He will follow him like St. Anthony's pig. (English). St. Anthony of Padua was regarded as the protector and patron saint of the lower animals, particularly pigs. "St. Anthony was originally a swine-herd, and in all pictures and sculptures is represented as followed by a pig, frequently having a bell about his neck. Probably this pig might have been one of his former eleves, before he took on himself the trade of a saint. The attachment of this pig or hog, at length, grew proverbial."-Francis Grose. "St. Anthony is notoriously known for the patron of hogs, having a pig for his page in all pictures, though for what reason unknown; except because being a hermit and having a cell or hole digged in the earth, and having his general repast on roots, he and hogs did in some sort enter commons, both in their diet and lodgings."-Thomas Fuller. "The officers of this city (London) did divers times take from the market people pigs starved or otherwise unwholesome for man's sustenance; these they did slit in the ear. One of the proctors of St. Anthony's Hospital tied a bell about the neck and let it feed upon the dunghills; no one would hurt or take it up; but if anyone gave it bread or other feeding, such it would know, watch for and daily follow, whining till it had somewhat given it; whereupon was raised a proverb, such a one will follow such a one, and whine as if it were an Anthony pig."-John Stow. He who is guilty of sin easily begets daughters. (Marathi). As daughters are regarded by the people as less desirable than sons their birth is held to be a punishment inflicted on the parents for sins that they committed in a former existence. He whose stomach is full increaseth deeds of evil. (Hebrew). Wealth leads to indolence and pleasure seeking; indolence breeds discontent and wrong-doing. "Work produces virtue, and virtue honour. (German). See Deut. viii : 10-14; xxxii: 15; Hos. xiii : 6. He wipes his trouble on his cheek. (Old Calabar-West African). He exercises great patience and forbearance. He who sells a house gets the price of the nails. (Japanese). A saying commonly used to indicate that a man receives but a small portion of the value of his house when he sells it. His eyes draw straws. (English). He is sleepy. The saying is thought to have come His understanding is lost in his strength. (Arabian). I do not want a shoe larger than my foot. (Hebrew). I have had a dumb man's dream. (Bengalese). I have had a dream that I cannot recall, or one that I ought not to relate. In the evening a red man is black. (Oji-West African). Among Europeans people are designated as blondes or brunettes, so among the African Negroes they are designated as black (coal black) and red (ruddy brown). "By candle light a goat looks like a lady." (French). It is a good thing to eat your brown bread first. (English). Hardships are more easily borne in youth than in old age. It is more difficult to cross the door sill than to walk about the house. (Marathi). The hardest part of an enterprise is getting started. It is not common for hens to have pillows. (Gaelic). It is not meant that common people should affect a position and manner of living to which they are not accustomed. Little boy who won't listen to his mother dies under the Monday sun. (French Guiana-Creole). "All Creole mothers are careful to keep their children from reckless play in the sun, which is peculiarly treacherous in those latitudes where the dialect is spoken. Hence the proverb applicable to any circumstance in which good advice is reluctantly received."—Lafcadio Hearn. May your heels keep the spur o' your head. (Scotch). May you be able to carry out your purpose. Misery for two is Misery & Co. (Louisiana Creole). "Before you marry have where to tarry." (Italian). "Be sure before you marry of a house wherein to tarry." (Spanish). "Before you marry have a house to live in, fields to till, and vines to cut.' (Spanish). My affairs are like Nandan's camp. (Tamil). Nandan was "the name of a shoemaker who is reputed to have reigned as a king for three hours, and to have issued leather coin."-P. Percival. No one will meddle with a piece of furniture that has a mouth. (Spanish). No one cares for that which is of no benefit and requires constant care and expense. Not to know B from a battledore. (English). This saying is supposed to have been first used when the horn-book was employed for the instruction of children. The horn-book was made of thin oak wood about nine inches long and six inches broad. On it were printed the letters of the alphabet and the nine digits, and sometimes the Lord's Prayer. It had a handle and was covered in front by a sheet of thin horn. Not to know B when seen on the horn-book was not to know B from a battledore and to be quite illiterate. Once to a friend, twice to a friend, but thrice-and it is his fatal day. (Modern Greek). A man can pardon a friend's offence once and even twice, but not a third time. One's own pedal proves a crocodile. (Bengalese). The crocodile lying motionless on the shore resembles a log of wood from which a household pedal is formed. One's own kith and kin are most hostile. Out of God's blessing into the warm sun. (English). "Good King, that must approve the common saw, People who have their ears above their heads. People who are obstinate and insubordinate. Rub your brother's arm. (Hindustani). (Hay Spoken ironically to one who attempts to perform a task that is beyond his strength, or who, having failed in an undertaking, boasts of his skill or prowess. It is common in India to show admiration for a successful wrestler by rubbing or squeezing his arms. Send dog, and dog sends tail. (Trinidad Creole). Shake the salt off and throw the meat to the dog. (Hebrew). As salt preserves meat, so the soul preserves the body. When death comes and the soul takes its flight nothing remains but a worthless body. She is fond of gape seed. (English). She is fond of staring at everyone she meets and at everything she sees. Something must be done to become white. (Spanish). Something must be done to restore his good name. There seems to be an allusion in this saying to the powdering of the face in order to give it a fairer appearance. Tak' up the steik in your stocking. (Scotch). Reform your life. "Turn over a new leaf." That will happen in the week of four Thursdays. (Louisiana Creole). You will keep your promise when a week has four The beard will pay for the shaving. (English). The work will pay for itself. The proverb is used in referring to men who receive a part or all of the proceeds of their labour as a compensation for their services. The black ox hath not trod on his foot. (English). The black ox represents any kind of misfortune or trouble. "Venus waxeth old: and then she was a pretie "Abide [quoth I], it was yet but honey moon; "Why then do folke this proverbe put, Thomas Tusser. The boat on the cart, and the cart on the boat. (Bengalese). As the boat sometimes carries the cart across the stream and the cart sometimes transports the boat to the river bank, so men are subject to reverses in fortune; sometimes they are rich and support others and sometimes they are poor and become dependent on the help of others. The bully takes twenty twentieths. (Urdu). "I carry off the chief share because I am called the lion."-Phædrus. |