- English translation
Ask a blind man what he most wants, and he will say: a basket full of eyes.
- Literal wording
“What does the blind man desire?” He answered: “A basketful of eyes.”
- Meaning and lesson
The saying conveys that a person's strongest wish is shaped by the lack, need, or condition weighing most heavily on them. What seems excessive to others may be the direct answer to a private hardship.
An older colloquial proverb, it uses an imagined response for effect, not a claim about blind people generally. Its image can be insensitive if treated casually or used as a joke about disability.
- When it is used
Use it cautiously to explain why someone values something others may not consider important, because it answers a pressing need. Avoid using it casually or humorously in ways that make blindness or disability the object of a joke.
Cite or copy proverb
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