In Peter Vyazemsky's ‘Old Notebook’ there is mention of a certain ‘barin’ (gentleman), who wanted to get rich. Having obtained documents that allowed him to take horses at stations, he would go to a rich, but remote from the main roads, village and demand to be given horses for the next leg of the journey. Or pay an equivalent amount of money. As a rule, there were no horses, so, having received the money, the gentleman would move on to the next village. “It is said that the bounty is a tricky one,” the author noted - gol na vydumki hitra.
And in Vladimir Dahl's dictionary, the expression “hitra gol na vydumki” is accompanied by a commentary: “...about the Germans who came by.” This is what they called the settlers, who came to Russia and, in a new place with great ingenuity, started a new life, set up a household and farm. Without having huge capital, they achieved a lot.
Since then, the meaning of this expression has not changed: it implies that a person, even in difficult circumstances (ie. awkwardness, for instance), acts with great ingenuity. The English equivalent would be: “Necessity is the mother of invention.”
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