ProverbWisdomEnglish origin

He dances well to whom fortune pipes.

Meaning: Success comes easily to those blessed with favorable circumstances rather than personal effort.

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.

Equivalents in Italian

  • Italian: Assai ben balla a chi fortuna suona (literally: He dances well enough for whom fortune plays)

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