So in the last few days the news seems to be all about WikiLeaks and about the arrest of its founder Julian Assange.

While Russian Internet gets flooded with Wikileaks-related «новости» [news] and «домыслы» [speculations], including far-out «теории заговоров» [conspiracy theories], Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is back in the news cycle as well (like he ever leaves it).

First there were Wikileaks-spurred «слухи» [rumors] about Putin’s secret «несметные богатства» [incalculable riches]. His press secretary strenuously denied these rumors as «непроверенные» [unverified]. To which many people commented on the blogs that whether Putin has billions or not, one thing for sure is «у него денег – куры не клюют» [he has money to burn; lit. he’s got so much money that even chickens can’t peck them all].

Fueled by further Wikileaks developments, the barnyard theme continued a few days later by Putin himself when he used an old Russian saying «чья бы корова мычала, а ваша бы молчала» [some people’s cows can moo, but yours should keep quiet]. This is the same as saying “the pot is calling the kettle black” in English.

We can dig a bit deeper into the linguistics of this «упрёк» [reproach] to the US using cow reference as a starting point. Much like here, in the US, in Russia cows are associated with such human qualities as «тупость» [dullness, simplicity], «медлительность» [sloth], and «терпеливость» [patience].

«Дойная корова» has the same meaning in Russian as “cash cow” in English – something or someone that is a source of steady income or other «материальные блага» [material wealth]. However, in Russian it also means a resource «беззастенчиво используемый» [shamelessly used] by others. That’s why when the subject is government initiatives, reforms and financially-intensive projects (like, say, Olympic Games in Sochi), comments on blogs and forums frequently mention that «чиновники доят народ» [bureaucrats are milking the people].

Here’s another awesome saying that’s related to both cows and money:

«Казна – бродячая корова; не доит её ленивый» [government treasury is like a wandering cow; only the lazy ones don’t milk it].

And speaking of shamelessness – someone who lies shamelessly is said to «врать как сивый мерин» [be a barefaced liar; lit: lie like a grey gelding]

«Мерин» [gelding] is known for its «кротость» [meekness] and «спокойный нрав» [quiet demeanor] unlike «конь» [stallion] that can «вздыбиться» [rear up]. Someone who shows temper is said to «встать на дыбы» [rear up].

But in general, a horse for Russians is a symbol of «трудолюбие» [hard work] and «выносливость» [endurance]. «Я пашу как лошадь» [I work like a horse] a Russian might say by way of explaining how hard he or she works. (There are, of course, a ton of pictures online of Putin with horses, just Google «Путин и лошади» [Putin and horses].)

«Выносливость» [endurance] is an interesting word. It can mean physical endurance or stamina as well as moral and spiritual fortitude. In the latter case «выносливый» is someone who is «сильный духом» [strong of spirit] or «стойкий» [steadfast].

When it comes to selecting the most «выносливый» (physically) animal, Russians don’t have a clear choice. Some nominate «вол» [ox] because one has to be «выносливый как вол» [have endurance of an ox] to get by in Russia. Others prefer «верблюд» [camel] as their symbol of stamina for its ability to go long distances without food and water. Yet others think that «собака» [dog] is an animal that can endure the most. After all, there’s a Russian saying «живучий, как собака» [resilient like a dog] and «заживает как на собаке» [heals like a dog]. Dogs are also «преданный» [loyal].

«Как правило» [As a rule], the animals in Russia are given human character traits that are mostly negative – «тупость» [dullness] for «баран» [male sheep], «нечистоплотность» [impurity, usually of thought or intention] for «свинья» [pig], «жестокость» [cruelty] for «волк» [wolf], etc.

Putin, by the way, has lots of photographs with many of these animals – horses, pigs, cows, dogs (his new puppy’s name is, by the way, «Баффи» [Buffy]). And although Putin have not yet had pictures taken with wolves, he did visit Moscow bike-club «Ночные Волки» [Night Wolves].

If you have any other animal husbandry-related sayings that you want to share or guess what animal will VVP be photographed with next, feel free to leave a comment here or on our Facebook page.