ProverbWisdom
English origin1390
English origin1390Between two stools he comes to the ground.
Meaning: Trying to sit on two stools simultaneously leaves you falling between them, unsupported and hurt.
Origin: Trying to sit on two stools at once, you fall between them. John Gower's Confessio Amantis (1390) has the image, probably from the medieval Latin labitur enitens sellis herere duabus — he falls trying to sit on two seats. It describes anyone who fails by keeping two options open.
Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, German, Italian, and 3 more languages
French: Entre deux selles le cul à terre (literally: Between two stools the breech comes to the ground)
Spanish: Quien mucho abarca, poco aprieta (literally: He who grasps much, squeezes little)
Japanese: 二兎を追う者は一兎をも得ず (Nito o ou mono wa itto o mo ezu) (literally: He who chases two hares catches neither)
German: Man kann nicht auf zwei Hochzeiten gleichzeitig tanzen (literally: You cannot dance at two weddings at the same time)
Italian: Chi troppo vuole nulla stringe (literally: Whoever wants too much grasps nothing)
Dutch: Tussen twee stoelen in de as vallen (literally: To fall into the ashes between two chairs)
Russian: За двумя зайцами погонишься — ни одного не поймаешь (Za dvumya zaytsami pogonish'sya — ni odnogo ne poymaesh') (literally: Chase two hares and you won't catch either)
Polish: Łapać dwie sroki za ogon (literally: To grab two magpies by the tail)
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