Chinese sayings: 35 (吠非其主)

 

吠非其主

fèi fēi qí zhǔ

“bark not-at its owner”

From:  戰國策 / 战国策 / zhàn guó cè 

Strategems of the Warring States, compiled by 劉向 

(Warring States, 5th–3rd BC.

Strategems of the Warring States are a compilation of anecdotes of political manipulation and warfare.)

狗朝著外人亂叫，舊比喻各為其主。 出自《戰國策·齊策六》。

This expression is more profound than just observing that dogs only bark at people who’re not their owners.  It’s meant to be saying that people are only loyal towards their own masters / the people they serve.

    My blogs being intended to be mostly a light-hearted take on life, to bring a smile, if not a chuckle, to the reader, I’m going to apply it to the dogs on the French farm I used to visit.

    One of the stories in my first collection for self publication (A Collection of Animal Stories) is entitled “They don’t bark at family”, which matches this expression in spirit.  As it’s a bit long, I shall reproduce it in another blog.