Time Tested Expressions
If you are looking for appropriate comparisons in different situations, these old Bulgarian expression might come handy. They are elegant and with a blink of the eye reach the target. They originate from the times when the pop-stars were the best storytellers. Here you can find the short stories that give sense to these phrases.
I am hurrying like the hedgehog for savory
Meaning: To walk or to work very slowly, not being expeditious and efficient.
The animals of the forest gathered to celebrate Saint George’s Day. Everybody helped in some way and the hedgehog they send for some spices – savory and parsley. The hedgehog came just in time – 5 months later on Saint Dimitar’s Day. Everybody got excited to see their friend and then he looked at his sweet-heart, he slipped and fell: “Oh, my! My bloody hurrying will kill me someday,” he sighted and everybody laughed.
How far did your work go? I reached the crooked pear tree.
Meaning: I didn’t do anything, I am not progressing at all.
A man had to plough a field, but he was very lazy and did do anything the entire day. When he went back home his wife always asked him how far did he plough today and he always said he just reached the pear tree.
What if the hail hits the field?
According to an old writer (P.R. Slaveikov) this is said to pessimists. There was a peasant that always looked at everything negatively and disagreed with everything his neighbors would suggest. To brighten his mood they decided to give him each 33 lbs of oats. “This is all sweet and fine, but what if the hail knocks the oats down?” (If there is no harvest what shall they give him. In other words he was not satisfied even when they were ready to please him with a gift.)
To be continued…
