<P> The earliest appearance of the idiom is in Thomas Shelton 's 1620 translation of the Spanish novel Don Quixote . The protagonist is growing increasingly restive under the criticisms of his servant Sancho Panza , of which one is that `` You are like what is said that the frying - pan said to the kettle , ' Avant , black - browes ' . '' The Spanish text at this point reads : Dijo la sartén a la caldera , Quítate allá ojinegra ( Said the pan to the pot , get out of there black - eyes ) . It is identified as a proverb ( refrán ) in the text , functioning as a retort to the person who criticises another of the same defect that he plainly has . Among several variations , the one where the pan addresses the pot as culinegra ( black - arse ) makes clear that they are dirtied in common by contact with the cooking fire . </P>
<P> The earliest appearance of the idiom is in Thomas Shelton 's 1620 translation of the Spanish novel Don Quixote . The protagonist is growing increasingly restive under the criticisms of his servant Sancho Panza , of which one is that `` You are like what is said that the frying - pan said to the kettle , ' Avant , black - browes ' . '' The Spanish text at this point reads : Dijo la sartén a la caldera , Quítate allá ojinegra ( Said the pan to the pot , get out of there black - eyes ) . It is identified as a proverb ( refrán ) in the text , functioning as a retort to the person who criticises another of the same defect that he plainly has . Among several variations , the one where the pan addresses the pot as culinegra ( black - arse ) makes clear that they are dirtied in common by contact with the cooking fire . </P>
where did pot calling kettle black come from
where did pot calling kettle black come from
Don Quixote
Don Quixote