Brewer's: Bears are caught by Honey

In French, “Il faut avoir mauvaise bête par douceur,” for, as La Fontaine says, “Plus fait douceur que violence.”Bears are very fond of honey. Bribes win even bears.

There is another phrase: Divide honey with a bear, i.e. It is better to divide your honey with a bear than to provoke its anger.

Related Content Allusions Foreign Words and Phrases Latin and Greek Word Elements Names: Their Origins and Meanings Old Testament Names Mythology Ancient Greek Literature & Mythology The Bible (King James version) The Koran (translation by J. M. Rodwell) Shakespeare's Plays Tales from Shakespeare (Charles and Mary Lamb) Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language