Meaning
'Fire deh a muss-muss tail, him tink a cool breeze' — the fire is at the rat's tail, but he thinks it is a cool breeze. A person is in real danger, or trouble is closing in, yet they mistake it for something pleasant and carry on unaware, the proverb observes. It is a pointed warning about being oblivious to approaching disaster — feeling comfortable and easy while catastrophe creeps up unseen, mistaking the very heat of the coming danger for a pleasant breeze — and it urges a person to wake up and see the threat before it is too late.
Examples
-
Him a spend like money nah done, but him deep inna debt; fire deh a muss-muss tail, him tink a cool breeze.
He's spending like the money won't run out, but he's deep in debt; danger's on him and he thinks all is well.
-
Dem a laugh while trouble a come; fire deh a muss-muss tail, him tink a cool breeze.
They're laughing while trouble approaches; the fire's at their tail and they think it's a breeze.
-
She nuh see di danger at all — fire deh a muss-muss tail, him tink a cool breeze.
She doesn't see the danger at all — oblivious to the disaster closing in.
Origin
'Muss-muss' is the Jamaican word for mouse or rat; the image is of a rat whose tail has caught fire mistaking the heat for a pleasant breeze — a vivid figure for dangerous obliviousness.
How it’s used
Said of someone happily unaware that disaster is upon them. See [[muss-muss]].