与……断绝关系”。
出自《马太福音》，犹太巡抚彼拉多主持审判耶稣，由于他。
4.英语谚语典故,急
运动英语小典故：10个最常见的表达
英语中有许多惯用语 （idiom）都是源自各种运动术语。这些惯用语除了用做字面的意思之外，经常还含有隐喻（metaphor） 的意思。
[田径]track and field jump the gun：（字面）偷跑。田径比赛时，裁判还没有鸣枪，选手就抢先起跑了。（比喻）过早采取行动。如果用在合唱，某人提前唱出某音时，就是“放炮”。
[美式足球]American football Monday morning quarterback： （字面）周一早晨的四分卫。美国电视在足球季的每个星期天都会转播一场比赛。由于是现场节目，结果立刻分晓。等到第二天早晨看了报纸才发表‘真知灼见’，为时以晚矣！（比喻） 事后诸葛亮；放马后炮。
[拳击]boxing have a glass jaw： （字面）有个玻璃做的下颚。在拳击赛中，下颚像是玻璃做的，一被击中就不支倒地。（比喻） 不堪一击。
[马术]horseback riding get on one's high horse：（字面）骑上一匹高大的马。从前，马术师自以为骑马的人高高在上，所以比用脚走路的人优越。（比喻） 摆出傲慢的态度；摆高姿态。
[高尔夫]golf not up to par： （字面）没有达到标准杆数。高尔夫球戏中，每一洞依难度及远近有一标准杆数，例如第一洞的标准杆数是四杆。因此，杆数越低越好。若击出超过标准杆数，没有达到一般水平，就是 not up to par. （比喻）做事情没有达到应有的标准；也可以说是失常。注意：up to par 不用于肯定句。
[斗牛]bullfighting take the bull by the horns：（字面）斗牛比赛时，斗牛士常握着牛角以扳倒牛，这是一项艰难又危险的动作。（比喻）采取果敢的行动应付艰难的局面；面对困难采取行动。虽然字面的意思上像是中文里的‘执牛耳’，而‘执牛耳’的英文却可以用 rule the roost [roast] 来表达。
[游泳]swimming sink or swim： （字面）遇到河流时，沉到水底或游泳逃生。 （比喻）不成功便成仁。
[网球]tennis The ball is in your court.： （字面）该由你发球了。许多运动的场地以网隔开，并由双方轮流发球，像网球、排球、羽毛球等。（比喻）轮到该你负责了；轮到你采取行动了。
[赛马]horse racing neck and neck： （字面）赛马时两马颈部同时抵达终点，即以平手论。（比喻）并驾齐驱；不分胜负；不相上下；不分轩轾。
[篮球]basketball The game isn't over until the fat lady sings.： （字面）胖妇人未唱歌前，比赛不算结束。这是达拉斯小牛队前教练 Dick Motta 的一句名言，指一场比赛紧张激烈，不到结束时刻，仍然胜负未卜。在歌剧中，往往在结束前的高潮便是由一位身材丰满的女声乐家表演。胖妇人开始唱歌是比喻比赛将要结束。（比喻） 比赛不到最后一刻不知鹿死谁手。
5.英语谚语的小故事
Plug one's ears while stealing a bell（掩耳盗铃）完整的英语，后面有中文意思：）~ In the Spring and Autumn period, a thief had stolen a bell and intended to carry it away on his back, but the bell was too bulky and heavy to be carried, so he tried to break it into pieces with a hammer to make it easier for carrying. On his first hit, however, the bell made a loud noise. He thus feared that the ringing sound might be heard by someone, who would come to rob him of his bell. His fright made him plug his own ears, while hitting the bell with the hammer. The bell sound was, nevertheless, audible to others and therefore to stuff his ears for the purpose of stealing a bell was a stupid action it is as foolish as burying one's head in the sand. from Huai Nanzi（淮南子著） 掩耳盗铃 在春秋战国时期，有一个小偷偷了一只钟。
他准备把钟扛在背上带走。可是钟又大又沉，很难扛走。
因此他想用锤子把钟敲成碎片，这样运起来就能多了。可是，他敲了一下，那只钟发出巨大的响声。
他怕别人听到了钟声会来抢他的钟，于是他在锤子敲钟时捂上了自己的耳朵。不过，即使他这样做，别人还是听得到钟声的。
所以掩耳盗铃是非常愚蠢的行为，就像把头埋在沙子中一样。 （淮南子著）。
6.十万火急
1. Waste not,want not. 俭以防匮。
2. From saving comes having. 富有来自节俭。 3. A penny saved is a penny gained. 省一文是一文。
4. Take care of the pence and the pound will take care of themselves. 金钱积少便成多。 5. Frugality is an estate alone. 节俭本身就是一宗财产。
6. He that regards not a penny,will lavish a pound. 小钱不知节省，大钱将滥花。 7. Small gains bring great wealth. 积小利，成巨富。
8. Many a little makes a mickle. 积少便成多。 9. As the touchstone tries gold,so gold tries man. 试金之石可试金，正如黄金能试人。
10. Courage and resolution are the spirit and soul of virtue. 勇敢和坚决是美德的灵魂。 11. The path to glory is always rugged. 光荣之路常坎坷。
12. Nothing is difficult to the man who will try. 世上无难事，只要人肯试。 13. The fire is the test of gold;adversity of strong man. 烈火试真金，困苦炼壮士。
14. Great hopes make great man. 远大的希望造就伟大的人物。 15. No way is impossible to courage. 勇士面前无险路。
16. A smooth sea never made a skillful mariner. 平静的大海决不能造就出熟练的水手。 17. The good seaman is known in bad weather. 坏天气下才能识得出良好的海员；要识好海员，须凭坏天气。
18. The best hearts are always the bravest. 行为最勇敢的人心地总是最善良。 19. We must not lie down,and cry,God help us. 求神不如求己。
20. He that falls today may be up again tomorrow. 今天跌倒的人也许明天就会站起。 21. Rome was not built in a day. 罗马并非一日可建成；坚持必成。
22. Success belongs to the persevering. 胜利属于坚忍不拔的人。 23. We must repeat a thousand and one times thatperseverance is the only road to success. 我们要多次重申：不屈不挠是取得胜利的唯一道路。
24. Perseverance is failing nineteen times and succeeding the twentieth. 十九次失败，到第二十次获得成功，这就叫坚持。 25. Step by step the ladder is ascended. 登梯需要逐级登。
26. Adversity leads to prosperity. 困苦通向昌盛。 27. Patience and application will carry us through. 忍耐和专心会使我们度过难关。
28. Fortune often rewards with interest those that have patience to wait for her. 做事只要有耐心，到头总会有好运；耐心候好运，好运常会来。 29. All things will come round to him who will but wait. 只要肯等待，一切都会按时来。
30. Constant dropping wears the stone. 滴水不绝可穿石。 31. Omelets are not made without breaking of eggs. 鸡蛋不打破，蛋卷做不成；不甘愿吃苦，则预期效果达不到。
32. The world is a ladder for some to go up and others to go down. 世界好似一把梯，有人上去有人下。 33. There needs a long apprenticeship to understand the mystery of the world's trade. 要知世事奥秘多，须要长期作学徒。
34. Life is sweet. 生活是可爱的；人无不好生（恶死）。 35. Where there is life,there is hope. 生命不息，希望长在。
36. Life is not all beer and skittles. 人生并不全是吃喝玩乐。 37. Much water runs by the mill that the miller knows not of. 眼前发生许多事，有些我们并不知。
38. Fortune knocks once at least at every man's door. 人人都有走运的一天。 39. If you are too fortunate,you will not know yourself; if you are too unfortunate,nobody will know you. 运气太好，见人不睬；运气太坏，无人理会。
40. Every man is the architect of his own fortune. 每一个人都是自身幸福的建筑师。 41. Happy is he who knows his follies in his youth. 记得年轻时所作蠢事的人是幸福的。
42. Misfortunes never (seldom) come alone (single). 祸不单行。 43. Misfortune is a good teacher. 不幸是良好的教师。
44. Misfortunes come at night. 祸常生于不测。 45. Misfortunes tell us what fortune is. 恶运临头后，才知幸运贵。
46. Adversity makes a man wise,not rich. 患难能使人聪明，但不能使人富有。 47. Live and learn. 活到老，学到老。
48. It is never too old to learn. 为学不怕年高。 49. A man becomes learned by asking questions. 要长学问，就得多问；多问则业精。
50. There is no royal road to learning. 学问无坦途。
7.英语的谚语故事
1、The Wolf and the Lamb A WOLF, meeting with a Lamb astray from the fold, resolved not to lay violent hands on him, but to find some plea to justify to the Lamb the Wolf's right to eat him. He thus addressed him: "Sirrah, last year you grossly insulted me." "Indeed," bleated the Lamb in a mournful tone of voice, "I was not then born." Then said the Wolf, "You feed in my pasture." "No, good sir," replied the Lamb, "I have not yet tasted grass." Again said the Wolf, "You drink of my well." "No," exclaimed the Lamb, "I never yet drank water, for as yet my mother's milk is both food and drink to me." Upon which the Wolf seized him and ate him up, saying,"Well! I won't remain supperless, even though you refute everyone of my imputations." The tyrant will always find a pretext for his tyranny. 2、The Bat and the Weasels A BAT who fell upon the ground and was caught by a Weasel pleaded to be spared his life. The Weasel refused, saying that he was by nature the enemy of all birds. The Bat assured him that he was not a bird, but a mouse, and thus was set free. Shortly afterwards the Bat again fell to the ground and was caught by another Weasel, whom he likewise entreated not to eat him. The Weasel said that he had a special hostility to mice. The Bat assured him that he was not a mouse, but a bat, and thus a second time escaped. It is wise to turn circumstances to good account. 3、The Lion and the Mouse A LION was awakened from sleep by a Mouse running over his face. Rising up angrily, he caught him and was about to kill him, when the Mouse piteously entreated, saying: "If you would only spare my life, I would be sure to repay your kindness." The Lion laughed and let him go. It happened shortly after this that the Lion was caught by some hunters, who bound him by st ropes to the ground. The Mouse, recognizing his roar, came gnawed the rope with his teeth, and set him free, exclaim "You ridiculed the idea of my ever being able to help you, expecting to receive from me any repayment of your favor; I now you know that it is possible for even a Mouse to con benefits on a Lion." 4、The Father and His Sons A FATHER had a family of sons who were perpetually quarreling among themselves. When he failed to heal their disputes by his exhortations, he determined to give them a practical illustration of the evils of disunion; and for this purpose he one day told them to bring him a bundle of sticks. When they had done so, he placed the faggot into the hands of each of them in succession, and ordered them to break it in pieces. They tried with all their strength, and were not able to do it. He next opened the faggot, took the sticks separately, one by one, and again put them into his sons' hands, upon which they broke them easily. He then addressed them in these words: "My sons, if you are of one mind, and unite to assist each other, you will be as this faggot, uninjured by all the attempts of your enemies; but if you are divided among yourselves, you will be broken as easily as these sticks." 5、A CHARCOAL-BURNER carried on his trade in his own house. One day he met a friend, a Fuller, and entreated him to come and live with him, saying that they should be far better neighbors and that their housekeeping expenses would be lessened. The Fuller replied, "The arrangement is impossible as far as I am concerned, for whatever I should whiten, you would immediately blacken again with your charcoal." Like will draw like.。
8.英语谚语的小故事
Plug one's ears while stealing a bell（掩耳盗铃）完整的英语，后面有中文意思：）~ In the Spring and Autumn period, a thief had stolen a bell and intended to carry it away on his back, but the bell was too bulky and heavy to be carried, so he tried to break it into pieces with a hammer to make it easier for carrying. On his first hit, however, the bell made a loud noise. He thus feared that the ringing sound might be heard by someone, who would come to rob him of his bell. His fright made him plug his own ears, while hitting the bell with the hammer. The bell sound was, nevertheless, audible to others and therefore to stuff his ears for the purpose of stealing a bell was a stupid action it is as foolish as burying one's head in the sand. from Huai Nanzi（淮南子著） 掩耳盗铃 在春秋战国时期，有一个小偷偷了一只钟。
他准备把钟扛在背上带走。可是钟又大又沉，很难扛走。
因此他想用锤子把钟敲成碎片，这样运起来就能多了。可是，他敲了一下，那只钟发出巨大的响声。
他怕别人听到了钟声会来抢他的钟，于是他在锤子敲钟时捂上了自己的耳朵。不过，即使他这样做，别人还是听得到钟声的。
所以掩耳盗铃是非常愚蠢的行为，就像把头埋在沙子中一样。 （淮南子著）。
9.英语谚语背后的故事
Happy as a sand boy是一条英国谚语，其起源可以追溯到19世纪初期。其实sand boy不一定专指卖沙子的“小男孩”，因为在过去，boy多为对社会地位较低的成年人的爱称，因此sand boy多半指代那些为谋生计，挨家挨户叫卖沙子的成年人。卖沙子今天听起来有些好笑，但在19世纪确实是一项有利可图的买卖，人们需要沙子来打磨地板，吸收水渍，很多小酒馆还流行用沙子来铺地，营造一种舒适浪漫的效果。
那么这些卖沙子的穷人为什么这么快乐呢？一种可能是：他们贩卖的货物是不需要多少本钱的，只要找到一块干净的沙地，就有了充足的免费货源，因此他们每赚到一点钱都非常开心。
另一种理论来自一种传说：卖沙子的人对酒精有特殊的偏好。19世纪的英国著名现实主义小说家查尔斯·迪更斯在他1841年的小说《老古玩店》（The Old Curiosity Shop）中描写了一个叫“The Jolly Sandboys”的酒馆，门口挂着一个标志牌，上面画着三个卖沙人举着大杯啤酒开怀畅饮，看上去非常开心。
然而，到了19世纪中期，锯屑逐渐取代了沙子，成为酒馆和商店风行的铺地用品，所以sand boy们就无法再像以前那么开心了。
“to let the cat out of the bag”，它的意思是“揭露一个秘密”，尤其是很重要、关键的那种。关于这个词组的记载可以追溯到1760年，但据说此前一两百年就有这种说法了。
