Snake and stick

Posted by R. Berg on February 19, 2001

In Reply to: To kill the snake and show the stick posted by HCD on February 19, 2001

: : : : : In portuguese there is a saying that is: Matar a cobra e mostrar o pau, which in literal english would mean: To kill the snake and show the rod.I'd like to know if in english there is a corresponding saying and how it is written. Can somebody bring some light to this question?

: : : : Maybe someone else can help but I dont understand what the phrase/proverb means.

: : : : I googled your phrase in Portugese and came up with tons of hits to English-Portugese phrase translation sites.
: : : : Talk about losing something in the translation!!

: : : : Here are some more Portugese phrases that lose everything in the translation:

: : : : Soltar a franga = To release the hen.

: : : : Escreveu, nao leu, o pau comeu = Wrote, didn't read, the stick ate.

: : : : Se der bolo eu tiro meu corpo fora. = If it gives cake I take my body out!

: : : : Huh????????

: : :
: : : Bruce Kahl: in portuguese to kill the snake and show the stick has the following meaning: to do something and show the proof that one has done something, i.e., the person has condition to prove that he really did something. OK, HCD

: : Anyone can show a stick and SAY he killed a snake with it. A more convincing piece of evidence would be a dead snake. Is it possible that the proverb means to present evidence that is not proof?

: In this case anyone who find a dead snake can show it as a proof that he killed him.

Right, but I was presuming that sticks are easier to find than dead snakes.

Sometimes in English a person will describe something difficult or unpleasant that he or she has done and then say "and I have the scars to prove it." This expression is not usually meant literally. "I spent ten years studying Latin, and I have the scars to prove it."

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