пускать козла в огород

• ПУСКАТЬ/ПУСТИТЬ КОЗЛА В ОГОРОД coll

[VP; subj: human; more often pfv past; often 3rd pers pl with indef. refer.; the verb may take the final position, otherwise fixed WO]

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⇒ to allow s.o. access to some place where he may be esp. harmful or to some thing that he wants to use or exploit for personal gain:

- пустили козла в огород{{}}≈ they put the cow to mind the corn;

- they put the wolf in charge of the sheep;

- they put the fox to guard the henhouse <the chickens>.

     ♦ Весна девятнадцатого: наступает Деникин, полыхает восстание... Мигупина отзывают в Москву, в Смоленск... Убрали - значит, есть повод. Оставлять Мигулина на Дону во время казачьего бунта? Пустить козла в огород? (Трифонов 6). ...Spring 1919. Denikin was advancing, the uprising was blazing away Migulin was recalled to Moscow, then to Smolensk. ... If they kicked him out, then there mis a reason for it. Leave Migulin on the Don during the Cossack mutiny? Put a wolf in charge of the sheep? (6a).