I came across the word "lemmings", being used in the following context, "...followed like so many lemmings into a sea of western delusions." I vaguely know that a "lemming" is an animal (rodent?), but what is the story behind it? One dictionary described them as being in large groups and that they are often, but wrongly, thought to jump off cliffs together (Cambridge Dictionary). Yet, AHD says, that they are "Any of various small, thickset rodents, especially of the genus Lemmus, inhabiting northern regions and known for periodic mass migrations that sometimes end in drowning."

Do they jump off cliffs or migrate and end in drowning--or neither? Does anyone know the story behind them?

I understand that they do mass migrate, but the drownings are'nt intentional mass suicide. That's anthropomorphic ballyhoo.

I found an interesting debunking in, none other than, Snopes.

They seem to be interesting creatures. I had just never before heard them used as metaphors in literature.

It's not literature, but our sarcastic schoolteachers always used to accuse of moving around like lemmings.

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Originally posted by Kalleh:
I found an interesting debunking in, none other than, http://www.snopes.com/disney/films/lemmings.htm

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Hmmm.... Interesting, if true.