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  What it means

  “The word was spoken, the mare is at the fence.” Once you have said or promised something, you must do it. The horse is ready, so there is no turning back.

  English equivalent

  A promise is a promise.

  Vocabulary

  • słowo — word, promise
  • rzec — to say, to utter (archaic/literary)
  • kobyłka — mare (diminutive of kobyła)
  • płot — fence

  Grammar note

  'Rzekło się' is the reflexive past of 'rzec' (archaic). 'U płota' uses the genitive after 'u' (at, by). Note: both spellings 'płota' and 'płotu' appear in variants of this proverb.

  Cultural context

  The image is of a horse tied at the fence and ready to go. Once the task is announced, it cannot be taken back.

  Intermediate

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