ఎందుకు ఏడుస్తావురా పిల్లవాడా అంటే, ఎల్లుండి మావాళ్ళు కొడతారన్నాడట.

enduku edustavura pillavada ante, ellundi mavallu kodatarannadata.

Translation

A lad when asked " Why are you crying my boy ?" answered " They say my people are going to beat me the day after tomorrow."

Meaning

This proverb is used to describe a person who worries or grieves unnecessarily about hypothetical future problems that haven't even happened yet. It highlights the absurdity of being anxious about potential future events while ignoring the present.

Notes

Anticipating evils. You cry out before you are hurt.

Related Phrases

When asked why you are crying before being hit, the reply is 'I am crying because you are about to hit me'

This expression refers to people who anticipate trouble or react to a situation before it even occurs. It is used to describe overly anxious behavior or someone who complains in advance to gain sympathy or avoid an impending consequence.

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.

Like a man saying, when asked why he was getting up the cocoanut tree, that he wanted grass for his calf. An absurd reason.

This expression is used to describe someone giving a completely illogical, absurd, or irrelevant excuse for their actions. It mocks the act of providing a justification that makes no sense, as grass does not grow on top of coconut trees.

When one said " O Pôla! is it not work without pay ?" he replied " Alas! Sir, there is no way to get out of it." Said of any disagreeable duty, which must be performed without remuneration. To have nothing but one's labour for one's pains. Like the tailor who sewed for nothing and found thread himself. Better sit idle than work for nought.

This expression describes a situation where someone is forced to do a difficult or unrewarding task against their will. It highlights the helplessness of an individual who must comply with an order even when they are miserable doing it. It is used to mock or point out a situation where work is done out of pure obligation without any joy or benefit.

When [ a child ] was told not to follow, it asked to be carried.

This proverb is used to describe a person who, when given a simple instruction or boundary, makes even more demanding and unreasonable requests. It highlights stubbornness or the tendency of someone to take undue advantage of a situation when they are already being a nuisance.

Asking much when denied a little. 44 ( 345 )

Reprove a man to his face; brand a man on his chest. Don't abuse a man behind his back. He who praises in praesentia, and abuses in absentia, have with him pestilentia. (German.)

This proverb highlights the difference between casual verbal exchanges and the deep emotional impact of certain words. It suggests that while some comments are just spoken words, others can hurt deeply and leave a permanent scar on the soul, much like a physical branding.

Are you eating bitter or cutting down trees ? Said of anything easy, or profitable.

This expression is used to question someone's priorities or logic when they complain about a process but still want the end result. It highlights the contradiction between wanting the benefits (like fruit) while being unwilling to endure the necessary hardships (the bitterness or hard work). It is often used to mock someone who makes unnecessary fusses or avoids hard work while expecting rewards.

"Why do you cry before being beaten?" he asked, "you are going to beat me in future" replied [ the boy ].

This proverb describes a person who anticipates trouble or criticism and starts complaining or acting defensive even before the event occurs. It is used to mock someone who overreacts to a situation that hasn't happened yet based on their predictions.

Never yowl till you're hit. Let your trouble tarry till its own day comes. Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof.

When the father cried for his child, the sexton cried for his money.

This proverb describes a situation where different people have completely different priorities based on their self-interest. While one person is suffering a deep emotional loss (the death of a child), another person involved is only concerned with their own petty material gain or professional fee (the cost of the burial). It is used to highlight human selfishness or the lack of empathy in business transactions during tragic times.

Crows bewail the dead sheep and then eat them.

Though the Âllu be new, are the mill stones new ? An answer to a lame excuse.

This proverb is used to point out that while some circumstances or people in a situation might be new, the fundamental problems, habits, or nature of the task remain the same. It is often used when someone tries to act as if a situation is completely different just because of minor changes, reminding them that the core reality hasn't changed.