The phrase, or anything similar, is not in the Quixote, that’s a bit of a literary legend.
My mother says something similar though, “Si ladran es porque son perros” (If they bark is because they are dogs). Now that I mention that my family, on my mother’s side practically runs on sayings.
The one I always keep in mind (not one of theirs though) is the paraphrase from Solzhenitzyn’s quote in The Gulag Archipelago “The line between Good and Evil cut’s through the heart of every human being”; and, perhaps, every dog too.
Outside a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside a dog, it’s too dark to read.- Groucho
It’s not just a silly line to me. I like looking at things from a different perspective from most folks. This helps inspire me to do so. I also love absurd humor.
Attributed to Hannibal, as he contemplated taking his army (and elephants) over the Alps:
“We will find a way, or make one”
The French equivalent of speak of the devil is “When you speak of the wolf, you see his tail” I just like the image of catching a glimpse of a wolf’s tail.
Another I love - the concept of the Mendoza line (not in baseball, but in life generally) is wonderfully useful - I genuinely feel that the language was enriched when the term was created.
It’s somewhere between little known and unknown in the UK. I still use it, even if I know that I’ll have to explain what it means. I’m not showing off - I’m spreading the word!
“Life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans” I attribute this to a Lennon song. He may have gotten somewhere, himself. I didn’t google it.