proverb · Words worth keeping
One beats the bush and another catcheth the bird.
One beats the bush and another catcheth the bird.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
One person may do the work while someone else takes the reward. Notice who prepares an opportunity and who receives the benefit or credit.
Example
One volunteer researches every exhibition label, but the opening speech credits only the person who presents them; the team corrects the acknowledgement.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
Beating the bush creates the opportunity for a bird to emerge; catching it secures the result. The division of these tasks becomes an image of unequal recognition or benefit. A person who creates the conditions for success may be overlooked while another claims the visible outcome. The saying can expose that imbalance, but two people doing different jobs is not itself unfair. Cooperation may properly divide effort and reward by agreement. Look at the actual contribution, consent and distribution before deciding whether someone has been used or whether a shared undertaking is working as intended.
When to use it
Use it when preparatory work is overlooked while another person receives the visible reward.
Keep in mind
Agreed cooperation can fairly divide different roles; unequal visibility alone does not prove exploitation.
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