కుందేలు దొరికేవేళకు, కుక్కకు బయటికి వచ్చిందట.

kundelu dorikevelaku, kukkaku bayatiki vachchindata.

Translation

By the time the rabbit was about to be caught, the dog had to go outside (to relieve itself).

Meaning

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone fails at the crucial moment due to a silly or untimely distraction. It highlights how poor timing or lack of focus at the final step can ruin a lot of hard work.

Related Phrases

A dog is not a cow, and a rabbit is not a tiger.

This expression is used to emphasize that things or people have their own inherent nature and limitations. One cannot change their fundamental character or identity to become something superior or entirely different just by imitation or wishful thinking.

Going for nectar but dying a dog's death.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone sets out with a grand or noble ambition but ends up facing a humiliating or disastrous failure. It highlights the irony of seeking immortality or great success only to meet an ignominious end.

Whatever a thief manages to get is enough.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone is in a position of loss or risk, and they should be content with whatever they can recover or save. It also implies that for a person with bad intentions, even a small gain is a victory. It is often used to suggest that one should settle for whatever is available rather than risking everything for more.

For the wedding of dogs and foxes, the rabbit recited the mantras.

This proverb is used to describe a chaotic or absurd situation where unqualified or irrelevant people are involved in a task that makes no sense to begin with. It highlights the ridiculousness of a situation where everything is disorganized and the participants are mismatched.

No matter how much water flows in the river, a dog can only lap it up.

This proverb is used to describe a person's inherent nature or limited capacity. It suggests that even if someone is surrounded by immense wealth or opportunities, they will only benefit or behave according to their character, destiny, or petty habits. It highlights that abundance does not change a person's basic traits or their way of life.

A dog is not a lion, and a rabbit is not a wolf.

This proverb is used to emphasize that every living being or individual has their own inherent nature and limitations. One cannot change their fundamental character or identity to become something superior or more aggressive, just as a domestic dog cannot possess the majesty of a lion, nor can a timid rabbit become a predatory wolf.

When time is favorable, the rabbit itself comes to the kitchen.

This proverb is used to describe a stroke of extreme good luck or a period of time when everything goes your way without much effort. It suggests that when fortune favors you, even difficult-to-attain things (like a fast rabbit) will present themselves easily to you (entering the kitchen).

A dog is not a cow, and a rabbit is not a tiger

This expression means that every being or object has its own inherent nature and limitations. It is used to suggest that one cannot change their fundamental character or capabilities to become something vastly different, emphasizing that appearances or minor similarities do not change one's true essence.

The time the daughter-in-law arrived, the time the young bulls arrived.

This proverb is used to comment on coincidences, specifically when a new arrival in a family (like a daughter-in-law) is blamed or credited for significant events (like the birth of livestock or changes in fortune) that happen shortly after. It highlights how people often link luck or misfortune to a person's entry into the household.

Like a rabbit licking its own leg

This expression is used to describe a person who is overly self-satisfied or takes immense pride in their own small achievements, often ignoring the bigger picture or failing to realize that their actions are self-serving and of little consequence to others.