origin of phrase

[Annette Bethke]

A friend researching Texas Germans during the Civil War found the following expression: The cock is strongest on his own dung heap, meaning that a man is
strongest at his own home. We are not familiar with this saying. Is this familiar to anyone? We're thinking that perhaps it might be a German saying?

[Arch Campbell]

Re: origin of phrase

Ugh.

I don't know where it comes from, but it's sure disgusting.

I love it!

[Annette Bethke]

Re: origin of phrase

I had the same thought when I heard it :).

[Hank Trent]

Re: origin of phrase

Try a google search for fowl "his own dunghill" and there are lots of permutations of the phrase, from different cultures and eras. It seems to be widespread, ancient, and probably hard to trace the origin.

However, I'm not sure that disgusting is the right reaction. It seems to me that one could have any number of similar phrases. "Dog in his own dooryard" or "gander on his own pond" would mean the same thing.

"Dunghill fowl" was a common name for non-purebred chickens in the 19th century, and the manure pile is of course where chickens hung out, eating insects and bits of grain. I don't think it was meant to be disgusting, rather just a description of the home territory a rooster would defend, though it helps that the animal used is a long-time metaphor for, well, cockiness.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@voyager.net

[Annette Bethke]

Re: origin of phrase

Thanks, Hank.

[Benedict]

Re: origin of phrase

A bit of google search brought up this:

Jeder Hahn ist tapfer auf seinem eigenen Misthaufen.

Jeder Hahn kräht auf seinem eigenen Misthaufen.

Der Hahn ist kühn auf seinem Mist. Altrömisch -> Cada gallo canta en su muladar.

Seems that it is not only German but even older. In addition, it is not a lot in use these days in German either - else I would have known without a google search, I guess.

Hope this helps!