PROVERBS THAT ARE FOUNDED ON HISTORIC INCIDENTS, LEGENDS, FOLK-TALES, ETC. A black beginning mak's aye a black end. (Scotch). Said to have been first spoken by one, John Scott, as a comment on the loss of a flock of sheep that perished in Selkirkshire, Scotland, during the winter of 1620. Only one black ewe escaped, but it was afterwards driven into a lake by some boys and so was drowned. A black goat has no heart. (Behar). Applied to weak and timid men who have no courage. Among the natives of Behar, the bile of a black goat is considered valuable because of its healing qualities. The following tale indicates the origin of the proverb: "Once a tiger, who had grown sick and feeble from age, and was unable to hunt owing to failing strength, was strongly recommended by his physician to try the liver of a black goat. Thereupon the monarch of the forest ordered his vazir, the jackal, to get him a black goat. The wily Jack' by many false promises managed to inveigle a black goat within reach of his infirm master, who took no time in killing it. The cunning jackal, who was himself eager to eat the liver, having heard of its marvellous powers, suggested to his master a preparatory bath before taking the remedy. The tiger approving of the suggestion went to have a bath. In the meantime 'Jack' devoured the liver of the black goat. When the tiger came back he was surprised to find that the goat had no liver. Turning to the jackal the tiger asked what was the meaning of this. 'Sire,' exclaimed the 'Jack,' 'I thought your majesty was aware that black goats had no liver; otherwise how could your servant have deceived a black goat into your presence?'"John Christian in Behar Proverbs. A camel for a farthing and still too dear. (Persian). Used to indicate poverty so extreme that a farthing seemed to be a large sum. According to an old Persian story a merchant, having met with business reverses, was reduced to extreme poverty. When in this condition he happened to be in a place where a man had a camel to sell. The merchant's son went to the camel dealer and inquired the price of the animal. On being told that it could be purchased for a farthing he informed his father, who declared that the price was too high. In time business success returned to the merchant and he became rich. Travelling again with his son, he came to a village where an egg was on sale for a rupee. The young man, hearing what was charged for it, told his father, who at once expressed the opinion that it was very cheap at the price, his changed standards being due not to his knowledge of value but to his altered circumstances. A goat has only three legs. (Hindustani). Sometimes it is quoted, "The hare has only three legs, or "The fowl has only one leg. The phrase is used in referring to obstinate people who, though they are convicted of error, will not acknowledge that they are wrong. It is said to have been first used by a man who, having stolen a leg of a goat, hare, or fowl, sought to prove his innocence by stubbornly insisting that the animal did not possess by nature more legs than could be seen. Agreement with two people, lamentation with three. (Kashmiri). (English). "Two is company, but three is none. good grass and charged him not to mount the animal by the way. After his departure he suspected that his servant might disregard his injunction and he dispatched another servant to see that his directions were carried out. On overtaking the man the messenger found him leading the horse as he was told and the two walked on together. In the course of time they became weary and sat by the roadside to rest. When they arose they agreed that it would be easier to ride than walk and so mounting the animal they pursued their way. The master, still being anxious, sent a third servant who, on overtaking the couple on horseback, remonstrated with them on account of their unfaithfulness and threatened to report them. "Do not do it," they pleaded, "but come join us in our ride." Yielding to their wishes he mounted the horse and the three men rode on until they came to the pasture land. The next morning the horse died and the unfaithful servants were in great distress lest their actions should come to the knowledge of the master. A man was once hanged for leaving his drink. (Scotch). "He will be hanged for leaving his liquor, like the saddler of Bawtry," is a parallel proverb upon which comment is made elsewhere. The proverb is usually applied to men who leave their drink before they are through, and originated in the action of Balthazar Gérard just before he murdered the Prince of Orange. As gude may haud the stirrup as he that loups on. (Scotch). The phrase is said to have originated with Elliot of Stobbs who, knowing that his stable-boy was the illegitimate son of Elliot of Larriston, was in the habit of remarking, "Better he that holds the stirrup than he that rides, "when he mounted his horse. The young man afterwards succeeded in amassing a fortune and purchased the ancestral estate. As musical as the cow that ate the piper. (Irish). "Binny Bryan was a famous piper. On his round one day he found a dead Hessian, and tried to pull off his boots, but pulled off his legs along with them. Boots and legs he carried to a byre, where he slept that night. In the morning he managed to get the legs out of the boots; and when the people who owned the byre came to milk their cow, they found no piper but only a pair of legs, and naturally supposed the cow had eaten the piper and his pipes."-J. D. White in the Kilkenny Moderator. A raven that brings fire to its nest. (Hebrew). This saying takes its origin from the fable of the raven that sought to warm its young by bringing fire to the nest and so burned them all. It is applied to those who injure others in their efforts to do them good. As the day raises itself, so the sick man raises himself. (Hebrew). There is an old legend that Abraham wore suspended about his neck a precious stone that had healing qualities. Whoever looked upon it was restored of whatever malady he had. On the death of the patriarch God removed the healing virtue from the stone and gave it to the sun's rays so that thereafter those who suffered from any illness found the day more restful and freer from pain than the night. Be a dog rather than a younger brother. (Persian). This proverb comes from a story of a man who had three sons. The youngest was always considered to be subservient to the others. One cold winter night when there was much snow some friends of the man came by his invitation to spend the evening with him. While he and his two elder sons conversed with the visitors, the youngest son was compelled to minister to their needs and furnish all necessary entertainment. Noticing the boy's plight, one of the guests asked him to sit down with him and rest, whereupon he sighed and uttered the above adage. Be deliberate! Be deliberate! 'Tis worth four hundred zuz. (Hebrew). "The proverb originated under the following circumstances: R. Ida, the son of Ahaba, once pulled a kind of head covering only worn by non-Jewish Carry an old man with you in a sack. (Marathi). "Consult with the old and fence with the young. (German). "Old men for counsel, young men for war," (English). "The aged in council, the young in action, (Danish). "The old effect more by counsel than the young by action. (German). There are a number of stories about intelligent young men who were about to set out on a journey alone but who were finally induced to take an old man with them, who in turn compensated them for their consideration by giving them wise counsel by the way. One of the stories tells of the old man consenting to be tied and carried in a sack so as not to wound the pride of the young men. Does a weaver know how to cut barley? (Behar). See under this section: "The weaver lost his way in a linseed field," and under Retorting Proverbs: "Like the wabster stealing through the world." "This proverb refers to a story that a weaver, unable to pay his debt, was set to cut barley by his creditors, who thought to repay himself in this way. But instead of reaping, the stupid fellow kept trying to untwist the tangled barley stems."-G. A. Grierson. "A weaver jointly with another man sowed sugarcane. When the crop was ripe, on being asked whether he would have the top or the stem, said, |