ఉలవలు తిన్నమ్మకు ఉలుకు, సజ్జలు తిన్నమ్మకు సలుకు.

ulavalu tinnammaku uluku, sajjalu tinnammaku saluku.

Translation

The one who ate horse gram startles; the one who ate pearls (millet) remains steady.

Meaning

This proverb refers to how guilt or hidden secrets affect a person's behavior. Eating horse gram (ulavalu) causes flatulence, making the person jumpy or 'startle' (uluku) in discomfort. In contrast, millet is easier to digest. It is used to describe a situation where a guilty person behaves restlessly or gives themselves away through their nervous reactions, while an innocent person remains calm.

Related Phrases

For the woman who heard, her back burned; for the mother who gave birth, her womb burned.

This proverb contrasts superficial sympathy with deep, genuine pain. While an outsider (the listener) might feel a momentary or mild annoyance (back burning), only the person directly involved or the parent (the mother) feels the true, excruciating agony (womb burning). It is used to describe situations where bystanders can never truly understand the depth of a victim's suffering.

The woman who gets startled is often sulky, and the woman with a swelling has more pain.

This proverb describes human nature and physical reality. It implies that a person with a guilty conscience or a sensitive nature is easily offended or reactive (sulky), just as a person with a physical ailment (like a boil or swelling) naturally feels more pain. It is often used to describe someone who reacts defensively or takes offense easily because they know they are in the wrong or are overly sensitive.

A woman who eats mustard seeds has desire; a woman who eats horse gram has a startle.

This proverb describes how different habits, foods, or actions produce specific physiological or psychological reactions. It is often used metaphorically to suggest that a person's behavior or guilt is a direct result of their secret actions—specifically, if someone has done something wrong (eaten horse gram which causes gas/discomfort), they will be jumpy or 'startled' when the topic comes up.

She who ate a mouthful is like a silk cotton tree trunk; she who ate a handful is like a thin sliver of wood.

This proverb is a sarcastic comment on how people's physical appearance often contradicts their claims about their food intake. It describes a situation where someone who claims to eat very little (a mouthful) is actually quite heavy or large, while someone who claims to eat more (a handful) remains very thin. It is used to mock hypocrisy or hidden habits regarding consumption.

The one who ate the palm fibers faces more trouble than the one who ate the palm fruits.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where an innocent person or a person who only handled the leftovers/waste of an act gets into more trouble or faces more blame than the person who actually enjoyed the primary benefit. It highlights the irony of unfair consequences.

The lady who has daughters is given a chair, but the lady who has sons has to lean against the wall.

This traditional proverb highlights the cultural observation that daughters often provide better care, comfort, and emotional support to their parents in old age compared to sons. While sons were traditionally preferred for lineage, the saying suggests that daughters ensure their mother sits comfortably (chairs), whereas sons might leave her with no place but the outside of the house (eaves).

For the one who arrived, a warm welcome; for the one who didn't, many complaints.

This proverb describes a common human tendency where a person who is present is treated with respect or given tasks, while those who are absent or failed to show up are criticized or spoken of with long, complaining tones (ragalu). It is used to highlight how people often grumble about those who aren't there to defend themselves or how presence dictates treatment.

Chairs and stools for the mother of daughters; wall corners for the mother of sons.

This traditional proverb highlights the observation that daughters often take better care of their aging parents with comfort and respect (represented by chairs), whereas sons may neglect them or leave them with no proper place to stay (represented by the eaves of a wall or corners of a house).

The woman who has nothing has great stubbornness, while the woman who has everything has great greed.

This proverb highlights a contrast in human behavior: those with no resources or status often resort to excessive pride or stubbornness to overcompensate, whereas those who are wealthy or successful are often driven by an insatiable desire for more. It is used to describe how ego and greed manifest differently based on one's circumstances.

If the aunt had a mustache, she would be the uncle.

This proverb is used to point out the pointlessness of 'if' and 'but' scenarios that involve impossible conditions. It suggests that speculating about hypothetical changes to fundamental facts is a waste of time and does not change reality.