The bore flows up the river, therefore seize the potter and bring him before me. (Bengalese). Applied to those who blame others falsely and attribute the misdeeds of one person to another. The doctor has ringworm on his nose. (Assamese). "Physician, heal thyself." The excellent dog bites his master. (Osmanli). The fly has eaten iron. (Modern Greek). The weakling thinks that he can do an impossible thing. The Jews are welcome to Saturday. (Persian). A taunt arising from a belief among Moslems that The jingle of his brass pots is in the air, while the royal youth knocks down the birds. (Bengalese). A jeer at people who with inadequate means seek to imitate the practices and dress of the great and wealthy. The brass worker acts as though he were indulging in the pleasures of the chase. The kiss of love wounds the tip of the nose. (Assamese). Literally: "The kiss of love breaks asunder the cartilage." Used in referring to dissimulated love. The mean man's ox has fallen. (Hindustani). Used in deriding a man who has given an exaggerated account of losses that are in fact trivial. Them that likes na water brose will scunner at cauld steerie. (Scotch). Brose is made of oatmeal and water. Cauld steerie is cold sour milk and meal. loathe or be disgusted. Scunner- i. e., to A taunting phrase used when people complain of their food. The nails grow at sight of the barber! (Bengalese). As if one, seeing a barber pass, suddenly thinks of his nails which need attention and, stopping him, insists on immediate service regardless of the barber's other engagements. The saying is sarcastically applied to people who impatiently demand attention, no matter how much they inconvenience others. The science of the camel is selling of silk; verily it suits his hand and foot. (Osmanli). A scoff at the attempt of a clumsy person to perform a task that requires skill. The snake is not poisonous, it only hisses. (Assamese). The fellow is not dangerous, he only boasts. The son of a tailor; he will sew as long as he lives. (Behar). He has low-class habits and will never rise above them. Think of fine rice in a coarse and torn bag! (Bengalese). Used in sarcasm when a mean man is extolled for the exercise of virtue or praised for some small service. This is the right thing, and the other is the wick of the candle. (Spanish). Applied to a blunderer as a taunt when he mistakes one thing for another. Unable to fly, in vain the bird flaps its wings. (Bengalese). Used in derision when anyone attempts to do that which is beyond his strength. We know what flower it is, there is no need of a declaration. (Osmanli). We know the man's character, there is no need of your telling us about him. Ye're the wit o' the townhead, that called the haddock's head a thing. (Scotch). A sneer at one who is talking foolishly. You are always best when asleep. (English). You are not I and I am no cur. (Gaelic). You are so cunning that you know not what weather it is when it rains. (English). You were not within when (common) sense was distributed. (Gaelic). You will have in store whatever you have not eaten. (Persian). A phrase frequently quoted to misers in olden times, but sometimes used seriously in advising spendthrifts to cultivate habits of thrift and economy. 21 WHIMSICAL PROVERBS INCLUDING TRICKS, CATCHES, PUNS, RIDDLES, ALLITERATIVE PHRASES, AND EXPRESSIONS THAT PLAY ON WORDS A crow fought with a crow, a crow conquered a crow. (Yoruba-West African). "The Yorubas amuse themselves by repeating as many times as possible, without taking breath, sentences such as the foregoing, containing a recurrence of similar sounds—a good gymnastic for the tongue. At the end of each repetition of the sentence a bystander cries 'one,' 'two,' etc., and he who repeats the sentence oftenest without a falter is victor."-Richard F. Burton. This phrase is suggestive of the three old English charms for the hiccough, which were to be repeated three times in one breath for a complete cure: "When a twister twisting would twist him a twist, "Robert Rowley rolled a round roll round, As fit as a fritter for a friar's mouth. (English). A flea, a fly, and a flitch of bacon. (English). Humorously declared to be a Yorkshireman's arms, because a Yorkshireman will suck anyone's blood like a flea, drink out of anyone's cup like a fly, and is good for nothing till he's hung, like a flitch of bacon. As pert as a pearmonger. (English). 66 A mere alliteration without any special significance. "As fine as a fiddle." 66 "As hard as a horn.' "As thick as thieves." "As weak as water." A wooden horse and cloth saddle, one was invited and three went. (Hindustani). This is a kind of conundrum: Two men carrying a By Tree, Pol, and Pen, you shall know the Cornish men. (English). John Ray explains the meaning of this old saying as follows: "These three names are the dictionary of such surnames as are originally Cornish, and though nouns in sense, I may fitly term them prepositions. Tree signifieth town-hence Tre-fry, Tre-lawney, Tree-vanion, etc.; Pol signifieth a head-hence Pol-wheel; and Pen signifieth a top -hence Pen-tire, Pen-rose, Pen-kevil, etc." Francis Grose informs us in his Provincial Glossary that some people add a fourth ambiguous word, making the proverb read: "By Tree, Pol, Pen, and Car, you shall know the Cornish men," Car signifying a rock, hence a Car-mine, Car-zeu, etc. Christmas today and May-day tomorrow. (Gaelic). "This is the result of an ingenious calculation showing that if Christmas day falls on Monday Mayday will be Tuesday. It is generally but not absolutely correct."-Alexander Nicolson. |