Part 5

“Sometimes you sow red beans, and white beans grow.” “The best-laid plans of mice and men gang aft a-gley.”--[_Mauritius._]

279. Quand yon bâtiment cassé ça pas empêché les zautt navigué. (Quand un bâtiment est cassé, ça n’empêche pas les autres de naviguer.)

“When a ship is broken (_wrecked_), the accident does not prevent others from sailing.”[116]--[_Martinique._]

[116] There is a Portuguese proverb to the same effect: “Shipwrecks have never deterred navigation.”

280. Qui mêlé zefs nans calenda oûoches? (Qui a mêlé (mis) des œufs dans la calinda des roches [pierres.]?)

“What business have eggs in the calinda--_i.e._ dance--of stones?” (_Calinda_, said to be derived from the Spanish _que linda!_--“how beautiful!”)[117]--[_Trinidad._]

[117] The author of _Les Bambous_ mentions the _bèlè_, _caleinda_, _guiouba_ and _biguine_, slave-dances of Martinique. _Dansé yon caleinda marré_ (to dance the _calinda_ or _caleinda_ tied up) meant to receive a whipping.

281. Rann sévice baïll mal dos. (Rendre service donne mal au dos.)

“Doing favors gives one the back-ache.”--[_Martinique._]

282. * Ratte mangé canne, zanzoli mouri innocent. (Le rat mange la canne-[à-sucre], le lézard en meurt.)

“’Tis the rat eats the cane; but the lizard dies for it.”[118]--[_Louisiana._]

[118] This proverb is certainly of West Indian origin, though I first obtained it from a Louisianian. In consequence of the depredations committed by rats in the West-Indian cane-fields, it is customary after the crop has been taken off, to fire the dry cane tops and leaves. The blaze, spreading over the fields, destroys many rats, but also a variety of harmless lizards and other creatures.

283. Ravett pas janmain asséz fou pou li allé lapòte pouleillé. (Le ravet n’est jamais assez fou pour aller à la porte du poulailler.)

“The cockroach is never silly enough to approach the door of the hen-house.”--[_Martinique._]

284. * Ravette pas jamain tini raison douvant poule. (Le ravet n’a jamais raison devant la poule.)

“Cockroach is never in the right where the fowl is concerned”--(lit.: _before the fowl_.)[119]--[_Trinidad._]

[119] I find this proverb in every dialect I have been able to study. In Martinique Creole the words vary slightly: “_Douvant poule ravett pas ni raison._”

285. Rasiers tini zoreïes. (Les [rosiers?] buissons ont des oreilles.)

“Bushes have ears.”--[_Trinidad._]

286. * Rendé service, baille chagrin. (Rendre service donne du chagrin.)

“Doing favors brings sorrow.”--[_Louisiana._]

287. Roce entété, més quand téti cause av li, li répondé. (La roche est entêtée, mais quand le têtu lui parle, elle répond.)

“The rock’s hard-headed; but when the stone-hammer speaks to him, he answers.”--[_Têtu_ means an obstinate person, also a stone-hammer.][120]--[_Mauritius._]

[120] This is another example of double-punning, of which we have already had a specimen in Prov. 163.

288. Sac vide pas ka tienne douboutt. (Un sac vide ne peut pas se tenir debout.)

“An empty sack cannot stand up.” One cannot work with an empty stomach.--[_Martinique._]

289. Sèpent dit li pas rhaï mounn-la qui cué li; c’est ça qui dit, “Mi sèpent!” (Le serpent dit qu’il ne hait pas la personne qui le tue; que c’est celle qui dit, “Voilà le serpent!”)

“The snake says he doesn’t hate the person who kills him, but the one who calls out, ‘Look at the snake!’”--[_Martinique._]

290. Serin dérobé; maille bengali. (Le serin se derobe; prenez le bengali.)

“When the canary can’t be found, take the bengalee.” When you can’t find what you like, be content with what you can get.--[_Mauritius._]

291. Si coulev oûlé viv, li pas prouminée grand-chimin. (Si la couleuvre veut vivre, elle ne se promène pas dans le grand chemin).

“If the snake cares to live, it doesn’t journey upon the high-road.”--[_Guyana._]

292. Si coulève pas té fonté,[121] femmes sé pouend li fair ribans jipes. (Si la couleuvre n’était pas effrontée, les femmes la prendraient pour en faire des rubans de jupes).

“If the snake wasn’t spunky, women would use it for petticoat strings.”--[_Trinidad._]

[121] _Fonté_ (for _effronté_) has quite an extensive meaning in Creole. It may refer to the impudence of a badly-brought-up child, or to the over-familiarity on the part of an adult; but it may also refer to high spirit, pluck, independence of manner. A colored mother once told me I should be surprised to see how _fonté_ her son had become since he had been going to school. She meant, of course, that the lad was growing “smart,” active, plucky.

293. Si crapaud dîe ous caïman tini mal ziex, coèr-li. (Si le crapaud vous dit que le caïman a mal aux yeux, croyez-le).

“If the frog tells you the alligator has sore eyes, believe him!”[122]--[_Trinidad._]

[122] Similarity of habits and of experience is necessary to guarantee the trustworthiness or testimony regarding those we do not know.

294. Si jipon ou k’allé bien, pas chaché mette kilott nhomme ou. (Si votre jupon vous va bien, ne cherchez pas à mettre la culotte de votre mari.)

“If your petticoat fits you well, don’t try to put on your husband’s breeches.”--[_Martinique._]

295. * Si lamèr té bouilli, poissons sré tchuite. (Si la mer bouillait, les poissons seraient cuits).

“If the sea were to boil, the fishes would be cooked.”--[_Louisiana._]

296. Si lasavane té ka palé nous sé connaitt trop désigret. (Si la savanne parlait, nous connaîtrions trop de secrets).

“If the fields could talk, we should know too many secrets.”[123]--[_Martinique._]

[123] “If walls had ears,” etc.

297. Si léphant pas té savé boyaux li gouous, li pas sé valé calebasses. (Si l’éléphant n’avait pas su qu’il avait de gros boyaux, il n’aurait pas avalé des calébasses).

“If the elephant didn’t know that he had big guts, he wouldn’t have swallowed calabashes.”--[_Trinidad._]

298. * Si-moin-tè-connaitt pas janmain douvant; li toujou deïè. (Si-je-l’avais-su n’est jamais devant; il vient toujours derrière.)

“‘_If-I-had-only-known_’ is never before one; he always comes behind.”--[_Martinique._]

299. Si moin té gagnin moussa, moin té mangé gombo. (Si j’avais du moussa, je mangerais du gombo).

“If I had some _moussa_[124] I would eat some gombo.” If I had the necessary I could enjoy the superfluous.--[_Martinique._]

[124] _Moussa_ is a word used in _Martinique_ for hominy, or a sort of corn-mush which is used to thicken gombo-soup. In Louisiana boiled rice is similarly used.

300. Si té pas gagné soupé nens moune, moune ka touffé. (S’il n’y avait pas de soupirs dans le monde, le monde étoufferait).

“If there were no sighing in the world, the world would stifle.”[125]--[_Quoted by Alphonse Daudet._]

[125] I found this proverb cited in Daudet’s article on Tourguèneff in the November _Century_ [1883]. The accentuation was incorrect. _Moun_, or _moune_, Creole form of French _monde_, is generally used to signify people in general--_folks_--not the world.

301. Si zannoli té bon viann, li sè pas ka drivé lassous baïe. (Si le lézard était bon à manger [lit.: bonne viande], il ne se trouverait point sous une baille.)

“If the lizard were good to eat, it would never be found under a tub.”[126]--[_Martinique._]

[126] Thomas gives us a briefer Trinidad version: _Si zandoli té bon viâne, le pas sé ka drivé_ (il ne se trouverait pas): “If a lizard were good meat, it wouldn’t easily be found.”

302. Soleil couché; malbèr pas jamain couché. (Le soleil se couche; le malheur ne se couche jamais.)

“The sun sets; misfortune never sets.”--[_Hayti._]

303. * Soleil levé là; li couché là. (Le soleil se lève là; il se couche là.)

“Sun rises there [pointing to the east]; he sets there.” [pointing to the west][127]--[_Louisiana._]

[127] A proverb common to all the dialects. In uttering it, with emphatic gesture, the negro signifies that there is no pride which will not be at last brought down, no grandeur which will not have an end.

304. Souliers faraud, més domage ziutes manze lipieds. (Les souliers sont elegants, mais c’est dommage qu’ils mangent les pieds.)

“Shoes are fine things; but it’s a pity they bite one’s feet.”[128]--[_Mauritius._]

[128] M. Baissac tells us, in a very amusing way, how this proverb originated at the time of the negro emancipation in Mauritius, when 30,000 pairs of new shoes were distributed. Another saying, equally characteristic, was--“_Lhère li entré dans vous lacase, souliers dans lipieds; lhére li dans grand cimin, souliers dans mouçoirs_”:--(When he enters your house, his shoes are on his feet; but once he is on the public road, they are in his handkerchief.)

305. * Tafia toujou dîe la vérité. (Le tafia dit toujours la vérité.)

“Tafia always tells the truth.”[129]--[_Louisiana._]

[129] _Tafia_ is the rum extracted from sugar-cane. “_In vino veritas_.”

306. Tambou tini grand train pace endidans li vide. (Le tambour va [lit: tient] grand train parcequ’il est vide en dedans.)

“The drum makes a great fuss because it is empty inside.”[130]--[_Trinidad._]

[130] In Louisiana Creole, _faire di-train_ is commonly used in the sense of making a great noise, a big fuss. An old negro-servant might often be heard reproving the children of the house in some such fashion as this:--“_Ga!--pouki tapé fait tou di-train la?--Toulé pé?--pas fait tou di-train mo di toi!_” (“Here, what are you making all that noise for?--are you going to keep quiet?--musn’t make so much noise, I tell you!”)

307. Tampée ka gagnen malhèrs ka doublons pas sa gueri. (Un ‘tampée’ achète des malheurs que les doublons ne peuveut pas guerir.)

“A penny buys troubles that doubloons cannot cure.”--[_Trinidad._]

308. * “Tant-pis” n’a pas cabane. (“Tant-pis” n’a pas de cabane.)

“‘So-much-the-worse’ has no cabin.”[131]--[_Louisiana._]

[131] This proverb is the retort for the phrase: “So much the worse for you.” Sometimes one might hear a colored servant for example, warning the children of the house to keep out of the kitchen, which in Creole residences usually opens into the great court-yard where the little ones play: _Eh, pitis! faut pas restér là: vous ka casser tout!_ (“Hey! little ones, musn’t stay there: you’ll break everything!”) If the father or mother should then exclaim “_Tant pis pour eux!_”--so much the worse for them if they do break everything, you would hear the old woman reply: “_Tant-pis n’a pas cabane!_”--“So-much-the-worse has no cabin”--_i.e._, nothing to lose. She believes in an ounce of prevention rather than a pound of cure.

309. Temps moune connaîte l’aûte nans grand jou, nans nouîte yeaux pas bisoèn chandelle pou clairér yeaux. (Quand on connait quelqu’un [lit: un autre] dans le grand jour, dans la nuit on n’a pas besoin d’une chandelle pour s’éclairer.)

“When one person knows another by broad daylight, he doesn’t need a candle to recognize him at night.”[132]--[_Trinidad._]

[132] When a person has once given us positive evidence of his true character, we do not need any information as to what that person will do under certain circumstances.

310. * Temps present gagnin assez comme ça avec so quenne. (Le temps present en a assez comme ça avec le sien.)

“The present has enough to do to mind its own affairs.”[133]--[_Louisiana._]

[133] Literally the proverb is almost untranslateable. It is cited to those who express needless apprehension of future misfortune. “_Mo va gagnin malhé_”--(I am going to have trouble.) “_Aïe, aïe! chère!--temps present gagnin assez comme ça avec so quonne._” (Ah, my dear! the present has enough trouble of its own.)

311. * Ti chien, ti còdon. (Petit chien, petit lien.)

“A little string for a little dog.”--[_Martinique._]

312. Ti hache coupé gouaus bois. (Une petite hache coupe un grand arbre.)

“A little axe cuts down a big tree.”--[_Martinique._]

313. Ti moun cònnaitt couri, yo pas cònnaitt serré. (Les enfants--lit: “le petit monde”--savent courir; ils ne savent pas se cacher.)

“Children (little folk) know how to run; they do not know how to hide.”--[_Martinique._]

314. Tig mò, chien ka prend pays. (Quand le tigre est mort, le chien prend le pays.)

“When the tiger is dead, the dog takes [rules] the country.”--[_Martinique._]

315. Tòti sé vole si li tè tini plimm. (Le tortue volerait si elle avait des ailes.)

“The tortoise would fly if it had wings.”[134]--[_Martinique._]

[134] “Pigs might fly,” etc.

316.

Tout bois cé bois; Main mapou Pas ‘cajou. (Tout bois c’est du bois; Mais le mapou N’est pas de l’acajou.)

“All wood is wood; but mapou wood isn’t mahogany (cedar).”[135]--[_Trinidad._]

[135] Thomas translates _cajou_, by “cedar.” _Acajou_ in French, signifies mahogany, as it does also in Louisiana Creole. There is an old song, of which the refrain is:

_Chèr bijou Dacajou, Mo laimin vous_

(“My darling mahogany jewel, I love you!”)

317. * Tout ça c’est commerce Man Lison. (Tout ça c’est affaire de Maman Lison.)

“All that’s like Mammy Lison’s doings.”[136]--[_Louisiana._]

[136] Whenever a thing is badly done, this saying is used;--_commerce_ in the Creole signifying almost the reverse of what it does in French. Who that traditional _Man Lison_ was, I have never been able to find out.

318. Tout ça qui poté zépron pas maquignon. (Tout homme qui porte éperons n’est pas maquignon.)

“Everybody who wears spurs isn’t a jockey.” All is not gold that glitters.--[_Martinique._]

319. Toutt cabinett tini maringouin. (Tout cabinet contient des maringouins.)

“Every bed-chamber has its mosquitoes in it.”--Equivalent to our own proverb: A skeleton in every closet.--[_Martinique._]

320. * Toutt joué c’est joué; mais cassé bois dans bonda macaque--ça pas joué. (Tout [façon de] jouer c’est jouer; mais ce n’est pas jouer que de casser du bois dans le derrière du macaque.)

. . . . . . . . [137]--[_Martinique._]

[137] This ridiculous observation is unsuitable for translation. Nevertheless we have an English, or perhaps an American, proverb equally vulgar, which may have inspired, or been derived from, the Creole one. In the English saying, the words “joking” and “provoking” are used as rhymes. The moral is precisely similar to that of No. 322.

In old days the Creole story-teller would always announce his intention of beginning a tale by the exclamation “_Tim-tim!_” whereupon the audience would shout in reply, “_Bois sec_;” and the story-teller would cry again, “_Cassez-li_,” to which the chorus would add “. . . . _dans tchu_ (bonda) _macaque_.” Thus the story-teller intimated that he had no intention of merely “_joking_,” but intended to tell the whole truth and nothing else--“a real good story”--_tois fois bonne conte!_

321. * Toutt jour c’est pas dimanche. (Tous les jours ne sont pas le dimanche.)

“Every day isn’t Sunday.”--[_Louisiana._]

322. Tou jwé sa jwé; me bwa là zòrè sa pa jwé. (Tout [façon de] jouer c’est jouer; mais enfoncer du bois dans l’oreille n’est pas jouer.)

“All play is play; but poking a piece of wood into one’s ear isn’t play.”--[_Guyane._]

323. * Tout macaque trouvé so piti joli. (Tout macaque trouve son petit joli.)

“Every monkey thinks its young one pretty.”--[_Louisiana._]

324. Toutt milett ni grand zaureilles. (Tout les mulets ont des grandes oreilles.)

“All mules have big ears.”--Equivalent to our proverb; “Birds of a feather flock together.”--[_Martinique._]

325. * Toutt mounn save ça qui ka bouï nens canari yo. (Toute personne sait ce qui bout dans son canari [marmite].)

“Everybody knows what boils in his own pot”--i.e., knows his own business best.[138]--[_Martinique._]

[138] In Thomas’s Trinidad version: “_Tout moune connaite ça qui ka bouï nans canari yeaux_.” In Louisiana Creole: “_Chakin connin ça kapé bouilli dans so chodière_.” _Canari_ is sometimes used in our Creole, but rarely. I have only heard it in old songs. The iron pot (_chodière_) or tin utensil has superseded the _canari_.

326. Travaï pas mal; cé ziex qui capons. (Le travail ne fait pas du mal; c’est les yeux qui sont capons [lâches].)

“Work doesn’t hurt;--‘tis the eyes that are cowards.”--[_Mauritius._]

327. Trop gratté bourlé. (Trop gratter brûle [cuit].)

“Too much scratching brings smarting.”--[_Mauritius._]

328. Trop profi crévé poche. (Trop de profit crève la poche.)

“Too much profit bursts one’s pockets.”--[_Martinique._]

329. Tropp bijou, gàde-mangé vide. (Trop de bijoux, garde-manger vide.)

“Too much jewelry, empty cupboard.”--[_Martinique._]

330. Vente enflé, mouces zaune té pique li. (Le ventre enflé, les mouches jaunes l’ont piqué.)[139]

. . . . . . . . --[_Mauritius._]

[139] This proverb is scarcely suitable for English translation; but the forcible and picturesque irony of it will be appreciated in M. Baissac’s explanatory note: “_Comment se l’expliquer autrement, en dehors du mariage?_”

331. Vide éne boutéye pour rempli laute, qui li? (Vider une bouteille pour en remplir une autre, qu’est-ce?)

“What’s the good of emptying one bottle only to fill another?”[140]--[_Mauritius._]

[140] Same signification as Prov. 138.

332. * Vie cannari ka fé bon bouillon. (Les vieux pots font les bonnes soupes.)

“It’s the old pot that makes the good soup.”--[_Martinique._]

333. Vié coq, zène poule. (Vieux coq, jeune poule.)

“An old cock, a young hen.”--[_Mauritius._]

334. Volè pas ainmein vouè canmarade yo pòté sac. (Les voleurs n’aiment pas voir leurs camarades portant le sacs.)

“Thieves do not like to see their comrades carrying the bags.”[141]--[_Martinique._]

[141] Probably truer to human nature than our questionable statement concerning “honor among thieves.” Mr. Bigelow, in his contribution to _Harper’s Magazine_, cited a similar proverb in the Haytian dialect.

335. Vous napas va montré vié zaco fère grimaces. (Vous ne montrerez pas à un vieux singe à faire des grimaces.)

“You can’t teach an old monkey how to make faces.”[142]--[_Mauritius._]

[142] “Teach your granny to suck eggs.”

336. Voyé chein, chein voyé lakhe li. (Envoyez le chien, et le chien envoie sa queue.)

“Send dog, and dog sends his tail.”--Refers to those who obey orders only by proxy.--[_Trinidad._]

337. Yo ka quimbé[143] chritiens pa langue yo, bef pa còne yo. (On prend les Chrétiens par la langue, les bœufs par les cornes.)

“Christians are known by their tongues, oxen by their horns.” (Literally, are taken by or caught by.)--[_Martinique._]

[143] _Quimbé_ is a verb of African origin. It survives in Louisiana Creole as _tchombé_ or _chombo_:

_Caroline, zolie femme, Chombo moin dans collet._

[“Caroline, pretty woman; put your arm about my neck!”--lit.: “take me by the neck.”]

There are other African words used by the older colored women, such as _macayé_, meaning to eat at all hours; and _Ouendé_, of which the sense is dubious. But the Congo verb _fifa_, to kiss; and the verbs _souyé_, to flatter; _pougalé_, to abuse violently; and such nouns as _saff_ (glutton), _yche_ or _iche_ (baby), which are preserved in other Creole dialects, are apparently unknown in Louisiana to-day.

In Chas. Jeannest’s work, _Quatre Années au Congo_ [Paris: Charpentier, 1883], I find a scanty vocabulary of words in the Fiot dialect, the native dialect of many slaves imported into Louisiana and the West Indies. In this vocabulary the word _ouenda_ is translated by “partir pour.” I fancy it also signifies “to be absent,” and that it is synonymous with our Louisiana African-Creole _ouendé_, preserved in the song:

_Ouendé, ouendé, macaya_; Mo pas, ’barassé, _macaya_! _Ouendé, ouendé, macaya_; Mo bois bon divin, _macaya_! _Ouendé, ouendé, macaya_; Mo mangé bon poulé, _macaya_! _Ouendé, ouendé, macaya_;..etc.

This is one of the very few songs with a purely African refrain still sung in New Orleans. The theme seems to be that, the master and mistress of a house being absent, some slave is encouraging a slave-friend to eat excessively, to “stuff himself” with wine, chicken, etc. “They are gone, friend: eat, fill yourself; _I’m_ not a bit ashamed; stuff yourself!--I’m drinking good wine; stuff yourself!--I’m eating good chicken; gorge yourself,” etc. Here _ouendé_ seems to mean “they are out; they are gone away,”--therefore there is no danger.

There is another Creole song with the same kind of double refrain, but the meaning of the African words I have not been able to discover.

Nicolas, Nicolas, Nicolas, ou dindin; Nicolas, Nicolas, Nicolas marché ouaminon: Quand li marché _Ouarasi, ouarasa!_ Quand li marché _Ouarasi, ouarasa!_

[“Nicholas, etc., you are a turkey-cock! Nicholas walks _ouaminon_: when he walks, it is _ouarasi, ouarasa_.”] The idea is obvious enough; viz.: that Nicholas struts like a turkey-cock; but the precise signification of the three italicised words I have failed to learn.

338. Yon doègt pas sa pouend pice. (Un seul doigt ne peut pas attraper des puces.)

“One finger can’t catch fleas.”--[_Martinique._]

339. * Yon lanmain douè lavé laute. (Une main doit laver l’autre.)

“One hand must wash the other.”--You must not depend upon others to get you out of trouble.--[_Martinique._]

340. Yon mauvais paòle ka blessé plis qu’coupd’roche. (Une mauvaise parole blesse plus qu’un coup-de-pierre.)

“A wicked word hurts more than a blow from a stone.”--[_Martinique._]

341. Zaco malin, li-méme té montré noir coment voler. (La singe est malin; c’est lui qui a montré au noir comment on vole.)

“The monkey is sly; it was he that first taught the black man how to steal.”--[_Mauritius._]

342. Zaco napas guétte so laquée; li guétte pour son camarade. (Le singe ne regarde pas sa queue; il regarde celle de son voisin.)

“Monkey never watches his own tail; he watches his neighbor’s.”--[_Mauritius._]

343. * Zaffaire ça qui sotte, chien mangé dìné yo. (Des choses [qui appartiennent] aux sots les chiens font leur dîner.)

“Dogs make their dinner upon what belongs to fools.”--[_Louisiana._]

344. * Zaffé cabritt pa zaffé mouton. (L’affaire de la chèvre n’est pas l’affaire du mouton.)

“The goat’s business is not the sheep’s affair.”[144]--[_Martinique._]

[144] Seems to be the same in all Creole dialects, excepting that the rabbit is sometimes substituted for the sheep.

345. Zaffére qui fine passé narien; laute qui pour vint qui li! (L’affaire passée n’est rien; c’est l’affaire à venir qui est le hic.)

“What’s past is nothing; it’s what’s to come that’s the rub.”--[_Mauritius._]

346. Zamais béf senti so corne trop lourd. (Jamais le bœuf ne sent ses cornes trop lourdes.)

“The ox never finds his horns too heavy to carry.”--[_Mauritius._]

347. Zamés disel dire li salé. (Le sel ne dit jamais qu’il est salé.)

“The salt never says that it is salty.” True virtue never boasts.--[_Mauritius._]

348. Zaureille pas tini couv éti. (Les oreilles n’ont pas de couverture.)

“There is no covering for the ears.”--[_Martinique._]

349. Zié beké brilé zié nèg. (Les yeux du blanc brûlent les yeux du nègre.)

“The white man’s eyes burn the negro’s eyes.”[145]--[_Martinique._]

[145] _Béké_ is translated by _blanc_ in Turiault’s work; but the witty author of _Les Bambous_ writes: _Nèg_ se dit pour _esclave_, et _béké_ pour maître. Therefore perhaps a more correct translation would be: “The master’s eyes burn the slave’s eyes.” The phrase recalls a curious refrain which used to be sung by Louisiana field-hands:

_Tout, tout, pays blanc--Danié qui commandé, Danié qui commandé ça! Danié qui commandé._

[“All, all the country white” (white-man’s country); “Daniel has so commanded,” etc.] I do not know whether the prophet Daniel is referred to.