dimarts, 4 de setembre del 2007

It is better to indulge oneself than having a hundred tambourines


Val. «Val més un gust que cent panderos»

S’usa per a indicar que no importa el que costa alguna cosa, si el que realment es desitja és tindre-la. L’expressió fa referència al costum nadalenc, hui desaparegut, que consistia en arrossegar pel carrer pots de llanda o llautó lligats entre ells. Estos s’anomenaven «panderos» per la similitud del pot de llanda a l’instrument musical. Esta pràctica es feia per a cridar l’atenció, fer soroll i armar festa. Els xiquets s’ho passaven d’allò més bé; d’ací que tindre cent panderos es considerara una cosa molt bona… però millor és satisfer un capritx personal que sempre has volgut.

------------------------------------------------

This saying means that if you like something, you shouldn’t worry about its price as long as it having it makes you happy. The expression comes from an old Christmas custom: children tied several cans with a string and dragged it through the streets as a long chain to make a big fuss. This cans were known as panderos (‘tambourines’) due to the similarity of the can to the instrument. Kids had great fun doing that. That is why having one hundred of these tambourines was considered a great thing… but not so great as to indulge oneself buying that thing you have always wanted.