Rats and mice

Frequently encountered in South African English, this expression means bits and pieces or insignificant detail as in “I have finished the bulk of the work and there are only the rats and mice to sort out.” The expression dates in South Africa from the mid-20th century and is perhaps an allusion to leftovers of such unimportance that they are only fit for rats and mice. The origin, however, remains obscure, although the literal use of the phrase occurs in Shakespeare King Lear Act III, Scene IV, “But mice and rats, and such small deer/Have been Tom’s food for seven long year.” This quotation is interesting for a completely unconnected reason, namely, Shakespeare’s use of the word ‘deer’ to include mice and rats. In Shakespeare’s time, deer meant any animal or beast and not just the ruminant species it describes today.