Discussion Groups / ESL Teaching / December 2003

This is a reference to the proverb "The early bird catches the worm". It
means that if you go somewhere early you'll get what you're looking for
- i.e. the parking space or the bargain in the cases you mention.

Regards, Einde O'Callaghan

A person who arrives early is an 'early bird'. Parking garages
sometimes give better rates to people who arrive before a certain
hour. Naturally the person who is at the front door of a store on the
day of a sale gets the best selection.

The phrase comes from the saying "The early bird gets the worm."

## The early bird gets the worm
## but it's the second mouse that gets the cheese.