To ask wool of an ass.
To ask wool of an ass.
Meaning in plain English
A request fails when the chosen source cannot supply what is needed. Match expectations to actual capabilities instead of demanding the impossible from an unsuitable resource.
Example
A club asks its booking volunteer to provide specialist electrical advice. It recognises that the question needs a qualified tradesperson rather than more pressure on the volunteer.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
An ass does not produce the wool being requested. The mismatch is not solved by asking more insistently. The proverb invites a person to check whether the resource, process or individual has the relevant capacity. Another source or a changed requirement may be needed. This can prevent frustration being directed at someone for a task beyond their role. The image should not be used as an insult or as a fixed judgment about a person’s potential to learn.
When to use it
Use it when a request and the available capability do not match.
Keep in mind
Capabilities can grow with training and support. An unsuitable request today does not establish permanent inability.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-05. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Source
- A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857)
Printed page 15; French section, paragraph 296; source wording: Demander de la laine à un âne.
Read the original context ↗ - Attribution confidence
- traditional · historical anthology
Preserved as printed; independently unverified. - Historical coordinate
- Undated
No reliable date supplied by the collection. - Rights & edition
- Public domain (United States)
Translations and rights may differ elsewhere.
Provenance and licences ↗