తెడ్డు ఏది అంటే, కొయ్య ఏది అన్నట్టు
teddu edi ante, koyya edi annattu
One said " Where's the ladle ?" the other said " Where's the stick ?" Two lazy fellows.
This expression is used to describe a situation where someone gives an irrelevant, evasive, or overly literal answer to a specific question. It highlights a lack of common sense or a deliberate attempt to avoid addressing the actual point by shifting the focus to the basic material or a different subject altogether.
Related Phrases
ఊరే చేరవద్దు రౌతా అంటే, గుర్రాన్ని ఎక్కడ కట్టేది అన్నాడట?
ure cheravaddu rauta ante, gurranni ekkada kattedi annadata?
When a trooper was told not to come into the village, he asked where he was to put up his horse.
This proverb is used to describe a person who lacks common sense or ignores a larger rejection to focus on a trivial detail. It highlights the behavior of someone who misses the main point (not being welcome at all) and asks about a minor logistical matter (parking or stabling).
9
గారాబము గారెలకు ఏడిస్తే, వీపు దెబ్బలకు ఏడుస్తోంది
garabamu garelaku ediste, vipu debbalaku edustondi
You are teazing me and crying for cakes and your back is crying for a whipping. Said by a father.
This proverb describes a situation where someone is being overly demanding or spoiled due to excessive affection, while the reality of their situation or their behavior is actually inviting punishment. It is used to caution against over-indulging children or individuals who do not realize that their stubbornness will lead to negative consequences.
ఎద్దు ఈనిందంటే, గాడిలో కట్టేయమన్నాడట
eddu inindante, gadilo katteyamannadata
" The bullock has calved" [ said one ] " Then tie it up in the shed" [ replied the other ].
This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone blindly believes or reacts to an impossible or illogical statement without using any common sense. Since oxen are male and cannot give birth, the response to 'tie the calf' highlights the height of foolishness or gullibility.
Applied to a foolish speech.
కాటేసేది చెరుకు, పట్టేది హనుమంతుడు
katesedi cheruku, pattedi hanumantudu
The one who bites is the sugarcane, the one who catches it is Hanuman.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone performs a difficult task but the credit or the consequence goes to someone else, or when expectations are mismatched with reality. It is often a humorous take on misattribution or the peculiar nature of a task.
పుట్టిన పిల్లలు బువ్వకు ఏడిస్తే, అవ్వ మొగుడికి ఏడ్చిందట.
puttina pillalu buvvaku ediste, avva mogudiki edchindata.
When the children cried for food, the grandmother cried for a husband. Wishing for something quite unsuitable to one's age.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone is being incredibly selfish or insensitive, focusing on their own inappropriate or secondary desires while others around them are suffering from a basic, urgent crisis.
* Chi l'ha per natura, fin alla fossa dura.
కడుపు కూటికి ఏడిస్తే, కొప్పు పూలకు ఏడ్చినది
kadupu kutiki ediste, koppu pulaku edchinadi
When the belly cried for food, the hair cried for flowers.
This proverb describes a situation where there is a stark contrast between basic needs and superficial desires. It is used when someone asks for luxuries or trivial things while another person is struggling for basic survival or facing a serious crisis.
గొడ్డువాడు గొడ్డుకు ఏడిస్తే, గొడారివాడు తోలుకు ఏడ్చినాడు
godduvadu godduku ediste, godarivadu toluku edchinadu
When the owner cried for the cow [he had lost,] the shoe- maker cried for the hide.
This proverb describes a situation where one person is mourning a great loss while another person is only interested in how they can selfishly profit from that tragedy. It highlights the contrast between genuine grief and cold-hearted opportunism.
It is an ill wind that blows nobody good.
తెడ్డు ఏదీ అంటే కొయ్య ఏదీ అన్నట్లు
teddu edi ante koyya edi annatlu
When asked 'Where is the ladle?', replying 'Where is the wood?'
This expression describes a situation where someone gives an irrelevant, evasive, or overly literal answer to a simple question. It highlights a lack of common sense or an intentional effort to avoid answering the actual point by focusing on the raw material rather than the finished object.
బిడ్డ ఎదిగితే కుండ ఎదుగును
bidda edigite kunda edugunu
As the child grows, the pot grows. i. e. It eats more. A growing youth has a wolf in his belly.
This proverb refers to the increasing needs and expenses that come with growth. Just as a growing child requires more food, necessitating a larger cooking pot, any expanding project, family, or business will naturally demand more resources and higher maintenance.
పిల్లగలవాడు పిల్లకు ఏడిస్తే, కాటివాడు కాసుకు ఏడ్చినాడు
pillagalavadu pillaku ediste, kativadu kasuku edchinadu
When the father cried for his child, the sexton cried for his money.
This proverb describes a situation where different people have completely different priorities based on their self-interest. While one person is suffering a deep emotional loss (the death of a child), another person involved is only concerned with their own petty material gain or professional fee (the cost of the burial). It is used to highlight human selfishness or the lack of empathy in business transactions during tragic times.
Crows bewail the dead sheep and then eat them.