nosił wilk razy kilka, ponieśli i wilka

Polish

Etymology

Rhyme, literally, “[the] wolf carried a few times, [and eventually the] wolf got carried too”, a reference to the wolf stealing sheep or other livestock to eat a few times before it was killed and carried as a trophy by hunters.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnɔ.ɕiw ˈvilk ˈra.zɨ ˈkil.ka pɔˈɲɛɕ.li i ˈvil.ka/

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ilka

Proverb

nosił wilk razy kilka, ponieśli i wilka

1. (idiomatic) one can get away with bad behaviour only a few times before it is noticed and punished

Further reading

• nosił wilk razy kilka, ponieśli i wilka in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• nosił wilk razy kilka, ponieśli i wilka in Polish dictionaries at PWN