నీ తలమీద తేలు ఉన్నదంటే, నీ చేతితోనే కాస్త తీసివేయమన్నాడట

ni talamida telu unnadante, ni chetitone kasta tisiveyamannadata

Translation

When told there's a scorpion on your head, he asked the same person to remove it with their hand

Meaning

This expression describes a person who is extremely lazy or lacks a sense of urgency and self-preservation. It is used to mock someone who expects others to handle even their most personal or immediate dangers without making any effort themselves.

Related Phrases

When someone says the male buffalo has given birth, asking to tie up the calf.

This proverb describes a situation where someone blindly believes or acts upon a piece of information that is logically impossible or absurd. It is used to mock people who lack common sense or those who follow instructions without questioning their validity, even when the premise (a male buffalo giving birth) is clearly false.

When someone says the ox has given birth, asking to tie the calf to the stake.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone blindly follows or supports a baseless or illogical statement without thinking. Since oxen are male and cannot give birth, the response of 'tying the calf' shows a lack of common sense and a tendency to jump to conclusions based on hearsay.

When asked 'What is that mucus on your nose, lady?', she replied, 'Wipe it off with your own hand and go'.

This proverb describes a situation where someone is so lazy, entitled, or shameless that when a flaw or problem of theirs is pointed out, they expect the person who pointed it out to fix it for them. It is used to mock people who take advantage of others' kindness or helpfulness.

" Who will watch your buffalo?" said [ a herdsman ]—" The money in my purse will do it" replied [ the master ]. A fit answer to an impertinent servant.

This proverb highlights the power of money and wealth. It suggests that if one has financial resources, they can hire help or find solutions to manage their responsibilities, implying that wealth can provide security and labor where physical effort or family support might be lacking.

When someone said there is snot in the nose, he asked them to remove it with their own hand.

This proverb describes someone who is extremely lazy or shameless. It refers to a situation where a person, upon being told about a flaw or a task that is their own responsibility, expects the messenger or helper to do the dirty work for them instead of doing it themselves.

" 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.

When someone says the male buffalo has given birth, the other person asks to tie the calf to the peg.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone blindly believes or agrees with an absurdity without using any logic or common sense. It highlights the foolishness of following a false statement with an even more irrational action.

When told that elephants were being given as loans, he asked to bring two of them and tie them up.

This proverb describes a person's extreme greed and lack of foresight. It refers to someone who accepts anything offered for free or as a loan—even something as expensive and difficult to maintain as an elephant—without considering whether they can afford the upkeep or repay the debt. It is used to mock people who blindly take things just because they are available, ignoring the future consequences.

As if harvesting pigeon peas with the same hand used to harvest kodo millet.

This expression is used to describe a situation where a person moves seamlessly from one task to another, or handles a new situation with the same ease or methods as a previous one. It often implies a sense of continuity in action or temperament, typically used when someone performs a second task immediately after the first without hesitation.

When someone said, 'Greetings, Timmanna,' and he asked, 'How do you know my name?', the reply was, 'I knew it as soon as I saw your face.'

This proverb is used to describe a person whose character or foolishness is so obvious that it is written all over their face. It mockingly suggests that someone looks exactly like their name or reputation implies, typically used when someone's identity or traits are self-evident due to their behavior or appearance.