- English translation
The walker arrives almost as soon as the rider has settled the animal.
- Literal wording
Between the rider and the walker is the unfastening of the pack saddle.
- Meaning and lesson
The saying stresses that an apparent advantage may amount to very little. In its traditional image, a rider may get ahead, but stopping and removing the pack saddle lets the person on foot nearly catch up.
It tempers assumptions about speed or priority when the gap is too small to matter. The proverb encourages judging the whole process, including what follows an early arrival, rather than noticing only who sets off faster.
- When it is used
Say it when two people or plans seem separated by only a negligible lead, especially when the faster one still has arrival tasks that erase most of the advantage. It can gently discourage impatience or overconfidence about being first.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
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