proverb · Words worth keeping
One story is good until another's told.
One story is good until another's told.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
An account can seem convincing until another perspective supplies information it leaves out. The saying encourages hearing more than one side, without assuming that a later story is necessarily truer or that every claim has equal weight.
Example
A coordinator checks the booking messages and speaks with both volunteers before deciding how a disputed room reservation was handled.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The first story holds attention while it is the only account available. Another may introduce a different sequence, a missing detail or a challenge to the original description. A useful response compares what each account says with evidence that can be checked, rather than simply replacing the first speaker’s confidence with the second’s. Hearing more does not remove the need for judgement. Some matters require prompt action, and not every alternative has a sound basis. The saying values a broader hearing when appropriate, with conclusions tied to the relevant facts rather than to whichever account was heard most recently.
When to use it
Use it when a convincing account needs relevant additional perspectives and evidence.
Keep in mind
Later accounts are not automatically better; weigh support and respond promptly when circumstances require it.
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