Four farthings and a thimble make a tailor's pocket jingle.
Meaning: A tailor's meager earnings remind us that even small accumulations of modest wealth deserve acknowledgment and satisfaction.
Origin: Recorded in A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases, an undated collection published in London by Whittaker & Co. around 1880 and credited to Thomas Preston. Its earlier history hasn't been traced.
More proverbs about Wisdom
- The fox knows much, but more he that catcheth him. — The cunning schemer is ultimately undone by someone possessing even greater intelligence…
- A fox should not be of the jury at a goose trial. — Predators cannot impartially judge those they naturally prey upon; self-interest corrupts…
- When the fox preaches, beware of your geese. — Predators exploiting trust through false virtue pose the greatest danger to the vulnerabl…
- Though the fox runs the chicken hath wings. — Predator and prey possess different advantages; cunning alone cannot always overcome natu…
- Such as the tree is, such is the fruit. — People's actions and character naturally reflect their inner nature and values.
- If you would enjoy the fruit, pluck not the flower. — Premature harvesting destroys potential; patience allows natural development to completio…
From our tongue twisters
- Apelle figlio di Apollo fece una palla di pelle di pollo e tutti i principi della città di Capua la palpeggiarono. — A wall of 'p/ll/l/a' that seems to grow longer as you speak it faster.
- Se la serpe si avvicina alla siepe del serpente, il serpente scappa dalla siepe. — A sibilant 's/se/si/sci' minefield; both words (serpe and serpente) slither through the s…
- Chi è Ciccio Capece? Ciccio Capece è un capocaccia che caccia con la cacciaballa. — A 'c/ci/ccia' onslaught — Italian's hard and soft c in the same sentence, non-stop.