The other night while lying in bed waiting for blissful slumber, the term “snake in the grass” popped into my head. I have no idea where it came from as I was not thinking about snakes or people who I consider to be snakes.(Do not look away, you know who your are) It just showed up out of nowhere and hung around for a while. It kept me awake longer than it should have has I started thinking about snakes and things unrelated. I do not mind snakes. I do not hate them, nor do I love them. You might say that I am snake neutral. It was the term “snake in the grass” that mostly consumed my thoughts, what does it all mean?
I wondered if the location of the snake was pertinent. Would a snake in the driveway, or a snake in the woods, or even a snake in your bed be more or less ominous. If you referred to someone as a snake in the living room, would that alter the meaning? Consider that a snake in the grass is supposedly referring to a mean, sneaky person, would changing the snakes location imply more or less sneakiness or mean-spiritedness?
Not only the location, but the critter should be considered. Would it be more or less of an insult if your called someone a lizard in the grass or a turtle in the grass? Lump them all together as in “Joe is a reptile in the grass”. It just doesn’t roll of the tongue, does it? I would have thought the term “snake in a tree” would have carried more significance. After all, was it not a snake in the tree that caused all the worlds problems in the first place? If it had been a snake in the grace would Eve have given notice? Would she in stead have run back, screaming, to Adam to report a snake in the grass? (Kill it! Kill it!) Probably the snake had to slither through the grass to get to the apple tree. If she had only noticed him sooner! Did I mention I was sick and taking medication when this occurred to me? Just saying.. . . .
Those are my thoughts, what are yours?