పీటకోడుకు పసిపిల్లలకు చలిలేదు

pitakoduku pasipillalaku chaliledu

Translation

A wooden stool's leg and young children do not feel the cold.

Meaning

This proverb is used to describe how young children are often so active or oblivious to their environment that they don't seem to feel the cold, much like an inanimate object (a stool leg). It is often said by elders when they see kids playing outside in the cold without proper clothing.

Related Phrases

Children and drunkards tell the truth

This proverb suggests that young children (due to their innocence) and intoxicated people (due to their lack of inhibitions) are the most likely to speak the truth without filter or deception. It is used when someone unexpectedly reveals a hidden truth.

There is no good for a mother-in-law, and there is no raw state for a tamarind.

This proverb highlights two perceived universal truths: that a mother-in-law is rarely seen as 'good' or appreciated by a daughter-in-law, just as a tamarind fruit is almost never considered truly 'raw' because of its inherent sourness and immediate utility. It is used to describe situations where a person's nature is fixed or where a certain relationship is traditionally difficult and unlikely to change.

One must ensure that neither infants nor milk pots are affected by the evil eye.

This is a traditional Telugu proverb emphasizing that precious, vulnerable, or essential things (like babies or food sources) need constant protection from jealousy or negative energy. It is used to advise caution and safeguarding of one's most valued assets.

Children and the legs of a stool do not feel the cold. To a child all weather is cold.

This expression is used to describe how children are so active and energetic that they don't seem to feel the cold even in winter. Just as the inanimate wooden legs of a stool (peetakoallu) are unaffected by the weather, children playing outdoors often ignore the cold temperature.

Sacrificing a pig to save a chicken.

This expression is used to describe a situation where there is an overwhelming mismatch in strength or capability between two sides. It suggests that comparing the two is futile because one clearly dominates the other, often used in a sarcastic or dismissive tone regarding a one-sided competition.

Children and stool-legs don't feel the cold; how can a foolish crow know the strike of a bow-string?

This expression consists of two observations: first, that children (in their playfulness) and inanimate objects are indifferent to the weather. Second, it highlights that those without experience or intelligence cannot comprehend the severity of a danger or a specific hardship until they face it themselves. It is used to describe ignorance of consequences or lack of empathy for others' struggles.

Is a watchman needed for chicks in a flock of whistling hawks?

This proverb describes a situation where an enemy or a predator is put in charge of guarding their natural prey. It is used when someone untrustworthy is appointed to protect a person or asset they would normally exploit or harm, making the protection ironic and futile.

No house for a fly, no sacrifice for a snake.

This proverb refers to things or creatures that do not have a permanent home or those for whom no ritualistic offerings are made. It is often used to describe people who are homeless, wanderers, or those who lead a life without recognition and social standing.

Ninety shirts for the first child, not even a change of clothes for the second child.

This proverb describes the common human tendency to over-prepare or spend excessively on a first-time experience or first-born child out of excitement, only to become indifferent, neglectful, or exhausted of resources by the second time. It highlights inconsistency in care and the waning of initial enthusiasm over time.

The eldest son of quarrels (or troubles).

Used to describe a person who is extremely troublesome, argumentative, or someone who always finds a reason to pick a fight or create a dispute. It implies that the person is a 'pioneer' or a 'master' at creating unnecessary complications.