It is well known that man lives in the future rather than in the present. Therefore, it is not surprising that folk wisdom keeps in its reserves many sayings that warn a person against excessive fascination with illusions. We are considering one of them today: the expression “chickens are counted in the fall” is in the spotlight.
Origin
In urban conditions, it is difficult to breed and maintain animals that are traditionally associated with rural life: chickens, ducks, geese, etc. Therefore, the saying about chickens naturally appeared in the countryside. Not all chicks that were born in the summer survived until autumn. Therefore, knowledgeable people urged the young peasant not to rejoice at the “rich harvest” of chickens, because it is not known how many of them will remain in the fall. From here it went: they count chickens in the fall, that is, you should not rush to conclusions, you must wait for the time when everything is finally decided. An example will help you figure it out.
Example of using the phrase
People love to fantasize about their successes, especially students. You can always hear from them how they famously and without problems pass the session, but when the deadline comes, the grades get hard work, coupled with sleepless nights. And even if someone had told a student long before the session: “Calm down, it’s not so simple, chickens are counted in the fall,” he would simply dismiss it.
The same with the unemployed or those who are moving to a new job. And he tells all his friends and relatives what his salary is and what he will buy with this money. Finally tired of his castles in the air, people around will say: “Calm down, work there for at least a month, and they count chickens in the fall.”
What does the proverb teach? Buddhism, the riddle of the Sphinx and Russian folk wisdom
In the Buddhist heritage one can find the idea that one day is a whole life, a reduced copy of the whole journey.
There is even a well-known riddle of the sphinx: “Who walks on four legs in the morning, two in the morning, and three in the evening?” The answer is man. In infancy, he crawls, in adulthood he walks without support, and in old age with a cane. Greek and Buddhist traditions converge in the understanding of human life as one day.
Someone will ask: “And what does the meaning of the proverb “count chickens in the fall” have to do with it?” The Russian saying is here despite the fact that it teaches the same thing. One should not look too far into the future. The latter has the peculiarity of never advancing or not at all.the way it is presented. When a person in the present thinks about the future, he is only imagining. And in fantasy, everything is fine and everything is fine, unless, of course, we are talking about nightmares.
The proverb, on the contrary, urges a person not to get off the ground too much and not to forget about the pressing problems that need to be addressed. Not only a Russian person, but everyone likes to dream, but dreams should not obscure the harsh reality. This is what the proverb teaches us.
To comprehend the wisdom of life, it is not necessary to read thousands of pages written by wise people. You can also ask yourself what the saying “count chickens in the fall” means, and reflect on the answer options. True, such exercises require a lively and tenacious mind. Most people need the support of books to draw any conclusions about life.
