A cornered animal does not heed wise counsel.
From The Fears That Bind, one of 296 sayings written by John Sarris over thirty years.
From Alfred’s journal
There was a cat under the Dolans' porch this morning with a raccoon backed into the lattice behind her, and I sat on the gutter and watched the whole stupid business. I used to think fear made creatures listen harder, that a frightened thing would take the first good exit offered it. The raccoon had three. It took none of them and went for her face instead. A cornered animal does not heed wise counsel; it has already decided what the room is, and the room is small. Switch came down the trunk later and asked who won, and I said nobody, which is not quite the same as saying it ended.
He reads what you tell him and writes a page of his journal back, with a few of these chosen for you. It costs nothing and asks for nothing.
Have it on something
More like it
- Rarely does all good sense dwell on one side of a fence.
- A hungry tiger is patient only when waiting for the best moment to attack.
- People fight hardest to defend their right not to say what they are fighting about.
- Louder isn't righter.
- We will go further shoulder to shoulder than nose to nose.
- More take offense than give it.