Both the physical features and behaviour of human beings are often likened to the looks and activities of animals, often to berate both species and occasionally bestowing adoration for the animals for their superior features. The vision of the eagle sighting its prey on the ground while flying at dizzy heights in the sky, describing a courageous person as one with the heart of a lion, comparing the melodious voice of a singer to that of the cuckoo and so on seem to present both human beings and the speechless species on a high pedestal. Those who dare not dare their wives being written off as hen-pecked, many who wilfully dominate others both verbally and physically being compared to the bull (bully) and so on don’t see either species in good light. The dog figuring in the expression dog’s life, the pig known as the animal each with litters brimming with piglets in double figures and so are cases of hurling insults on these species according to those who empathise with animals. The donkey gives them august company for good reasons.
Poets have taken fancy to portray animals in humorous tone while taunting the species in veiled manner. The uncharming physical features of the camel (ushtra) and the ear rattling sound of the braying of the donkey (gaardhaba) is humorously stated in the line ushtraanaancha vivaaheshu geetham gaayanthi gaardabhaha (Donkeys render songs in the weddings of camels).
