proverb · Words worth keeping
A cold May, Plenty of corn and hay.
A cold May, Plenty of corn and hay.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying expects a cold May to be followed by plenty of corn and hay. The short rhyme makes an uncomfortable condition a promise of provision.
Example
A reader describes the rhyme’s promised harvest without relying on it to assess actual supplies.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
Cold and plenty are joined directly, with two products making the hoped-for abundance concrete. This expresses the verse’s expectation rather than verified growing advice. A careful interpretation identifies the supposed compensation without extending it to every place, crop or year. It may also prompt a question about why a difficult condition is being treated as beneficial.
When to use it
Use it to examine a seasonal promise of abundance.
Keep in mind
A cold May is not established here as a guarantee of corn or hay.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Date unknown
- Culture
- English