THE BLACK OX AS A CULTURAL SYMBOL: UNDERSTANDING THE PROVERB “THE BLACK OX HAS NOT TROD ON HIS FOOT”

Abstract

The article investigates the proverb “The black ox has not trod on his foot” from a linguistic and cultural perspective, tracing its semantic and symbolic evolution across several European languages. Through comparative phraseological analysis, it explores how the proverb functions as a metaphor for suffering, mortality, and human experience. The study examines possible sources of its imagery, including mythological, folkloric, and religious traditions, and evaluates earlier etymological hypotheses. The findings reveal that the proverb’s enduring vitality lies in its metaphorical association of the black ox with death, a motif deeply rooted in the collective linguistic consciousness of Europe