ఎందుకొచ్చినావే ఎల్లమ్మా అంటే అందుకు కాదులే అగ్గికొచ్చాను అన్నదట.

endukochchinave ellamma ante anduku kadule aggikochchanu annadata.

Translation

When asked, 'Why did you come, Ellamma?', she replied, 'Not for that, I just came for some fire.'

Meaning

This proverb is used to describe someone who tries to hide their true motive or a guilty conscience by giving a trivial, unrelated excuse. It typically refers to a situation where someone is caught in an awkward position or unwanted visit and makes up a weak reason to justify their presence.

Related Phrases

When she asked, 'O husband with no charm, why did you come during the day?', he replied, 'Not for that, I just came for some fire.'

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone tries to hide their true intentions or feelings with a silly or weak excuse after being snubbed or rejected. It highlights awkward attempts to save face when one's presence or actions are questioned.

When asked why his head was heavy, he replied that his wife's hand touched it.

This proverb is used to describe a person who is looking for a petty or absurd excuse to avoid work or to find fault with someone else. It highlights the behavior of making mountains out of molehills or blaming innocent actions for one's own laziness or unrelated problems.

She said she was crying for 'Nandu'.

This phrase is used to describe a situation where someone is pretending to be sad or upset for a noble reason, while their true motive is hidden or entirely different. It highlights hypocrisy or deceptive behavior.

Marriage and the urge to vomit cannot be stopped.

This proverb is used to convey that certain events in life are inevitable and will happen when they are meant to, regardless of one's attempts to delay or control them. It highlights that natural bodily urges and significant life milestones like marriage are governed by destiny or natural timing.

Why hide the pot after coming for buttermilk?

This proverb is used when someone tries to be evasive or shy about their real intention even after approaching someone for help. It suggests that if you have already come to ask for something, there is no point in being secretive or hesitant about it; you should be direct and transparent about your needs.

When asked 'Why were you born, O Crooked One?', it replied 'To mock those who are straight/upright'.

This proverb is used to describe people who possess no virtues of their own but spend their time ridiculing and finding faults in honest or capable people. It highlights how some people's sole purpose or habit is to disparage others' integrity.

When asked 'Wife, do you have any work or chores?', she replied 'Let's go to sleep'.

This proverb is used to describe someone who is extremely lazy or avoids responsibilities. It highlights a situation where, when prompted to be productive or do some work, a person suggests resting or sleeping instead of contributing.

Like a person who went to get medicine but returned with a bandage (wound).

This proverb describes a situation where an attempt to fix a problem or improve a condition actually results in making things worse. It is used when a person's efforts to find a solution lead to additional complications or self-inflicted damage.

When the woman who came to the wedding said her lips were dry, the host replied, 'When did you even arrive, you with the restless eyes?'

This proverb is used to mock people who start complaining or making demands immediately after arriving at a place or joining a task, without having contributed anything or spent enough time to justify such complaints. It highlights the behavior of guests or newcomers who focus on their own minor discomforts while ignoring the larger context of the event.

When someone shouted, 'The great warrior has risen!', he replied, 'No, it's just to go relieve myself.'

This expression is used to mock someone who is being overly praised or built up as a hero, but in reality, their actions are motivated by very trivial or mundane needs. It highlights the gap between grand expectations and disappointing reality.