proverb · Source-linked selection
Now that I have an ewe and a lamb, every one says to me: Good morrow, Peter.
Now that I have an ewe and a lamb, every one says to me: Good morrow, Peter.
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
New possessions are followed by warmer greetings. The ewe, lamb and greeting to Peter question whether friendliness depends on visible resources, without proving that every welcome is opportunistic or identifying Peter as a historical person.
What the words are saying
The speaker notices a change in how others greet him after acquiring an ewe and a lamb. The sequence invites a question about why recognition has increased. In another setting, people may give someone more attention once an advantage becomes visible. Consider whether the welcome is based on conduct, resources or something else that has changed. The saying does not establish who Peter was, how valuable those animals were in a particular community, or the motives of every greeter. Its useful contrast concerns conditional courtesy rather than a verdict about all friendship.
Everyday example
A member who receives a prominent appointment notices new invitations and makes space for colleagues who were overlooked before.
When to use it
Use it to examine whether visible advantage is influencing social attention.
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What it does not mean
Do not assume motives without evidence; resources neither prove merit nor make every friendly gesture insincere.
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 (Spanish-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 194; Spanish section, paragraph 4060; source wording: Agora que tengo oveja y borrego, todos me dizen: En hora buena estais, Pedro.
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.