నంగి వంగలు మేస్తే నారికేళాలు దూడ మేసినది అన్నాడట.
nangi vangalu meste narikelalu duda mesinadi annadata.
" When the Nangi ate up the brinjals, the calf ate up the cocoanuts" said he. A certain Śūdra named Vēṇu before going on a pilgrimage delivered over charge of his brinjal garden to a Komati called Kustumbha. When he returned and applied for his garden his friend told him that the Nangi had eaten up all the brinjals. Vēṇu knew that no such animal existed, but remained quiet and waited his opportunity to pay off the Kōmati. Shortly afterwards Kustumbha required a man to watch his cocoanut garden and engaged Vēṇu for this work. The Śūdra sold all the cocoa- nuts and appropriated the proceeds. On being questioned by the Komati, Vēṇu told him that the calf had eaten all the cocoanuts. "How is that?" asked Kustumbha, "How could it reach them?" "Oh" replied Vēṇu "When the Nangi ate the brinjals could not the calf eat the cocoanuts?" The Komati, knowing his own dishonesty, could give no answer.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone exaggerates a simple fact into something impossible or absurd. It highlights how rumors or stories grow wildly out of proportion as they are passed along, or how someone tries to cover up a small truth with a massive lie.
Related Phrases
కాదు కాదు అంటే నాది నాది అన్నాడట.
kadu kadu ante nadi nadi annadata.
When one said "Kādu, Kādu" the other said "Nādi, Nādi."
This proverb describes a situation where someone persistently tries to claim ownership or credit for something even after being explicitly told it doesn't belong to them or is incorrect. It is used to mock people who are shamelessly stubborn or opportunistic despite being rejected.
Kādu in Telugu means " it is not," "no;" in Tamil it signifies " the ear." A Telugu man on one occasion accidentally stuck the barb of his spear into a Tamilian's ear, on which the latter cried out "Kādu! Kādu!" ( My ear! my ear! ) The Telugu man thinking he meant to say " Not yours, not yours" pulled at the spear all the harder, saying "Nādi! Nādi!" (It's mine! it's mine!). Said to a man who is obstinate in argument.
వనవాసం చేయలేరు, వంగి వంగి తిరుగలేరు
vanavasam cheyaleru, vangi vangi tirugaleru
They cannot live in the forest, and they cannot stoop down and move around.
This proverb is used to describe a person who is extremely picky or demanding. It refers to someone who is unwilling to endure hardships (the forest life) but also refuses to humble themselves or work hard in a civilized society (bowing down). It characterizes someone who finds fault in every situation and lacks the flexibility to adapt.
అదేమి రెడ్డి వంగి వంగి నడుస్తావంటే, ఎప్పటికాల్లు అట్టెట్టే అన్నాడట
ademi reddi vangi vangi nadustavante, eppatikallu attette annadata
"What is it that makes you limp, Reddi?" asked one. "My old leg is the same as ever," he replied. Habit.
This proverb is used to describe a person who tries to hide their current weakness, failure, or physical decline by pretending it is their normal state or a long-standing habit. It mocks those who are too proud to admit they have changed for the worse or are struggling, choosing instead to offer silly excuses to maintain their ego.
తిమ్మన్నా తిమ్మన్నా నమస్కారము అన్నాడట; నా పేరు నీకు యెట్లా తెలిసినది అంటే, నీ ముఖం చూడగానే తెలిసినది అన్నాడట.
timmanna timmanna namaskaramu annadata; na peru niku yetla telisinadi ante, ni mukham chudagane telisinadi annadata.
" Timmanna! Timmanna! I salute you" cried one—"How do you know my name?" said the other. "I knew it directly I saw your face" replied the first.
This proverb is used to mock someone who tries to act clever by stating the obvious or using circular logic. Thimmanna is a generic name often used for a monkey; seeing a monkey's face makes it obvious it's a 'Thimmanna'. It describes a situation where a person provides a silly or self-evident explanation for something as if it were a great insight.
తల్లి చేను మేస్తే, పిల్ల గట్టు మేస్తుందా?
talli chenu meste, pilla gattu mestunda?
If the mother cow grazes in the crop field, will the calf graze on the boundary?
Children naturally follow the habits and behavior of their parents. If the elders set a bad example or engage in wrongdoing, the younger generation will likely follow suit or even exceed them in those actions. It is used to emphasize that one's upbringing and parental influence shape their character.
నంగీ నమలక మింగవే అంటే, ఉడికిన చేపలు కరుస్తవి అన్నదట.
nangi namalaka mingave ante, udikina chepalu karustavi annadata.
When a simpleton was told to swallow without chewing, she said the boiled fish might bite.
This proverb is used to describe people who act overly innocent or fake naivety to avoid work or to make excuses. It mocks someone who pretends to be so simple-minded that they fear impossible things (like a cooked fish biting) just to be difficult or to gain sympathy.
అదేమిటి రెడ్డీ, వంగివంగి నడుస్తావంటే, ఎప్పటికాల్లో అన్నాడట.
ademiti reddi, vangivangi nadustavante, eppatikallo annadata.
When asked, 'Why are you walking so bent, Reddy?', he replied, 'It is an old habit (of this leg).'
This proverb is used to describe someone who tries to hide their current weakness, failure, or decline by pretending it is an old habit or a choice. It mocks people who give silly excuses to cover up their present helpless situation or mistakes rather than admitting the truth.
నమల లేని నారికేళము
namala leni narikelamu
A cocoanut which cannot be chewed.
This expression refers to a task, a person, or a problem that is extremely tough to handle or resolve. It is used to describe something that seems impossible to 'digest' or overcome due to its hardness or complexity, much like trying to chew a hard coconut shell.
A difficult business.
ఆవు చేనిలో మేస్తే, దూడ గట్టున మేస్తుందా?
avu chenilo meste, duda gattuna mestunda?
If the cow grazes in the field, will the calf graze on the bank? Intimate friends, or near relatives, will follow in the same path.
This proverb is used to describe how children often follow the example (good or bad) set by their parents. It suggests that if a parent indulges in a certain behavior, it is inevitable that their children will do the same, as they naturally imitate their elders.
* Un bon bailleur en fait bailler deux.
నంగీ నమలక మింగవే అంటే, ఉడికిన చేపలు కరుస్తవి అన్నదట
nangi namalaka mingave ante, udikina chepalu karustavi annadata
"Swallow without chewing, Nangi."—"The boiled fish are biting me" she replied.
This proverb describes a person who pretends to be overly innocent, shy, or delicate to avoid work or to hide their true nature. It is used to mock someone who makes ridiculous, impossible excuses to act helpless (like claiming cooked/dead fish can bite) while trying to maintain a facade of extreme modesty or naivety.
Nangi is a name given to a woman who is never at a loss for an excuse however paltry.