Łaska pańska na pstrym koniu jeździ
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What it means
“A lord’s favour rides on a dappled horse.” The goodwill of those in power is unreliable and changeable — it can vanish as quickly as it appeared. Don’t count on the favour of the powerful.
English equivalent
Don't rely on the favour of the great.
Vocabulary
- łaska — favour, grace, mercy
- pański — lord's, master's, of the gentry
- pstry — dappled, motley, multicoloured
- koń — horse
- jeździć — to ride
Grammar note
'Na pstrym koniu' uses the locative case after 'na'. 'Pstrym' is the locative of 'pstry'.
Cultural context
A dappled horse was seen as unpredictable and hard to control, making it a perfect metaphor for the fickleness of noble patronage in old Poland.
Intermediate
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