proverb · Words worth keeping
At a little fountain one drinks at one’s ease.
At a little fountain one drinks at one’s ease.
In print by 1857 AD · industrial
Recorded in a printed collection by this date; the original date of these words is still unknown.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
A modest source of help can be easier to use comfortably than a grand one. The little fountain suggests accessible benefit without the demands of a crowded or imposing setting.
What the words are saying
The drinker finds ease at a small fountain. The image values the suitability of the encounter rather than the size of the resource. Figuratively, a small group, a simple arrangement or a limited opportunity may serve a person well because it allows attention and room to act. The saying can challenge the assumption that a larger option must always be better. It does not praise shortage for its own sake: a fountain still needs enough water, and a small service still needs to meet the need. Ease and adequacy should be considered together.
Everyday example
A learner chooses a small workshop where there is time to ask questions and practise.
When to use it
Use it when a modest, accessible option fits a particular need.
What it does not mean
Small scale does not excuse an inadequate resource.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional (French-language collection)
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- In print by 1857 AD · industrial
In print by 1857: recorded in A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857). Collection publication is an upper bound for this wording, not its earliest origin, composition date or the author's lifetime.
An author lifetime, approximate period or collection date is not necessarily the date when these words were first written or spoken. - Recorded source
- A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857) (1857 AD)
Printed page 4; French section, paragraph 75; source wording: A petite fontaine boit-on à son aise.
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.