proverb · Words worth keeping
An ass with her colt goes not straight to the mill.
An ass with her colt goes not straight to the mill.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
A dependent can change the route or pace of a task. The ass and her colt make an apparently indirect journey understandable in relation to another creature’s needs.
Example
A team offers a flexible arrival time to a member accompanying a child instead of treating the longer journey as a lack of commitment.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The journey to the mill is not straight when the colt accompanies the ass. Read the image as a reminder that caring responsibilities can affect how an undertaking proceeds. What looks like inefficiency from outside may involve attention to someone else. The saying does not prove a rule about animal behaviour or justify judging every delay as caregiving. Ask about the actual circumstances before demanding a uniform pace, and consider what support could make the task more manageable.
When to use it
Use it to consider how a responsibility for a dependent changes an otherwise simple task.
Keep in mind
Do not infer circumstances without asking or treat the animal image as a universal account of caregivers.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional (Spanish-language collection)
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Date unknown