Why Shouldn’t You “look A Gift Horse In The Mouth”?

This saying dates back to the Middle Ages and exists in other languages too. It is based on the idea that, in order to find out about a horse's age and general health, you need to look at its teeth (it was, and sometimes still is, a practice to lie about a horse's age, so prospective buyers usually took a good look in its mouth.) However, if someone is giving you a horse for free, there is no point worrying about what condition it's in. since you are hardly going to refuse a free gift.

In the same way, when you get a bit of good luck or an unexpected windfall, you shouldn't quibble too much about the details – just accept it and be grateful. An example might be if someone gives you their old (but still serviceable) car – you wouldn't start poking around under the bonnet and trying to decide whether it's worth taking; you'd just take it.

Add Comment

Report