Part 3

[45] The Martinique dialect gives both _oti_ and _outi_ for “où”: “where.” Mr. Bigelow gives the curious spelling _croquez_. The word is certainly derived from the French, _accrocher_. In Louisiana Creole we always say _’croché_ for “hang up.” I doubt the correctness of the Haytian spelling as here given: for the French word _croquer_ (“to devour,” “gobble up,” “pilfer,” etc.) has its Creole counterpart; and the soft _ch_ is never, so far as I can learn, changed into the k or g sound in the patois.

116. D’abord vous guetté poux de bois mangé bouteille, croquez calabasse vous haut. (Quand vous voyez les poux-de-bois manger les bouteilles, accrochez vos calabasses [en] haut).

“When you see the woodlice eating the bottles, hang your calabashes out of their reach.”[46]--[_Hayti._]

[46] Mr. Bigelow is certainly wrong in his definition of the origin of the word which he spells _queté_. It is a Creole adoption of the French _guetter_, “to watch:” and is used by the Creoles in the sense of “observe,” “perceive,” “see.” Other authorities spell it _guêtte_, as all verbs ending in “ter” in French make their Creole termination in “té.” This verb is one of many to which slightly different meanings from those belonging to the original French words, are attached by the Creoles. Thus _çappe_, from _échapper_, is used as an equivalent for _sauver_.

117. D’abord vous guetté poux de bois mangé canari, calebasse pas capabe prend pied. (Quand que vous voyez les poux-de-bois manger les marmites, les calebasses ne peuvent pas leur résister).

“When you see the wood-lice eating the pots, the calabashes can’t be expected to resist.”[47]--[_Hayti._]

[47] The saliva of the tropical woodlouse is said to be powerful enough to affect iron.

118. Dans mariaze liciens, témoins gagne batté. (Aux noces des chiens, les témoins ont les coups.)

“At a dog’s wedding it’s the witnesses who get hurt.”--[_Mauritius._]

119. Dêïèr chein, cé “chein”; douvant chein, cé “Missier Chein.” (Derrière le chien, c’est “chien,” mais devant le chien, c’est “Monsieur le Chien.”)

“Behind the dog’s back it is ‘dog;’ but before the dog it is ‘Mr. Dog.’”--[_Trinidad._]

120. Dent mordé langue. (Les dents mordent la langue.)

“The teeth bite the tongue.”--[_Hayti._]

121. Dents pas ka pôté dëî. (Les dents ne portent pas le deuil.)

“Teeth do not wear mourning.”--meaning that, even when unhappy, people may show their teeth in laughter or smiles.--[_Trinidad._]

122. Dent pas khé (“Dents pas cœur”--Les dents ne sont pas le cœur).

“The teeth are not the heart.” A curious proverb, referring to the exposure of the teeth by laughter.[48]--[_Martinique._]

[48] The laugh or smile that shows the teeth does not always prove that the heart is merry.

123. * Di moin qui vous laimein, ma di vous qui vous yé. (Dites moi qui vous aimez, et je vous dirai qui vous êtes.)

“Tell me whom you love, and I’ll tell you who you are.”--[_Louisiana._]

124. Dileau dourmi touyé dimounde. (L’eau qui dort tue les gens.)

“The water that sleeps kills people.”[49]--[_Mauritius._]

[49] “Still waters run deep.” The proverb is susceptible of various applications. Everyone who has sojourned in tropical, or even semi-tropical latitudes knows the deadly nature of stagnant water in the feverish summer season.

125. Dimounde qui fére larzent, napas larzent qui fére dimounde. (Ce sont les hommes qui font l’argent, ce n’est pas l’argent qui fait les hommes.)

“It’s the men who make the money; ’tisn’t the money that makes the men.”--[_Mauritius._]

126. Divant camrades capabe largué quilotte. (Devant des camarades on peut lâcher sa culotte.)

“Before friends one can even take off one’s breeches.”--[_Mauritius._]

127. Divant tranzés faut boutonné canneçon. (Devant des étrangers il faut boutonner son caleçon.)

“Before strangers one must keep one’s drawers buttoned.”--[_Mauritius._]

128. Dizéfs canard plì gros qui dizéfs poule. (Les œufs de cane sont plus gros que les œufs de poule.)

“Ducks’ eggs are bigger than hens’ eggs.”--Quantity is no guarantee of quality.--[_Mauritius._]

129. Dizéfs coq, poule qui fére. (Les œufs de coq, c’est la poule qui les fait.)

“It’s the hen that makes the cock’s eggs.”--[_Mauritius._]

130. * Dolo toujou couri larivière. (L’eau va toujours à la rivière.)

“Water always runs to the river.”--[_Louisiana._]

131. Doucement napas empéce arrivér. (Aller doucement n’empêche pas d’arriver.)

“Going gently about a thing won’t prevent its being done.”[50]--[_Mauritius._]

[50] Literally: “Gently doesn’t prevent arriving.” One can reach his destination as well by walking slowly, as by making frantic haste.

132. Fair pou fair pas mal. (Faire pour faire n’est pas [mauvais] difficile.)

“It is not hard to do a thing for the sake of doing it.”--[_Trinidad._]

133. Faut janmain mett racounn[51] dans loge poule. (Il ne faut jamais mettre un raton dans la loge des poules.)

“One must never put a ’coon into a henhouse.”--[_Martinique._]

[51] A Creole friend assures me that in Louisiana patois, the word for coon, is _chaoui_. This bears so singular a resemblance in sound to a French word of very different meaning--_chat-huant_ (screech-owl) that it seems possible the negroes have in this, as in other cases, given the name of one creature to another.

134. Faut jamais porté déil avant défint dans cerkeil. (Il ne faut jamais porter le deuil avant que le défunt soit dans le cercueil.)

“Never wear mourning before the dead man’s in his coffin.”[52]--[_Louisiana._]

[52] Don’t anticipate trouble: “Never bid the devil good morrow till you meet him.” “Don’t cross a bridge until you come to it.”

135. Faut páoûoles môr pou moune pè vivre. (Il faut que les paroles meurent, afin que le monde puisse vivre.)

“Words must die that people may live.”--Ironical; this is said to those who are over-sensitive regarding what is said about them.--[_Trinidad._]

136. Faut pas cassé so maïe avant li fine mir. (Il ne faut pas casser son maïs avant qu’il soit mûr.)

“Musn’t pluck one’s corn before it’s ripe.”--[_Mauritius._]

137. * Faut pas marré tayau[53] avec saucisse. (Il ne faut pas attacher le chien-courant (taïant) avec des saucisses.)

“Musn’t tie up the hound with a string of sausages.”--[_Louisiana._]

[53] Adopted from old French “_taïaut_” (tally-ho!) the cry of the huntsman to his hounds. The Creoles have thus curiously, but forcibly, named the hound itself.

138. Fére éne tourou pour boucé laute. (Il fait un trou pour en boucher un autre.)

“Make one hole to stop another.” “Borrow money to pay a debt.”--[_Mauritius._]

139. Gambette ous trouvé gan chemin, nen gan chemin ous va pède li. (Le gambette que vous trouvez sur le grand chemin, sur le grand chemin vous le perdrez.)

“Every jack-knife found on the high-road, will be lost on the high-road.”[54]--[_Hayti._]

[54] I cannot discover the etymology of this word, according to the meaning given by Mr. Bigelow. The ordinary French signification of _gambette_ is “red-shank”--_Totanus caledris_.

140. Gens bon-temps kállé dîe gouvênér bon-jou. (Les gens [qui ont du] bon-temps vont dire bon-jour au gouverneur.)

“Folks who have nothing to do (lit.: _who have a fine time_) go to bid the Governor good-day.” _Gens bon-temps_: “fine-time folks.”--[_Trinidad._]

141. * Gens fégnants ka mandé travâï épîs bouche; main khèrs yeaux ka pouier Bondié pou yeaux pas touver. (Les gens fainéants demandent avec leurs bouches pour du travail; mais leurs cœurs prient le Bon Dieu [pour] qu’ils n’en trouvent point.)

“Lazy folks ask for work with their lips: but their hearts pray God that they may not find it.”--[_Trinidad._]

142. Gens qui ka ba ous conseî gagnen chouval gouous-boudin nans lhouvênaïe, nans carême pas ka rider ous nouri li. (Les gens qui nous donnent conseil d’acheter un cheval à gros-ventre pendant l’hivernage, ne veulent point vous aider à le nourrir pendant le carême.)

“Folks who advise you to buy a big-bellied horse in a rainy season (when grass is plenty), won’t help you to feed him in the dry season when grass is scarce.”[55]--[_Trinidad._]

[55] This is J. J. Thomas’ translation, as given in his “Theory and Practice of Creole Grammar.” _Lhouvênaïe_ is a word which does not exist in our Louisiana patois. Does it come from the Spanish _llover_--“to rain”? or is it only a Creole form of the French _hivernage_? _Carême_, of course means Lent; whether the dry season in Trinidad is concomitant with the Lenten epoch, or whether the Creoles of the Island use the word to signify any season of scarcity, I am unable to decide.

143. Gouïe passé difil sivré. (Où l’aiguille passe, le fil suivra.)

“Where the needle passes thread will follow.”[56]--[_Mauritius._]

[56] When a strong man has opened the way, feebler folks may safely follow.

144. Graisse pas tini sentiment. (La graisse n’a pas de sentiment.)

“Fat has no feeling.”[57]--[_Trinidad._]

[57] There may be some physiological truth in this proverb as applied to the inhabitants of the Antilles, where stoutness is the exception. Generally speaking phlegmatic persons are inclined to fleshiness.

145. Haillons mié passé tout nu. (Les haillons sont mieux que de rester tout nu.)

“Rags are better than nakedness.” “Half-a-loaf’s better than no bread.”--[_Hayti._]

146. Haï moune; main pas ba yeaux pañèn pou châïer dleau. (Hais les gens; mais ne leur donne pas des paniers pour charrier de l’eau.)

“Hate people; but don’t give them baskets to carry water in.”--that is to say: Don’t tell lies about them that no one can believe--stories that “won’t hold water.”--[_Trinidad._]

147. * Jadin loin, gombo gaté. (Jardin loin, gombo gâté.)

“When the garden is far, the gombo is spoiled.”[58]--[_Martinique._]

[58] This appears to be a universal Creole proverb. If you want anything to be well done, you must look after it yourself: to absent oneself from one’s business is unwise, etc.

148. * Jamais di: Fontaine, mo va jamais boi to dolo. (Ne dis jamais--Fontaine, je ne boirai jamais de ton eau.)”

“Never say--‘Spring, I will never drink your water.’”[59]--[_Louisiana._]

[59] The loftiest pride is liable to fall; and we know not how soon we may be glad to seek the aid of the most humble.

149. Janmain guiabe ka dòmi. (Jamais le diable ne s’endort.)

“The devil never sleeps.”--[_Martinique._]

150. Janmain nous ne pas douè ladans quiou poule compté zè. (Il ne faut jamais [nous ne devons jamais] compter les œufs dans la derrière de la poule.)

“We should never count the eggs in the body of the hen.”-(The Creole proverb is, however, less delicate.)--[_Martinique._]

151. Jouè epis chatt ou trappé coup d’patte. (Jouez avec le chat, et vous attrapperez un coup de patte.)

“Play with the cat, and you’ll get scratched.”--[_Martinique._]

152. * Joué épis chien ou trappé pice. (Jouez avec les chiens, vous aurez des puces.)

“Play with the dogs, and you will get fleas.”[60]--[_Martinique._]

[60] This seems to be a universal proverb. In Louisiana we say: _Jouè evec, ‘tichien_, etc.

153. * Joudui pou ous, demain pou moin. (Aujourd’hui pour vous, demain pour moi.)

“To-day for you; to-morrow for me.”[61]--[_Hayti._]

[61] Current also in Louisiana: _Jordi pou vou_, etc.: “Your turn to-day; perhaps it may be mine to-morrow.”

154. La oti zouèseau ka fé niche yo, c’est la yo ka couché. (Où les oiseaux font leur nids, là ils se couchent.)

“Where the birds build their nests, there they sleep.”--[_Martinique._]

155. Laboue moque lamare. (La boue se moque de la mare.)

“The mud laughs at the puddle.”--Like our: “Pot calls kettle black.”--[_Mauritius._]

156. Lacase bardeaux napas guétte la case vitivére. (La maison [couverte de] bardeaux ne regarde point la case couverte de vetiver.)

“The house roofed with shingles doesn’t look at the hut covered with vetiver.”--[_Mauritius._]

157. * Lagniappe c’est bitin qui bon. (Lagniappe c’est du bon butin.)

“Lagniappe is lawful booty.”[62]--[_Louisiana._]

[62] _Lagniappe_, a word familiar to every child in New Orleans, signifies the little present given to purchasers of groceries, provisions, fruit, or other goods sold at retail stores. Groceries, especially, seek to rival each other in the attractive qualities of their _lagniappe_; consisting of candies, fruits, biscuits, little fancy cakes, etc. The chief purpose is to attract children. The little one sent for a pound of butter, or “a dime’s worth” of sugar, never fails to ask for its _lagniappe_.

158. Laguer vêti pas ka pouend viéx nègues nans cabarets. (La guerre avertie ne prend pas de vieux négres dans les cabarets.)

“Threatened war doesn’t surprise old negroes in the grog-shops.”[63]--[_Trinidad._]

[63] Proverbs 158-9 are equivalent to our “Forewarned is forearmed.”

159. * Laguerre vertie pas tchué beaucoup soldats. (La guerre avertie ne tue pas beaucoup de soldats.)

“Threatened war doesn’t kill many soldiers.”--[_Louisiana._]

160. Lakhé bef dit: Temps allé, temps vini. (La queue du bœuf dit: Le temps s’en va, le temps revient.)

“The ox’s tail says: Time goes, time comes.”[64]--[_Martinique._]

[64] See Proverb 22. Whether the swing of the tail suggested the idea of a _pendulum_ to the deviser of this saying is doubtful. The meaning seems to me that the motion of the ox’s tail indicates a change not of time, but of _weather_ (_temps_).

161. Lalangue napas lézos. (La langue n’a pas d’os).

“The tongue has no bones.” This proverb has various applications. One of the best alludes to promises or engagements made with the secret determination not to keep them.--[_Mauritius._]

162. * Lamisère à deux, Misère et Compagnie. (La misère à deux, c’est Misère et Compagnie.)

“Misery for two, is Misery & Co.”[65]--[_Louisiana._]

[65] Refers especially to a man who marries without having made proper provision for the future. The Creole does not believe in our reckless proverb: “What will keep one, will keep two.” _Non, non, chèr, lamisère à deux, Misère & Cie.!_

163. Lapauveté napas éne vis, més li éne bien gros coulou. (La pauvreté n’est pas une vis [un vice]; mais c’est un bien gros clou.)

“Poverty isn’t a screw; but it’s a very big nail.” The pun will be obvious to a French reader; but _vice_ is not a true Creole word, according to Baissac.--[_Mauritius._]

164. Lapin dit: Boué toutt, mangé toutt, pas dit toutt. (Le lapin dit: Buvez tout, mangez tout, ne dites pas tout.)

“Rabbit says: Drink everything, eat everything, but don’t tell everything.”[66]--[_Martinique._]

[66] Founded upon a celebrated Creole fable: see Prov. 40 (_note_).

165. Laplie tombé, couroupas va sourti. (La pluie tombe, les colimaçons vent sortir.)

“It is raining; snails will be out presently.”--[_Mauritius._]

166. * Laplie tombé, ouaouaron chanté. (Quand la pluie va tomber, les grenouilles chantent.)

“When the rain is coming, the bull-frogs sing.”--[_Louisiana._]

167. Laquée bourique napas laquée çouval. (Une queue d’âne n’est pas une queue de cheval.)

“A donkey’s tail is not a horse’s tail.” Can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.--[_Mauritius._]

168. Larzan bon, més li trop cère. (L’argent est bon, mais il est trop cher.)

“Money’s good; but it’s too dear.”--[_Mauritius._]

169. Larzan napas trouvé dans lipied milet. (L’argent ne se trouve pas dans le pied d’un mulet.)

“Money isn’t to be found in a mule’s hoof.”--[_Mauritius._]

170. Larzan napas éna famille. (L’argent n’a pas de famille.)

“Money has no blood relations.”--There is no friendship in business.--[_Mauritius._]

171. * La-tché chatte poussé avec temps. (La queue du chat pousse avec le temps.)

“The cat’s tail takes time to grow.”--[_Louisiana._]

172. Lepé dit aimé ous pendant li ronge doighte ous. (La lépre dit qu’elle vous aime pendant qu’elle vous ronge les doigts.)

“The leprosy says it loves you, while it is eating your fingers.”--[_Hayti._]

173. L’hére coq çanté, li bon pour marié. (Quand le coq chante, il est bon à marier.)

“When the cock begins to crow, he is old enough to get married.”--[_Mauritius._]

174. Lhére lamontagne bourlé, tout dimounde coné; lhére léquére bourlé, qui coné? (Quand la montagne brûle, tout le monde le sait; quand le cœur brûle, qui le sait?)

“When the mountain burns, everybody knows it; when the heart burns, who knows it?”--[_Mauritius._]

175. Li allé l’ecole cabritt, li ritouné mouton. (Il est allé à l’école [comme un] cabri; il est revenu mouton.)

“He went to school a kid, and came back a sheep.”[67]--[_Martinique._]

[67] The allusion to the overgrown and shy schoolboy, who has lost the mischievous playfulness of his childhood, is easily recognizable. Creole planters of the Antilles generally sent their sons to Europe to be educated.

176. Li fine vendé so coçon. (Il a vendu son cochon.)

“He has sold his pig.”[68]--[_Mauritius._]

[68] Said of one who unexpectedly disburses a considerable sum, or who spends more money than his visible resources admit of.

177. Li laçasse zozos pariaca. (Il chasse aux oiseaux à paliaca.)

“He’s hunting paliaca-birds.”[69]--[_Mauritius._]

[69] _Paliaca_ is the Mauritian term for the brightly-colored kerchief there worn by all young negresses in lieu of hats or bonnets, like the old time Louisiana _tiyon_. “He is hunting for paliaca-birds” therefore means, “He is running after the colored girls.”

178. Li manque lagale pour gratté. (Il [ne] manque [que] de gale pour se gratter. [Lit. In good French: Il ne lui manque que la gale, etc.])

“He only wants the itch so that he may scratch himself.” Said of a man who has all that his heart can wish for.[70]--[_Mauritius._]

[70] We have a singular expression in Louisiana: “_Li metté mantec dans so faillots._ (He puts lard in his beans.”) That is to say, “He is well off.” _Mantec_ is a Creolised form of the Spanish _manteca_, used in Spanish-America to signify lard.

179. Li pour marié; més qulquefois bague mariaze glisse dans lédoight. (Il doit se marier; mais quelquefois la bague de mariage glisse du doigt.)

“He is to be married, they say; but sometimes the marriage-ring slips from one’s finger.”[71]--[_Mauritius._]

[71] “There’s many a slip twixt the cup and the lip.”

180. Li soule bontemps. (Il se soûle de bon temps.)

“He is drunk with doing nothing.”--[_Mauritius._]

181. Liane yame ka marré yame. (La liane du yam lie [lit. amarre] le yam.)

“The yam-vine ties the yam.”[72]--[_Trinidad._]

[72] In Martinique Creole the proverb is: _Còde gnâme marré gnâme._ “Code” (_corde_) signifying the same as _liane_, the long cord-like stalk of the creeper. Folks are sometimes caught fast in the snares they set for others, just as the yam is tied with its own stalk.

182. Lilit pour dé napas lilet pour trois. (Un lit pour deux n’est pas un lit pour trois.)

“A bed for two isn’t a bed for three.”--[_Mauritius._]

183. Lizié napas éna balizaze. (Les yeux n’ont pas de frontière.)[73]

“Eyes have no boundary.” Equivalent to the English saying: “A cat may look at a king.”--[_Mauritius._]

[73] The Mauritian Creoles have adopted a marine word in lieu of the French term _frontière_. “Balizaze” is the Creole form of the French _balisage_, from _balise_, a sea mark, buoy--word adopted in our own nautical technology. The term completely changes its meaning as well as its spelling in Creole.

184. Macaque caresser iche li touop, lì fourrer doègt nans ziex li. (Le macaque, en caressant trop son petit, lui a fourré le doigt dans l’œil.)

“By petting her young one too much, the monkey ends by poking her finger into its eye.”--[_Trinidad._]

185. * Macaque dan calebasse. (Le macaque dans la calebasse.)

“Monkey in the calabash.”[74]--[_Louisiana._]

[74] Allusion to the old fable about the monkey, who after putting his hand easily into the orifice of a gourd, could not withdraw it without letting go what he sought to steal from within, and so got caught. In the figurative Creole speech one who allows his passions to ruin or disgrace him is a _macaque dans calebasse_.

186. * Macaque dit si so croupion plimé ças pas gàdé lezautt. (Le macaque dit que si son croupion est plumé, ça ne régarde pas les autres.)

“Monkey says if his rump is bare, it’s nobody’s business.”[75]--[_Louisiana._]

[75] Allusion to the callosities of the monkey. Plimé literally means “plucked;” but the Creole negroes use it to signify “bare” from any cause. A negro in rags might use the above proverb as a hint to those who wish to joke him about his personal appearance.

187. * Macaque pas jamain ka dîe ìche li laide. (Le macaque ne dit jamais que son petit est laid.)

“Monkey never says its young is ugly.”[76]--[_Trinidad._]

[76] A widely-spread proverb. In Louisiana we say _piti li_ or _so piti_, instead of “yche” or “iche li.” In Martinique Creole: _Macaque pas janmain trouve yche li laide._

188. Macaque save qui bois li monté; li pas monté zaurangé. (Le macaque sait sur quel arbre il doit monter; il ne monte pas sur l’oranger.)

“The monkey well knows what tree to climb; he doesn’t climb an orange tree.”[77]--[_Martinique._]

[77] Because the orange tree is thorny.

189. Magré sèpent ni ti ziè li ka voué clè bien. (Bien que le serpent ait de petits yeux, il voit très-clair.)

“Though the serpent has little eyes, he sees very well.”--[_Martinique._]

190. Maite cabrite mandé li; ous pas capabe di li plainda. (Le maître du cabrit le demande; vous ne pouvez pas vous en plaindre.)

“The kid’s owner asks for it; you can’t blame him.”[78]--[_Hayti._]

[78] Mr. Bigelow, in _Harper’s Magazine_, explains the use of this proverb by a creditor to a debtor.

191. Maladie vine làhaut iéve; li alle làhaut tourtie. (La maladie vient sur le lièvre; elle part [s’en va] sur la tortue.)

“Sickness comes riding upon a hare; but goes away riding upon a tortoise.”--[_Mauritius._]

192. Mal hé pas ka châger con lapliè. (Lit: Le malheur ne se charge pas comme la pluie.)

“Misfortune doesn’t threaten like rain.”[79]--[_Trinidad._]

[79] _Le temps se charge_, in French signifies that it is clouding up, threatening rain--lit: “loading up.” Misfortune does not threaten before it falls.

193. Mamans ka fair iches, main pas khèrs yeaux. (Les mères font les enfants, mais non pas leurs cœurs.)

“Mothers make children; but not children’s hearts.”--[_Trinidad._]

194. Manger yon fois pas ka rìser dents. (Manger une fois n’use pas les dents.)

“Eating once doesn’t wear out the teeth.”--[_Trinidad._]

195. Mari napas trouvé dans vétivére. (Un mari ne se trouve pas dans le vétiver.)

“You won’t find a husband in the _vetiver_.”[80]--[_Mauritius._]

[80] The delightfully fragrant grass, well-known to pharmaceutists as the _Andropogon muricatus_ or _Vetiveria odorata_ is used in Mauritius to thatch cabins with. A broad border of this grass is usually planted around each square of sugar-cane. It grows tall enough to conceal a man, or a couple of lovers holding a rendezvous. Hence the wholesome warning.

196. Mariaze napas pariaze; ménaze napas badinaze. (Le mariage n’est pas un pari; le ménage n’est pas un badinage.)

“Marriage is no trifling wager, and housekeeping is no sport.”--[_Mauritius._]

197. Marié éne boutéye vide. (Epouser une bouteille vide.)

“Marry an empty bottle.”--Meaning to marry a girl without a dowry.--[_Mauritius._]

198. * Maringouin perdi so temps quand li piqué caïman. (Le maringoin perd son temps quand il pique le caïman.)

“The mosquito loses his time when he tries to sting the alligator.”[81]--[_Louisiana._]

[81] Ripost to a threat--as we would say: “All that has as little effect on me as water on a duck’s back!”

199. Marré conm yon paqué crabe. (Amarré comme un paquet de crabes.)

“Tangled up, or tied up, like a bundle of crabs.”--Said of people notoriously clumsy.[82]--[_Martinique._]