గుమ్మడి కాయల దొంగ అంటే, తన భుజాలు తానే తడుముకున్నాడట
gummadi kayala donga ante, tana bhujalu tane tadumukunnadata
When the thief who stole the pumpkin was spoken of, he felt his shoulders. Thinking some mark might have been left.
This expression is used to describe a person who inadvertently reveals their guilt through defensive or nervous behavior when a general accusation is made. It originates from a story where a thief, hearing a general shout about a pumpkin theft, checked his shoulders for traces of ash or marks, thereby identifying himself as the culprit. It is similar to the English idiom 'If the shoe fits, wear it' or 'A guilty conscience needs no accuser'.
A guilty conscience needs no accuser. He that has a muckle nose thinks ilka ane is speaking o't. (Scots.)
Related Phrases
బొంకరా బొంకరా పోలిగా అంటే, టంగుటూరి మిరియాలు తాటికాయలంతేసి అన్నాడట
bonkara bonkara poliga ante, tanguturi miriyalu tatikayalantesi annadata
"Go on with your lies Pôliga," said one, "The Ṭanguṭûru pepper is as big as Palmyra fruit," he replied.
This proverb is used to describe a person who, when given the freedom to lie or exaggerate, does so in such an absurd and unbelievable manner that it loses all credibility. It is used to mock people who make outrageous claims or tell tall tales without any sense of proportion.
He may lie boldly who comes from afar. ( French. ) * A beau mantir qui vient de lois.
చచ్చిన వాడి కళ్లు పత్తికాయలంత
chachchina vadi kallu pattikayalanta
The eyes of a dead man are as large as cotton bolls.
This proverb is used to describe how people tend to exaggerate the virtues, qualities, or features of someone or something only after they are gone or no longer available. It refers to the human tendency to overstate the importance of a lost opportunity or a deceased person.
గుమ్మడికాయల దొంగ అంటే భుజాలు తడుముకున్నట్లు
gummadikayala donga ante bhujalu tadumukunnatlu
When someone mentions the pumpkin thief, he rubs his own shoulders.
This proverb refers to a person with a guilty conscience. According to the legend, a thief who stole pumpkins believed a trick that pumpkin dust was still on his shoulders, and by touching them to check, he gave himself away. It is used when a person's defensive or nervous behavior inadvertently reveals their guilt.
కొన్నది వంకాయ, కొసరింది గుమ్మడికాయ
konnadi vankaya, kosarindi gummadikaya
Bought a brinjal, but asked for a pumpkin as a free extra.
This proverb describes a person who buys something very small or cheap but expects a disproportionately large or valuable item for free (kosaru). It is used to mock someone's unreasonable greed or lack of proportion in dealings.
కొన్నది వంకాయ, కొసరినది గుమ్మడికాయ
konnadi vankaya, kosarinadi gummadikaya
What he bought was a brinjal, what he got to boot was a gourd.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone demands or expects a free addition (bonus) that is far more valuable or larger than the actual item they paid for. It highlights greediness or unreasonable expectations in transactions.
అశ్వత్థ ప్రదక్షిణము చేసి, కడుపు పట్టి చూచుకొన్నదట.
ashvattha pradakshinamu chesi, kadupu patti chuchukonnadata.
While she was going round the holy fig tree, she felt for signs of pregnancy. Pradakshana is " reverential salutation, by circumambulating a person or object, keeping the right side towards them." ( Wilson ). Aivattha is the Ficus Religiosa. Expecting the result to be obtained at the very commencement of an enterprize.
This proverb is used to describe extreme impatience or the unrealistic expectation of immediate results for a process that naturally takes time. Just as walking around a sacred tree (a traditional ritual for fertility) cannot result in an instant pregnancy, many goals require patience and consistent effort rather than instant gratification.
* Een man zonder geld is een schip zonder zeilen.
తన కాళ్లకు బందాలు తానే తెచ్చుకొన్నట్టు.
tana kallaku bandalu tane techchukonnattu.
He brought fetters for his own legs. He brings a staff to brak his ain head. (Scotch.)
This expression describes a situation where a person, through their own actions or decisions, creates obstacles or restrictions for themselves. It is used when someone's self-inflicted complications lead to their own downfall or lack of freedom.
కుంచెడు బియ్యము గుమ్మడి కాయ
kunchedu biyyamu gummadi kaya
A Kunçam of raw-rice and a gourd. A modest request. A thousand Brahmins went on an auspicious occasion to bless the king and on being asked how much rice and vegetable they would each have for their meal, replied as above. The king angry and disgusted at their greediness ordered that each should be forced, with the penalty of his life, to eat the whole quantity demanded. The Brahmins however cheated the king at the suggestion of a cunning Kômaṭi, by distributing one Kunçam of rice and one pumpkin at a time among the whole number of men.
This expression is used to describe an uneven or disproportionate exchange, or a situation where a lot of resources are consumed for a single item. In a traditional sense, it refers to the heavy requirement of rice needed to accompany a large pumpkin curry, signifying that one thing necessitates a large amount of another to be useful.
టెంకాయ చెట్టెందుకు ఎక్కినావురా అంటే దూడగడ్డి కోసమన్నాడట, గడ్డి చెట్టుపైన ఉంటుందా అంటే లేదు కాబట్టే దిగివస్తున్నానన్నాడట కాయల దొంగ.
tenkaya chettenduku ekkinavura ante dudagaddi kosamannadata, gaddi chettupaina untunda ante ledu kabatte digivastunnanannadata kayala donga.
When a thief was asked why he climbed the coconut tree, he said it was for calf grass; when told grass doesn't grow on trees, he said that's why he was coming down.
This expression is used to describe a person who gives a foolish, illogical, or absurd excuse when caught red-handed. It highlights the tendency of people to make up desperate and silly justifications to cover up their mistakes or crimes even when the lie is obvious.
పుచ్చకాయ దొంగ అంటే, భుజము తడిమి చూచుకొన్నాడట.
puchchakaya donga ante, bhujamu tadimi chuchukonnadata.
When the robber of the water melon was spoken of, he felt his shoulders.
This proverb describes a person with a guilty conscience. When a general accusation is made, a guilty person instinctively reacts or checks themselves, inadvertently revealing their culpability. It is similar to the English expression 'If the shoe fits, wear it' or 'A guilty conscience needs no accuser.'
Guilty conscience.