chciały żaby króla, dostały bociana

Polish

Etymology

Literally, “the frogs wanted a king, they got a stork”. The idiom comes from the common myth that storks frequently eat frogs, when in fact, these birds only do this occasionally. Coined by ancient Greek storyteller Aesop in The Frogs Who Desired a King.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈxt͡ɕa.wɘ ˈʐa.bɘ ˈkru.la | dɔsˈta.wɘ bɔˈt͡ɕa.na/
• Syllabification: chcia‧ły ża‧by kró‧la, dos‧ta‧ły bo‧cia‧na

Phrase

chciały żaby króla, dostały bociana

1. (humorous, uncommon, idiomatic) you don't always get what you expected