Better be the head of an ass than the tail of a horse.

Meaning: Leading a humble domain grants more authority and respect than serving in an exalted position.

Origin: From 'A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases' (1870). Public domain.

Translations

• French: Mieux vaut être tête de chien que queue de lion (literally: Better be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion)

← Back to Proverbs

Loading the full interactive collection…