Don't Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch

Don't Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch¹

Hello and welcome to Words and Their Stories.

Each week, we tell the story of English language words and expressions – some old, and others new.

Today we talk about a proverb often used in American English.

A proverb is a short, well-known saying that offers a piece of advice. Our example of a proverb takes us to a farm – a chicken farm, to be exact.

Our explanation is part science, part folklore².

First, the science.

You probably know that chickens come from eggs. A female³ chicken or hen lays eggs and then they hatch into chicks. Well, not all of them. Some eggs do not have a baby bird.

So, at our farm, a hen produces 15 eggs. If the farmer counts the eggs, she might expect to have 15 chicks once the eggs are hatched⁴. But then five of those eggs do not hatch. Her expectations were not met, so she feels disappointed. She tells her friend how sad she feels. The friend may say to her, “Well, don’t count your chicken before they hatch.

Another way of saying this proverb is: “Don’t count your chickens until they are hatched.”

So, this proverb means you should not depend on something that has yet to happen. It is unwise to make plans based on something that hasn’t happened. Another meaning of this proverb is this: Do not assume⁵ to have everything you want until you actually have it in your hands.

Now, let’s talk about the folklore part of our explanation.

“Don’t count your chickens until they are hatched” is a very old saying. Language experts say it appears in different forms and in many different cultures. It is also used in Aesop's Fables⁷, a collection of stories from between 1,300 and 1,400 years ago.

The fable⁶ we are talking about is known as “The Milkmaid and Her Pail⁸.” A long time ago, a young woman carried a bucket of milk on her head. As she walked, the milkmaid dreamed of a better life. She wanted to be rich. So, she thought she could sell her milk and then use the money to buy chickens. With chickens she could sell eggs and earn more money!

With lots of money, the milkmaid could shake her head “no” to all the men in her village who wanted her hand in marriage. The young woman was so caught up in her thoughts that she actually shook her head “no.” This caused the pail of milk to fall from her head and crash to the ground. Along with it -- her dreams of becoming rich and independent.

When she told her mother what happened, her mother said, “My child, do not count your chickens before they are hatched.”

So, that is the folklore from Aesop’s Fables. Now, let’s hear how to use this expression in everyday speech.

John and Samantha are friends. Both are looking for jobs. John just had a job interview the day before and cannot wait to tell Samantha all about it.

Samantha, how is your job search going?

It’s going okay. I spoke⁹ with two potential employers¹⁰ last week and I should hear something back soon. But for now I’m still saving¹¹ all the money I can from my part-time work. How about you?

I had a great interview yesterday! In fact, afterward¹², the woman I spoke with talked as if I was already her employee!

Wow! That’s great news, John. Good for you!

Thanks! And the best thing … the pay is great. I’ll be able to buy a townhouse. In fact, I have an appointment today to look at one, right near my new job! I’ll have a full-time¹³ job and a new home in less than a month!

Wait a minute, John. Did you actually get something in writing from the company?

Well, not yet.

Did you actually sign a contract?

Well, no but …

A little friendly advice, John. You don’t officially have the job. So, try not to count your chickens before they hatch.

What do you mean? The job is a sure thing.

Nothing is guaranteed, John. So, you know, don’t get your hopes up. That way, you won’t be disappointed if things don’t work out.

So, I should probably return the expensive clothes and briefcase¹⁴ I just bought for the job?

I think so. Maybe for right now.

Let’s keep our fingers crossed for John. Hopefully, all his eggs will hatch and he’ll get that high-paying job.

And that’s all we have for you today. Join us again next week for another Words and Their Stories.

I’m Anna Matteo.

Words in This Story

folklore – n. traditional customs, beliefs, stories, and sayings

lay – v. to produce an egg

hatch – v. to come out of an egg

disappoint – adj. to fail to meet the expectation or hope of

assume – v. to think that something is true or probably true without knowing that it is true

interview – n. to participate in an interview for a position (such as a job)

contract – n. a legal agreement between people, companies, etc.

expensive – adj. costing a lot of money

1 hatch   

n.孵化，舱口；vt.孵，孵出，策划；vi. 孵化

参考例句：

• No one knows how the new plan will hatch out.谁也不知道这新方案将怎样制订出来。
• The bird mistook the pebble for egg and tried to hatch it.这只鸟错把卵石当蛋，想去孵它。

2 folklore   

n.民间信仰，民间传说，民俗

参考例句：

• Zhuge Liang is a synonym for wisdom in folklore.诸葛亮在民间传说中成了智慧的代名词。
• In Chinese folklore the bat is an emblem of good fortune.在中国的民间传说中蝙蝠是好运的象征。

3 female   

adj.雌的，女(性)的；n.雌性的动物，女子

参考例句：

• We only employ female workers.我们只雇用女工。
• The animal in the picture was a female elephant.照片上的动物是头母象。

4 hatched   

孵化( hatch的过去式和过去分词 )； 孵出，破壳而出； 秘密策划，（尤指）密谋； 使（小鸟、小鱼、小虫等）孵出

参考例句：

• Silkworms are fed mulberry leaves after they have hatched. 蚕孵出后食桑叶。
• Ten out of the set of twelve were hatched. 一窝十二个蛋孵出了十个。

5 assume   

vt.假装；假定，设想；承担；呈现，采取

参考例句：

• I assume that he won't cheat you.想来他是不会骗你的。
• We can't assume anything in this case.在这种情况下我们不可能做出假设。

6 fable   

n.寓言；童话；神话

参考例句：

• The fable is given on the next page. 这篇寓言登在下一页上。
• He had some motive in telling this fable. 他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。

7 fables   

n.寓言( fable的名词复数 )；神话，传说

参考例句：

• Some of Aesop's Fables are satires. 《伊索寓言》中有一些是讽刺作品。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Little Mexican boys also breathe the American fables. 墨西哥族的小孩子对美国神话也都耳濡目染。 来自辞典例句

8 pail   

n.桶，提桶

参考例句：

• There was a pail of water on the ground.地上有一桶水。
• She can lift a pail of water from the ground.她能把一桶水提起来。

9 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

10 employers   

雇主( employer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Employers must consider all candidates impartially and without bias. 雇主必须公平而毫无成见地考虑所有求职者。
• The onus is on employers to follow health and safety laws. 雇主有义务遵行健康安全法。

11 saving   

n.节省，节约；[pl.]储蓄金，存款

参考例句：

• Energy saving is term strategic policy of our country.节约能源是我国长期的战略国策。
• Old-fashioned housewives were usually very saving.旧时的家庭主妇通常都很节俭。

12 afterward   

adv.后来；以后

参考例句：

• Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。
• Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。

13 full-time   

adj.满工作日的或工作周的，全时间的

参考例句：

• A full-time job may be too much for her.全天工作她恐怕吃不消。
• I don't know how she copes with looking after her family and doing a full-time job.既要照顾家庭又要全天工作，我不知道她是如何对付的。

14 briefcase   

n.手提箱，公事皮包

参考例句：

• He packed a briefcase with what might be required.他把所有可能需要的东西都装进公文包。
• He requested the old man to look after the briefcase.他请求那位老人照看这个公事包。