Look Before You Leap: Idioms and Phrases from Timeless Tales

Book excerpt: DIVE INTO THE FASCINATING WORLD OF IDIOMS WITH TIMELESS TALES Don’t count your chickens before they hatch. A Bird in the Hand Is Worth Two in the Bush. Out of the Frying Pan into the Fire. Kick a Man When He Is Down. You may know what each means and now unlock the secret language of expressions through a potpourri of timeless tales. Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan dives into the fascinating world of idioms to pick out some gems and the tales woven around them. These enchanting phrases will dance in your imagination, painting vivid pictures with words. This collection of 21 short stories is a delightful journey that explores the whimsy of idioms and their fascinating origins, from Aesop’s Fables to everyday speech. It delves into the quirks of languages to discover that idioms are the colourful threads weaving the tapestry of cultures. The tales are not just a peek behind the linguistic curtain; they’re a full-throttle journey. Get ready to see language in a whole new light–-a richer, more human light and unlock the keys to understanding these rich, complex expressions.