కండెవంటి బిడ్డ అమ్మా అంటే కండెతెచ్చి పెట్టమని పడ్డాడట.

kandevanti bidda amma ante kandetechchi pettamani paddadata.

Translation

When someone said the child is as soft as a spindle of thread, the child started crying demanding that they be given the actual spindle.

Meaning

This proverb is used to describe a person who is extremely literal-minded or childishly stubborn. It refers to a situation where a compliment or a metaphor is taken literally, leading to unnecessary demands or a fuss. It mocks the lack of common sense or the tendency to misinterpret figurative speech.

Related Phrases

If you pull the vine, the entire thicket moves.

This expression is used to describe a situation where a single action or a small clue leads to the discovery of a much larger, interconnected issue or a hidden network of events. It is similar to the English idiom 'pulling a thread' or 'opening a can of worms'.

Without being asked even a mother will not give.

Without asking, help wouldn’t be forthcoming, even from well-wishers.

A mirror in a woman's hand and a child in a man's hand do not survive.

This is a traditional proverb highlighting gender-stereotypical roles from the past. It suggests that a mirror in a woman's hand will break because she uses it too frequently, and a baby in a man's hand will not thrive because he lacks the natural nurturing patience or skill required for childcare. In modern usage, it is often cited to remark on the lack of care or the inherent risk of mishandling something when it is not in the hands of an 'expert' or 'natural' caretaker.

When asked how a quarrel starts, the priest replied, 'Give me alms, you bald widow!'

This proverb describes a situation where someone intentionally initiates a conflict by being unnecessarily rude or provocative. It is used when a person deliberately uses offensive language to spark a fight, even when there is no prior reason for an argument.

When asked 'Thimma, go get a begging bowl', he replied 'Oh mother, please don't say it like that'.

This proverb is used to describe a person who is extremely lazy or over-sensitive to the point of being impractical. Even when faced with the dire necessity of begging for survival, the person cares more about the bluntness of the wording than the reality of their situation. It mocks people who are overly fastidious or choosy when they are actually in a desperate state.

When the daughter-in-law said 'Mother-in-law, I will give birth to sons', the mother-in-law replied 'Would I ever say no to that, dear?'

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone offers to do something that is universally beneficial or obviously desirable. It highlights that no one would object to a proposal that brings only positive results or fulfills a common goal. It is often used sarcastically when someone states an obvious intention to do something good as if they are asking for permission.

If you say it's a bull, it's a bull; if you say it's a pig, it's a pig.

This expression describes a person who is a 'yes-man' or someone who blindly agrees with whatever an influential person says, regardless of the truth or logic. It highlights submissiveness or a lack of independent judgment, often used to mock someone who changes their stance just to please a superior.

Except for missing one eye, the child is like a strong door.

This expression is used sarcastically to describe something that is presented as perfect or high-quality but has a fundamental, fatal flaw that makes it useless. Just as a door with a hole (missing eye) cannot fulfill its purpose of providing security, the subject being discussed has a defect that outweighs all other positive attributes.

A mother like lac (sealing wax) and a child like stone.

This expression describes a situation where a mother is extremely soft-hearted, tender, and easily moved (like wax that melts), while her child is stubborn, unyielding, or emotionally hard (like a stone). It is used to highlight the stark contrast in temperaments between a sensitive parent and an insensitive or difficult child.

Whether it is a child or a calf, do we abandon them once they are born?

This expression is used to emphasize that once a project is started, a responsibility is taken, or a commitment is made, one must see it through regardless of the quality or the difficulties involved. It suggests that once something belongs to you or is your creation, you cannot simply discard it.