తొత్తును ఇంటబెట్టి దొరసానిని చెరగొందురా?

tottunu intabetti dorasanini cheragondura?

Translation

Will one keep a servant girl in the house and abduct the mistress?

Meaning

This proverb is used to criticize someone who leaves a small or easy task unfinished while attempting a much larger, more difficult, or unethical one. It highlights the absurdity of ignoring a simple solution or accessible resource while committing a major folly or risk elsewhere.

Related Phrases

When the mistress herself cannot afford a plain cloth, does the maid expect a silk sari?

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a subordinate or someone in a lower position demands luxuries or basic needs when their superior or the provider is struggling to secure even the bare minimum. It highlights unrealistic expectations or lack of common sense regarding one's current circumstances.

Flattery ruins both the one who gives it and the one who receives it.

This expression warns against the dangers of insincere praise. It suggests that flattery is harmful because it makes the giver a hypocrite or a liar, and it makes the receiver arrogant or delusional, ultimately leading to the downfall of both parties.

The brass-smith was ruined by drinking with a tilted head.

This proverb is used to describe how people can ruin themselves or their reputation by adopting habits or postures that are inappropriate for their status or the context. It suggests that even a small, improper change in behavior can lead to downfall.

The mistress has no blanket, but the maidservant has a crimson silk saree.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone in a subordinate or less deserving position possesses luxuries while the person in charge or the more deserving one lacks even basic necessities. It highlights irony, misplaced priorities, or a reversal of status where an undeserving person shows off more than their superior.

The lady who had never seen tamarinds asked if they were sickles upon seeing them.

This proverb describes someone who is completely ignorant of common, everyday things but tries to act sophisticated or superior. It is used to mock people who lack practical knowledge or those who make ridiculous assumptions about simple matters due to their lack of exposure.

The brazier has spoilt the dish which before I ate out of slantingly ( on account of the hole in it ).

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone introduces an unnecessary or troublesome innovation to a simple, existing habit, ultimately making it more complicated or ruining it. It refers to a story where people used to drink comfortably, but a metalsmith (brazier) made a vessel that required tilting in an awkward way, spoiling the ease of the act.

* Unns vir nullus vir. † Xelw kexira vniptis, dákntulós te dákntulon. ‡ Candae pilos, equino paulatim oportet evallere.

Brass is not gold, and a maid is not a lady.

This proverb is used to emphasize that external appearances or imitations cannot replace the value or dignity of the original. Just as brass may shine like gold but lacks its intrinsic worth, someone pretending to be of high character or status without having the actual virtues will eventually be revealed. It is often used to remind people to stay in touch with reality and not be fooled by superficial substitutes.

When a silk garment was given to a servant, she ruined it with cow dung stains.

This proverb describes a situation where something precious or sophisticated is given to someone who doesn't know its value or how to handle it properly. It is used to mock people who lack class or discernment, implying that their inherent nature or lack of experience causes them to ruin high-quality things through improper use.

He puts his sandals on his head and claims he is touching the gateway to heaven.

This expression is used to describe a person who behaves foolishly or commits lowly acts while making grand, pretentious claims about their status or achievements. It highlights the irony of someone who is in a degraded state but imagines or boasts that they have reached the pinnacle of success.

The dancer is the queen, and the queen is the dancer.

This expression is used to describe a situation where roles or statuses are reversed or become indistinguishable. It signifies that someone in a high position is behaving like a commoner (or vice versa), or more commonly, it refers to an environment where there is no discipline or order, and everyone acts according to their whims regardless of their actual status.