తంటాలమారి గుర్రానికి తాటిపట్టె గొలుసు

tantalamari gurraniki tatipatte golusu

Translation

A chain made of palm-leaf fiber for a troublesome horse.

Meaning

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a unique or unusual remedy is applied to a problematic person or situation. It implies that a person who creates constant trouble needs to be handled with specific, often stern or unconventional methods that match their stubborn nature.

Related Phrases

Whichever horse has a tail, that horse itself will wag it.

This proverb emphasizes personal responsibility and consequences. It means that the person who possesses a certain asset, problem, or attribute is the one who must deal with it or utilize it. It is often used to tell someone that they should handle their own affairs or that the benefit/burden of a situation belongs solely to the individual involved.

Like checking the whorls (auspicious marks) of a rented horse.

This expression is used to describe someone who is overly critical or fastidious about something that is temporary, borrowed, or not theirs to keep. Just as it is pointless to check for permanent luck-bringing marks on a horse you are only renting for a short journey, it is unnecessary to find minor flaws in things of transient value or temporary use.

Boiled grains are a waste for a blind horse.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where high-quality resources or efforts are wasted on something or someone that cannot utilize them effectively. It suggests that providing expensive or premium things (like 'guggillu' or boiled chickpeas) to a blind horse is futile because the horse cannot perform the tasks expected of it, making the investment a loss.

A vicious horse requires a comb made of Palmyra wood. Full of splinters.

This proverb is used to say that stubborn or difficult people require harsh or unconventional treatment to be kept in control. Just as a rough horse needs a stiff, sharp brush to be groomed, a difficult person needs a tough approach to be managed.

A horse must have a neigh, and music must have a smile.

This proverb emphasizes the importance of appropriate expression and appreciation. Just as a horse is identified by its neighing, music should evoke a pleasant expression or a smile (ikilintha) from the listener. It is used to suggest that every action or art form has a natural, fitting response or characteristic that defines its quality.

Every single trait of the teacher's horse is a bad omen.

This expression is used to describe a person or a situation where everything is flawed or full of defects. It originated from a story where a poor teacher's horse had no redeeming qualities, and it is now applied to people who possess only negative characteristics or projects that are doomed due to multiple failures.

Donkeys carry the burden, horses get the feed

This proverb is used to describe an unfair situation where one person does all the hard labor (the donkey) while someone else reaps all the rewards and luxuries (the horse). It highlights exploitation or inequity in work and reward distribution.

For a blind owl, there is only one path.

This expression is used to describe a person who lacks options, flexibility, or creative thinking, and thus follows a single fixed routine or path out of necessity or lack of vision. It suggests that when one is limited in perception or skill, they are forced to stick to the only method they know.

Lame horses and leather swords

This expression is used to describe a situation where the resources or tools available are completely ineffective or useless for the task at hand. Just as a lame horse cannot run and a leather sword cannot cut, it refers to having incompetent help or inadequate equipment.

Seeing its own kind makes a dog angry, but a horse happy.

This proverb is used to contrast different attitudes toward one's own community or peers. It suggests that while some people are jealous or hostile toward their own kind (like a dog barking at another dog), others feel joy and a sense of belonging when they see their peers (like a horse neighing happily at another horse). It is a commentary on human nature regarding professional or social rivalry versus solidarity.