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  What it means

  “In February, the ox will drink from the thaw.” Despite February’s cold, there are signs of the coming thaw — melting snow and ice give the ox water to drink. A hopeful proverb about the first hints of spring within winter.

  Vocabulary

  • luty — February
  • napić się — to have a drink, to drink one's fill
  • wół — ox
  • płuty — thaw water, meltwater (archaic/dialectal)

  Grammar note

  'Napije się' is the future perfective of 'napić się'. 'Płuty' is an archaic or dialectal genitive/instrumental form referring to meltwater.

  Cultural context

  Part of the Polish folk calendar tradition of weather proverbs tied to months. The ox drinking from meltwater signals the approaching end of winter.

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