proverb · Words worth keeping
Praise yourself, basket, for I want to sell you.
Praise yourself, basket, for I want to sell you.
In print by 1857 AD · industrial
Recorded in a printed collection by this date; the original date of these words is still unknown.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Praise offered by someone who benefits from a sale deserves scrutiny. The seller asks the basket to advertise itself, exposing an interest behind the favourable presentation rather than proving the object worthless.
What the words are saying
The basket is invited to praise itself because its owner wants to sell it. That arrangement makes the purpose behind the praise unusually visible. In a modern comparison, a recommendation may be influenced by the person’s interest in gaining a buyer or supporter. Ask what evidence accompanies the favourable description and whether another perspective is available. An interested seller can still describe a useful object accurately. The proverb invites attention to the relationship between praise and advantage, not an automatic refusal to believe anyone who offers something.
Everyday example
A club checks the specifications and independent experience behind a supplier’s enthusiastic recommendation before choosing equipment.
When to use it
Use it when promotional praise is being mistaken for an impartial assessment.
What it does not mean
A commercial interest does not itself prove dishonesty; assess the claim and supporting evidence.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or 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
- In print by 1857 AD · industrial
In print by 1857: recorded in A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857). Collection publication is an upper bound for this wording, not its earliest origin, composition date or the author's lifetime.
An author lifetime, approximate period or collection date is not necessarily the date when these words were first written or spoken. - Recorded source
- A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857) (1857 AD)
Printed page 195; Spanish section, paragraph 4066; source wording: Alábate, cesto, que venderte quiero.
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.