THE MYSTERY OF THE SPANISH STRAW TAIL

 

Tracking the veracity, authenticity, history, and usage of idiomatic expressions is a daunting task. I know from hard-earned experience. As soon as we begin to dig deep, we find incorrect clues, misleading meanings, and outright misconceptions regarding etymologies or histories. This is the case in point today: "Tener una persona la cola de paja" which translates into English as take offense easily, quick to take offense, touchy, oversensitive, or have a thin skin, as in No le menciones el problema porque tiene la cola de paja y se enfadará, do not mention the problem because he is quick to take offense and he will get mad. I own it that tengo cola de paja, and I react and take offense quickly.

— “Quien tiene cola de paja, del fuego se teme.” Luis Milán, El cortesano, 1561. Esp. || “¿Ves cómo tenés la cola de paja? Te molesta lo de bruto…” Mario Benedetti, Ida y vuelta, 1955. Urug. || “Cuando la gente tenía cola de paja, solía decir tonterías.” Daniel Chavarría, El rojo en la pluma del loro, 2001. Uru. || “Lo que pasa es que Montenegro tiene la cola de paja.” Edmundo Paz, La materia del deseo, 2002. Boliv.