Friedrich Kekule discovers the unique ring like structure of the molecule benzene right after he wakes up from a day-dream about snakes chasing their own tails and forming rings.

弗里德里希·凯库勒发现分子苯的结构想一个环状的客观事实，正是醒于当天的一个白日梦后知道的，在梦里他梦见一群蛇都在追逐着各自的尾巴，于是形成了好多环形。

youdao

Perhaps some of us were rather too full of mischief at times, flying down to pull the tails of the animals that had no wings, chasing birds, and throwing nuts at the people who walked in the forest.

但在我们中间，有不少弟兄，时常太恶作剧了，飞下去拉扯动物们的尾巴，因为它们是没有翅膀的，还追逐着鸟儿们，把硬壳果投掷在森林中走过的人们。

youdao

That makes two of us chasing our tails.

这可让我们两个互相追尾了。

youdao

Any strategy-free CEO can do those sorts of things to confuse investors and send financial analysts chasing their tails updating spreadsheets.

FORBES: Yahoo Investors Need to Worry About Marissa Mayer

Meanwhile, politicians there are doing their best impersonation of the Keystone Cops, chasing their tails, pointing fingers, bumping into walls, falling down, making some of us laugh, others cry or scream.

FORBES: Yet Another Central Banker's Lowered Expectations