[PW] French idiom?

[S M Colowick]

There are several French sayings involving ox and egg (boeuf and
oeuf). They all seem to be comparing two extremes of size. For
instance, "Qui vole un oeuf , vole un boeuf" has been translated as
"Give him an inch and he'll take a mile." So I'm guessing that "eat an
ox to save an egg" means that the many drawbacks of becoming French
subjects would far outweigh the few benefits derived.

Susie

On 2/14/07, Dennis Giszczak <Giszczad at cooley.edu> wrote:
> I have run into a French idiom (in translation) that has me puzzled.  The book was published about 1667; in the dedication to the King (Louis XIV), the author writes:
>
>  "Your Majesty should be aware that the Flemish and other foreigners, even the peasantry, are persuaded that chicanery is the worst of all France's evils, and if they become Your Majesty's subjects, they will have to eat an ox to save an egg."
>
> I'm looking at the last phrase of this and wondering what it means.  I've tried searching several online sources of idioms and sayings, and found nothing.  Any ideas?
>
> (Source: L'arbitre charitable, par le Prieur de Saint Pierre. First published 1666; this dedication from 2nd-4th editions. Translated by Derek Roebuck.)
> Thanks for any help!
>
> Dennis
>
>
> Dennis Giszczak
> Cataloger
> Thomas M. Cooley Law School--Brennan Library
> Lansing, Mich.
> giszczad at cooley.edu
>
>
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