ఉన్నది ఒక కూతురు, ఊరంతా అల్లుళ్లే.

unnadi oka kuturu, uranta allulle.

Translation

He has but one daughter, but the whole village is [ full of ] sons-in-law. i. e. they all wish to marry her.

Meaning

This proverb describes a situation where there is a very limited resource or a single opportunity, but many claimants or competitors vying for it. It is used to highlight the absurdity or difficulty of managing high demand for something that is in extremely short supply.

Related Phrases

Even the king's daughter must be some one's wife.

This expression highlights social norms and duties, suggesting that regardless of one's high birth or status, a woman must still fulfill her role and responsibilities within a household or relationship. It is often used to imply that nobody is above the fundamental rules or structures of society.

One son for the property and one daughter for the desire

This is a traditional saying describing a small, ideal family structure. It suggests that a son is needed to inherit and look after the family assets (property), while a daughter is desired to fulfill the emotional longing and affection within the family.

The daughter of Kaki Somalu - The son-in-law of Ankamma's dreams

This expression is used to describe a match or a pairing of two people who are equally strange, foolish, or mismatched. It highlights a situation where both parties in a relationship or a deal have peculiar or undesirable traits, making them a perfect (yet ironic) fit for each other. It is often used humorously to comment on odd couples or peculiar social connections.

If [ the people ] stay, it is a village; if [ the people ] go, it is a ruin.

This proverb describes something that is only valuable or functional as long as it is maintained or occupied. It is often used to refer to old houses, ancestral properties, or even human relationships, suggesting that once care or occupancy ceases, they quickly fall into decay and become worthless.

While there is butter in the net why hunt through the whole village for ghi ?

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone searches far and wide for something they already possess or have easy access to at home. It highlights the irony of overlooking immediate resources while desperately seeking them elsewhere.

The bride who could not see followed the farmhand.

This proverb describes a situation where someone who is naive, ignorant, or lacking foresight makes a foolish choice or follows someone who is far below their status or expectations. It is used to mock people who act blindly without understanding the consequences of their actions or the true nature of the person they are trusting.

There is only one girl, but the whole village claims to be her husband.

This proverb describes a situation where there is a single resource, opportunity, or person, but too many people are trying to claim ownership or control over it. It is often used to highlight chaos, mismanagement, or excessive competition for a limited commodity.

By being stubborn, the son-in-law lost; by not eating, the daughter suffered.

This proverb describes a situation where people harm themselves more than others through their stubbornness or ego. A son-in-law staying away out of anger loses the hospitality/respect he would have received, and a daughter refusing food to protest only ends up hungry and weak. It is used to advise against cutting off one's nose to spite one's face.

To keep an elephant [ a man requires ] a country, to keep a horse a village, and to keep a she-buffalo a maid.

This proverb describes the specific resource requirements of different animals based on their status and size. It is used metaphorically to explain that every individual or entity needs an environment or support system proportionate to their scale or nature to thrive.

Putting a child in a cradle and looking for it all over the village. He looks for his ass and sits on its back. (French.)

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone is searching for something everywhere, when it is actually right with them or in a very obvious place. It highlights human absent-mindedness or the irony of overlooking the obvious while looking for complex solutions.