Suriname folk-lore

[p. 453]

D. Taki-taki proverbs

[p. 454]

1.	Bɩgi ai̯ fō Anąnsi meki dɔm kɔri hɛm.
2.	Syɛm meki mi dɔm.
3.	Tɛ yu taki, taki fō yu fɔsi; sąn yu du mi.
4.	Tąn tiri a no dɔm.
5.	Fa yu tą'? Yɛsrɛdei̯ bɛtre tidɛ.
6.	Te yu nyąm nąŋga didibri, dą' yu mu habi ląŋga fɔrku.
7.	Tąŋgi fō bǭ' na kɔdya.
8.	Ɛfu drai̯ fɩsi kɩsi wɔrɔm, na mekunu.
9.	Switi fō sapatia meki dei̯broko frimusu na foru 'oso.
9a.	Süti fō lefɛr meki dei̯broko awari na foru 'oso.
10.	Ba Anąnsi krɛ̨' na awara bom. (K) Maka sütu hɛm, n'e flig-mashin, Mira beti hɛm, n'e lukbalɔ̨n Ba Anąnsi krɛ̨ na awara bom.
11.	Hesi-hesi bǭ', safri-safri bǭ', tu.
12.	Tɛ lagadisa tɛre kɔti, dąn ɛŋ feni ɛ̨ŋ hɔro.
12a.	Tɛ sapakara tɛre kɔti, wantrǫn a dɛ feni 'olo.
13.	Por' nɛm na umą-suma sribi-krosi.
14.	Bigi ai̯ fō mɔni meki a go tro na malata.
15.	Süti fō pyau̯ meki fi̯ofi̯o hąŋga na barkɔ̨'. (K)
16.	Ɛfu ɔndrofeni no bɛn dɛ, sabi-diri a no sɑ bɛn dɛ.

[p. 456]

17.	Switi fō ai̯sko meki amtɛnar frau̯ lasi ɛ̨ŋ hoso-pasi. (K)
18.	Tɛ kau̯ nyąm, a mu gi 'asi pasi. (K)
19.	Faka-faka fō Anąnsi mɛki tigri kɩsi hɛm.
20.	Yu mu' fō de bǭn nąŋga suma, ma yu no mus' fō puru yu bɛre gi' ɛm.
21.	Mi na p'kin ɑksi, ma mi de fara bɩgi kąkątri. (K)
22.	Anąnsi kɔni so tɛ ... ma tɔk a dɛ fasi na lakbɔru.
23.	Tigri oru, ma a no las' ɛ̨ŋ peni.
24.	Fɩsi pasa maswa, ma a no pasa ɛ̨ŋ dɛdɛ.
25.	Mąn dɛ na opo, mąn dɛ na bilo, tu.
25a.	Bɩgi suma dɛ na yu kɔndre, bɩgi suma dɛ na mi kɔndre, tu.
26.	Suma p'kin a no yu p'kin. Sribi na dɛdɛ. Umą kiri mąn.
27.	Ɔndrofeni sɑ leri yu.
28.	P'kin no wąn yɛr' ɛ̨ŋ mama, a sɑ go na abanba.
29.	Ɛfu fɩsi no bɩgi, a n'e nyąm uku.
30.	Te yu dɛ kɔti, yu mu' dɛ fɩti.
31.	Takru tai̯ya a no bǭ' fō nyɑm, a no bǭ' fō trowɛ.

[p. 458]

32.	'Agu ɑksi ɛ̨ŋ mama, taki, ‘Mi mama, sąn 'ɛdɛ meki yu mɔfo ląŋga so?’ Na mama piki hɛm taki, ‘Mi p'kin, sa kɔm y'e kɔm.’
33.	Te okro brafu kɔru, bɔro-noso 'ɛ drɩ̨ŋg' 'm.
34.	Te suma no sabi yu nyąm-presi, a tek' tapu-krabasi gi yu watra.
35.	Noti bila, yu dɛ teki pari puru pɔndo.
36.	Xōloku habi ląŋga pasi, Ma hɔr' yu srɛf', dɑt' na basi.
37.	Luku pɛ yu stotu yu futu, ma no luku pɛ yu fadǫ'.
38.	Te opo wą' suma luku dąnsi, a opo yu luku feti.
39.	Tɛ yu sab', yu du na ɛxpresi.
40.	Süti fō libi sɑ si yu tą' tiri.
41.	Wąn nanyąm d'ɛ fur' beri a i de si ɛ̨ŋ.
42.	Sineki beti mi, mi si wɔrɔ̨n, mi fredɛ.
43.	Mi kɔm fō merki, ma mi no kɔm fō sɛri kau̯.
44.	Te wąn taki leti, ɛ̨ŋ dik' wąn olo.
45.	Grǫntapu na asi-tere; a wai̯ ala sei̯.
46.	Bɩgi alei̯n no kiri mi, yu dɛ̨ŋki na p'kin wą sɑ kir' mi?

[p. 460]

47.	Na pasiɛnsi-umą na wąn gudu-umą.
48.	Bɩgi dagu n'e bet' den srefi.
49.	Fesi bɛn dɛ bifɔsi spikri.
50.	M'ma-foru futu n'e kir' ɛ̨ŋ p'kin.
51.	'Ąŋgri-si skapu, na tigri nanyam.
52.	Sąn' süti na kɔnkɔni mɔfo, na dɑt' a dɛ go pir' ɛ̨ŋ tifi.
53.	Tɛ i taki f'na alata, yu mu tak' f'a batchau.
54.	Praŋga a' yɛsi.
55.	Barbar' dagu n'e i beti.
56.	Yu na anamu, yu no gointi.
57.	Mi na Kakalaka, mi n'a let' 'a foru mɔfo.
57a.	Yu na Kakalaka, yu n'a 'a leti na foru mɔfo.
58.	Mi na watra, tya' hɛbi.
59.	A no mi drɩ̨ŋgi yu grɩ̨n mek' yu no 'abi.
60.	Tɛ suma no sabi dąnsi, a tak' 'a pok' n'e pre bǭn.
61.	A no i lafu a kɔnkɔni mek' a n'ab' tɛre.
62.	Tide na f'mi, tamara na f' yu.
63.	Te wąn 'asi kɔstu mɔni, yu dɛ si na ɛ̨ŋ grǫn futu.
64.	Mąn lɛpi a no wisi.

[p. 462]

65.	Dagō taki ‘chaku, chaku’. F'yu na f' yu.
66.	Babųn tɛre na babųn sɩkin.
67.	Tɛ yu no habi fɩ̨ŋga, yu no kąn mek' kofu.
68.	Ala kau̯ blaka na nei̯ti.
69.	Masra hei̯, meki masra kau̯ fatu.
70.	Busi brɔ̨n, sɩneki no habi hɛdɛmąn.
71.	Kɔni mɔro trąŋga.
72.	Wɑn süt' brafu meki i nyą' wą' sua̯ tɔ̨ntɔ̨n.
73.	Te yu lɔb' na ɔkro, yu mu lɔb' 'a siri.
74.	No puru yu bɛre gi umą, bika' umą dɛ kiri mąn.
75.	Yu wąn' nyą' yu ɛgi-fatu.
76.	Bɛtre buriki skopu mi lei̯ki yu kɔsi me.
77.	Süti fō mi tɔri meki tu dagu nyąm na ɩni wąn preti.
78.	Lakboru no dɛ na 'oso, Anąnsi dɛ na wroko.
79.	Bɩgi sɩpi mi bɛn tyari sɔndro stürmąn; wɛ, na wąn krioro dąn?
80.	Ɔru fai̯ya-tɩki no dɛ prei̯ fō teki.
81.	Tą' tɛ tamara meki todo no habi tɛre.

[p. 464]

82.	Suma no bribi lai̯, a i no bribi tru.
83.	Ala busi meti nyąm kasaba, ma kɔnkɔni tyari nɛm. (K)
84.	Mi na hafu-sɛnsi, nowąn mąn ką' broko mi. (K)
85.	Na blɔ̨ŋki di bɛn dɛ drɛsi sɔro, na dɑti dɛ meki bɔnkete na grąnmąn tafra. (K)
86.	Lɔbi na basi. (K)
87.	Libi sui̯ti. (K)
88.	Ɔndrofeni a no bom, ma a dɛ gro. (K)
89.	Doti-wagi dɛ tyari doti, ma a no dɛ tyari syɛm. (K)
90.	Wawąn lɔbi dɛ, ma ala dɛ na suma 'anu. (K)
91.	Na p'kin patɛnti na dagu nɛki meki puspusi hati brɔ̨n. (K)
92.	Mi doi̯fi frei̯ gowɛ, ma mi xoluk, dɑti tą'. (K)
93.	Lei̯si nąŋga mɔrsu meki yu 'kra gowɛ libi yu. (K)
94.	Taki sąn yu wani, mi fraga dɛ na tapu. (K)
95.	Fa mɩsi taki, 'a masra dɛ du. (K)
96.	Bɩgi sɛnsi kastoli mi gi yu, a de wroko yu so! - Dag buba! (K)
97.	Sui̯ti fō mi smeri, meki mi gudu lasi ɛ̨ŋ hoso pasi. (K)
98.	Wąwąn bǫn lɔbi dɛ yɛte, ma a diri fō wɩni. (K)
99.	Ala piri tifi a no lafu.
100.	Ala gi hanu a no frɩ̨nskap.
101.	Te yu kɔsi tɩ̨ŋgi-foru, a dɛ hati krakųn.
102.	Tɩmrimąn 'oso no 'abi bąŋgi.
103.	Bas' Djaki taki, ‘A no fō soso na wɔrɔ̨n dɛ waka na sei̯-sei̯.’
104.	Mi no kąn trǫ' todo fō opo prasɔro gi sneki.

[p. 466]

105.	San wan miri kąn du nąŋga wąn kau̯ 'ɛdɛ?
106.	Di mi bai̯ mi kau̯, mi kau̯, Mi kau̯ no 'abi tutu.
107.	Lɔbi dɛdɛ kaba.
108.	Yu no kɔt' abra-watra, yu no dɛ kɔs' kai̯mąn mama.
109.	Sɛkrepatu taki, a no taki ɛ̨ŋ no mąŋ krɛ̨' bergi, ma na lafu dɛ mɔro ɛ̨ŋ.
110.	Tɛ kamerawɛ̨ŋki nąŋga bɔtremąn kɩs' trɔbi, dą' yu dɛ yere pɛ na bɔtro bɛn go.
111.	Tɛ yu naki kapa lasi, yu dɛ yɛre bɔrimąn tɔ̨ŋgo.
112.	Agamą taki, ‘Hesi, hesi bǭn, ma safri, safri bǭn, tu.’
113.	No teki syɛm nyąm wisi.
114.	Todo taki, ‘Ɛf' yu dɛ tak' fō gogo, m'no kąn piki, ma ɛf' yu dɛ taki fō hai̯, mi kąn piki.’
115.	Anąnsi kɔni, ma tide tɩgri rai̯ na hɛm baka. (K)
116.	Grabu nanyąm, ma no grabu taki.
117.	Tɔ̨ŋgo tyari hɛm masra na bǭn, a tyari hɛm masra na ɔgri, tu.
118.	Ɔru sɩki fō todo na kraskrasi.
119.	Te yu kɔri 'ɛdɛ, yu dɛ feni loso.
120.	Sąn yu lasi na fai̯ya hoso, yu sɑ feni na asisi.
121.	Krab-dagu dɛ kɛ̨ŋki hoso, ma a no mąŋ kɛ̨ŋki maneri.
122.	Ɛfu p'kin no habi syɛm fō dɛdɛ na mɩndri neti, hɛm mama no habi syɛm fō bari tu.

[p. 468]

123.	So ląŋga lei̯ki lɔ̨nwe dɛ, so ląŋga, ląŋga na wɩpi dɛ.
124.	Ɛngel fō strati, didibri fō 'oso.
125.	Wąn kehei̯m hɔntimąn mɔro ɔgri lei̯ki wąn kirimąn di ala suma sabi.
126.	Trąŋga n'e tyari kau̯ go na pɛn, ma wąn lɛpi fɩ̨ŋga ba‧ana, dɑti no mo.
127.	Gɔngotɛ gɔdo mofo 'ɛ wei̯ti, ma na tra suma de nyam ɛ̨'.
128.	Sneki kɩbri ɛ̨ŋ sɛrefi, a trɔ̨n aboma.
129.	Wakamą si yorka, 'a yorka si 'a mąn dɛ.
130.	Tak' leti a no asɛrąnti.
131.	Tɛ yu no wani yɛre ‘odi, odi’, yu no mu meki yu 'oso na sei̯ pasi.
132.	'A tɔ̨ntɔ̨n di yu bɛn dɛ̨ŋki no dɛ go furu yu bɛri, na dɑti dɛ go bonant yu.
133.	Gadu sab' sąn a du, a no gi 'asi tutu.
134.	Sąn yu no sabi mu du yu, ma sąn yu sabi no mu du yu.
135.	A sɑ du wi ala.
136.	Yu go lasi ląnsi, yu las' sapakara.
137.	Ala fɩsi dɛ sɛk' ɛ̨ŋ tere, te ɔru-wei̯fi, tu.
138.	Alei̯ntɛm yankɔro wan' meki 'oso, te alei̯n kaba, a frɩgɩti.
139.	Sani mɔro tigri, a 'ɛ nyąm doti.

[p. 470]

140.	Lai̯ hati mɔro sɔro.
141.	Fai̯ya dɛdɛ, p'kin nɛ̨ŋgere prei̯ na asisi.
142.	Sąn dɛ na dųŋgru a sɑ kɔm na krįn.
142a.	Not' sɑ dɛ na dųŋgru, di no sɑ kɔm na krįn.
143.	Yu bai̯ wisi yu mu bai̯ kɔni tu.
144.	Yu no sab' sąn asau̯ bɛn nyąm mek' a kɔm bɩgi so.
145.	Dagu a fō futu, ma a no dɛ waka na fō pasi.
146.	A teki bąŋgi, a wąn' teki gogo tu.
147.	Wąn fɩ̨ŋga n'e drɩ̨ŋgi okro.
148.	Tɛ mi dɛ waka na tapu doti, dą' mi dɛ trąpu safri; tɛ mi dɛdɛ, na doti go nyąm mi.
149.	Grąmą' bobi na fō ala pikin.
150.	Yu muso prani kasaba fɔsi bifo a sɑ grō.
151.	Te wą suma dɩki wą oro fō pɔt' wą tra wą, ɛ̨ŋ sɛrefi fądǫ' go na ɩni.
152.	Mi tyari mi sɩpi go na mɩndri, na roder broko, a libi mi na mɩndri sei. (K)
153.	Luku 'a sprɛ̨ŋki na yu fesi, ma no luku na barki na yu birmą ai̯.
154.	Lɔbi a no nɔtį, smusi dɑti na basi.
155.	Ɛf' na baila no habi fai̯ya, na stɩm no sɑ go.
156.	Tɛnapu na kofu no brasa.
157.	Ala foru no habi wan tɔ̨ŋgo.
158.	Te alei̯n si yu dɛ na broko hoso, a n'e kaba na yu baka.
159.	Udu no dɛ, mi teki tɛtei̯ pɔti na fai̯ya.
160.	S'ana kɔndre na 'asi tɛle; tide a wai̯ so, tamara a wai̯ so.
161.	Orąŋya mu grün bifɔsi a lɛpi.
162.	Anąnsi taki a no fredɛ, ma ɛ̨ŋ sɩkin dɛ gro.
163.	Alata no sabi sąn mɔni bai̯.
164.	Alata tai̯gi, ‘Tɛ mi waka fufuru na neti, a no fō mi srefi 'ɛdɛ, ma mi pikin dę' sɛni mi.’
165.	Dagu no dɛ, yu tya' k'abita go na hɔ̨nti.
166.	Yu prei̯ nąŋga pikin dagu, a i lɛki yu mɔfo.
167.	Skapu dɛdɛ, a libi pina gi hɛm buba.
168.	Tigri dɛdɛ, Dia dąnsi na hɛm grebi tapu.
169.	Ɛf' i habi nɛm fo' kau̯, i mu tya' tutu.
170.	K'abita pikin, ma a n'e futu-boi̯ gi kau̯.
171.	K'abita taki, ‘Mɔfo tą' tiri, dąn yɔrka.’
172.	Awasi krabu no 'abi brudu, a 'abi hatibrɔ̨n.
173.	Mi na ɔrukuku; tɛ mi bari, suma dɛdɛ.
174.	San' mɔro kɛskɛsi, a brasa maka.

[p. 455]

1.	Anansi's greed permits the stupid to lie to him.
2.	Shame makes me stupid.
3.	When you talk, talk first of yourself, and what you did to me. - Said in a quarrel.
4.	Silence is not stupidity.
5.	How are you? Yesterday better than today. - We know yesterday; today is not over yet.
6.	When you eat with the devil, then you must have a long fork.
7.	The reward for good is the cudgel.
8.	If dried fish becomes wormy, it is a curse. - If two people who were friends quarrel, this is said to express the opinion that there never was friendship between them. Mekunu, the Paramaribo equivalent of the kunu of the Bush-Negroes, is the supernatural curse meted out by ancestors and gods.
9.	Love of the sapatia fruit caused the bat to be found in the chicken coop at daybreak. - The attraction of the woman caused the lover to forget prudence, and led to his discovery by the husband.
9a.	Love of liver found the hawk in the chicken coop at daybreak. - The same as No. 9.
10.	Ba Anansi climbed the awara tree. (K) Thorns shot into him, but there was no flying machine, Ants bit him, but there was no air-balloon, Ba Anansi climbed the awara tree. - This proverb is also used as a song. The point made about Anansi is that his daring in climbing the thorny awara palm-tree was rewarded with bruises. As spoken and sung, the proverb is used to comment on the fact that a man who had many times outwitted the authorities, had at last been caught and punished.
11.	Haste is good, caution is good, too.
12.	When the lizard's tail is cut off, then he finds his hole. - This is used to point the moral that when a man has been humbled, he is not seen about much.
12a.	When the salamander's tail is cut off, he promptly crawls into a hole.
13.	A bad name is a woman's winding sheet. - This is often said to commiserate with someone who, because of an early bad reputation, receives no recognition for a good deed.
14.	Greed made her go and marry a mulatto. - Reference is made here to a white woman marrying a mulatto.
15.	Love of the lottery makes fio fio hang on the balcony. (K) - See above, pp. 53 ff., for explanation of fio fio.
16.	If experience had not been there, knowledge would not exist.

[p. 457]

17.	Love of the ice-company makes the officer's wife lose the way to her house. (K) - This proverb refers to the misadventures of a woman who had succumbed to the blandishments of the ice-man. It is interesting that it follows a definite pattern of proverb, and that currency is given to the saying by substituting a few words.
18.	When the cow has eaten, she must give the horse the right to graze. (K) (Lit., ‘she must give the horse the path.’) - The saying was quoted about a man who deserted his elderly wife to find a young one. While the women commiserated with the older woman, their feeling was that she had had her turn, and now it was time that the younger girl had hers.
19.	Anansi's haste caused the tiger to catch him.
20.	You must be kind to people, but you must not take out your entrails (lit., ‘belly’) for them.
21.	I am a small axe, but I cut down the big silk-cotton tree. (K)
22.	Anansi is very cunning, yet he is caught by the broom. - Anansi, the spider, gets swept away from the walls in spite o his ability as trickster.
23.	The tiger is old, but he has not lost his spots. - A man does not lose his old habits.
24.	A fish can pass a trap, but it cannot pass its death. - Said of a thief or a witch. A man can evade punishment, but he cannot evade death.
25.	There are men on the upper river, there are men on the lower river, too. - This proverb constitutes an answer to a threat, and usually relates to a threat of black magic.
25a.	There are big men in your village, there are big men in my village, too. - Used as in No. 25.
26.	Someone else's child is not your child. Sleep is death. Woman kills man. - Any of these three lines may be used independently as a proverb, and together they form part of a song which occurs in stories (as, e.g., Nos. 125-127) whose point is that women betray those who trust them.
27.	Experience will teach you.
28.	The child who does not listen to his mother, will go to the land of the dead.
29.	If a fish is not big enough, it does not bite at hooks. - Said to convey the idea that it is best to curb one's ambitions.
30.	When you cut, you must fit. - This indicates that a man had better weigh his acts.
31.	The bad taya is not good to eat, and not good to throw away. - Taya is a spinach-like plant, and, as used in this proverb, indicates that a family member is in disgrace.

[p. 459]

32.	The pig asked its mother, said, ‘Mother, why is your snout so long?’ The mother answered him, said, ‘My little one, it will come to you, it will come.’ - Employed when someone makes a deprecating remark about another.
33.	When the okra soup is cold, a sore nose can drink it. - This comment would be spoken about the downfall of a man. When misfortune comes to a strong man, a weakling can taunt him.
34.	When a man does not know your eating place, he takes a closed calabash to offer you water. (This is also at times translated as, ‘...he takes a calabash cover in which to offer you water.’) - When a stranger imposes upon another whose position he does not know, this proverb would be used. To offer a drink in a closed calabash is apparently very reprehensible.
35.	When the need arises, you take a paddle to push a punt.
36.	Luck has a long road, But mastery of yourself rules everything. - Said to a person who, having had good luck, abuses it.
37.	Look where you stub your toe, but do not look where you fall down. - This proverb would be employed when a person in a quarrel with another turns on a friendly bystander.
38.	When you stand up to watch a man dance, he will stand up to watch you fight. - This comments on the fact that a good turn is repaid with evil.
39.	When you knew (better), you did the direct opposite. - A man who has met misfortune, and to whom this proverb is said, is thereby told that he must expect no sympathy, for he should have known better than to embark on his adventure.
40.	Love of life will see you hold your tongue. - This is said by one man to another to indicate that while he knows the other is wrong, he does not mean to prove it.
41.	Food which will fill the belly is seen. - An overconfident person would be told this proverb to imply that there is no need to boast, for when he achieves, ah will know.
42.	A snake bit me, I see a worm, I am afraid.
43.	I came to milk (the cows), but I did not come to sell cows. - This is said to a person who asks many indiscreet questions, and is especially used for the young.
44.	When one tells the truth, he digs a grave. - Said cynically to a man who had got into difficulty for being frank.
45.	The world is a horse's tail; it waves in all directions. - This is the equivalent of the saying, ‘each to his own liking’. (See No. 160).
46.	The big rains did not kill me, you think the little ones will kill me? - Used both as a threat, and to express confidence.

[p. 461]

47.	A patient woman is a rich woman.
48.	Big dogs do not bite each other. - A commentary on the fact that people take care of their own kind. The example given by the informant to illustrate the point was that of a white man and a black man in a dispute, his feeling being that the white official who judges the case will always favor the white man.
49.	Faces were there before mirrors. - Often employed to suggest that though the whites have astonishing mechanical devices, the gods are still powerful. By ‘gods’ the black man's gods are thought of.
50.	The mother-hen's foot does not kill her young. - Used when a parent chastises a child.
51.	The inquisitive sheep is the tiger's food.
52.	That which the rabbit finds toothsome, that will show its fangs. - That is to say, what a man longs for most, will kill him.
53.	When you speak of the rat, you must speak of the saltfish. - This is said when someone who should be impartial, takes sides in a dispute.
54.	Planks have ears.
55.	A barking dog does not bite.
56.	You are a wild bird, you do not stay at home. - Spoken to a restless person.
57.	I am Cockroach, the hen will never say I am right. - This proverb would be used by a person who is blamed for something he has not done.
57a.	You are Cockroach, the hen will never say you are right.
58.	I am water; my load is heavy. - Used disdainfully by a person who is accused of being in the wrong.
59.	It is not because I drink your gall (?) that you have none. - This is said to a person who always hints that someone else is well-to-do.
60.	When a man does not know how to dance, he says the drum is not being played well. - Criticism of someone who is speaking of what he does not know is conveyed by the use of this proverb.
61.	It is not your ridicule of the rabbit that caused him to be without a tail. - This suggests that good fortune is a fickle thing and that it is well not to despise someone who is down on his luck.
62.	Today is for me, tomorrow for you. - Said to a person who is mocking another about his bad luck.
63.	When a horse costs money, you see it by his hoof prints. - Said to a person who is putting on airs.
64.	Maturity [wisdom] is not black magic. - Used most often to criticise a man who knows how to do things but never does them for fear of public opinion.

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65.	The dog says ‘chaku, chaku’. What is yours is yours. - Said to a member of one's family, to indicate that a man should help his own relations first.
66.	The baboon's tail is on the baboon's body. - This means that a hurt to someone in the family is a hurt to all.
67.	When you have no fingers you cannot make a fist. - Said cynically to imply that you cannot do anything against a rich man.
68.	All cows are black at night. - This is said to mean that at night a man can hide.
69.	When the master is important, the master's cows are fat. - A rich man has well-fed retainers.
70.	When the bush burns, the snake has no head-man. - This is said when a family breaks up, and draws its analogy from the fact that the bush is the provider for the snake.
71.	Cunning is more than strength.
72.	For the sake of sweet soup you eat sour dumplings. - Used when a person overlooks the behavior of a friend or friend's relative because of his friendship.
73.	When you love okra, you must love its seeds. - The equivalent of ‘Love me, love my dog.’
74.	Do not take out your entrails for a woman, because woman kills man.
75.	You want to eat your own fat. - When a man makes sport with one of his own children or siblings, he might hear this said. ‘Eating one's own fat’ means having an incestuous relationship.
76.	I would rather a donkey kicked me than you cursed me.
77.	The pleasure of gossiping about me makes two dogs eat out of the same dish. - Said to suggest that a common enemy will bring enemies together.
78.	When the house has no broom, Anansi (the spider) is at work.
79.	I have brought in large boats without steersmen; well, what of a corial then? - Used in a quarrel to imply that the speaker has held her own against greater odds than those presented by the opponent. One example given was of an older servant quarreling with a younger one, with this proverb spoken by the older one to say that she had defied the mistress herself.
80.	Old fire-sticks do not take long to rekindle. - This proverb implies that reconciliations between old friends are not difficult.
81.	Waiting till tomorrow caused the toad to remain without a tail. - This reminds a person of an unfulfilled promise; see Saramacca Proverb No. 39.

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82.	A man who does not believe a lie, does not believe the truth.
83.	All bush animals eat cassava, but the rabbit carries the name (of thief). (K) - This proverb was used to comment on the fact that a certain man had suffered too great a penalty for adultry.
84.	I am half a cent, no one can break me. (K) - This is said in defiance when a person is being taken to task. Reference to the half-cent, of course, is to the smallest coin.
85.	The flower which cures a wound, is the one which is used for a bouquet on the chief's table. (K)
86.	Love is the boss. (K)
87.	Life is sweet. (K)
88.	Experience is no tree, but it grows. (K)
89.	A dirt-wagon carries dirt, but it does not carry shame. (K) - Spoken in a quarrel by someone who has been reduced to poverty.
90.	Lovers there are, but all are in others hands. (K)
91.	The small license on the dog's neck makes the cat angry. (K) - Said in a quarrel.
92.	My dove flew away, but my luck, that stays. (K) - A woman would say this to a man who is about to leave her.
93.	Laziness and nastiness caused your soul to leave you. (K)
94.	Say what you like, my flag is on top. (K) - Used in a quarrel when one woman accuses the other of being incompetent, this proverb suggests that nevertheless fortune has favored her.
95.	What the mistress says, the master does. (K) - This is said to a lover by a woman who mocks him for being henpecked.
96.	I gave you a cent's worth of castor oil, and it has worked you so! - Dag buba! (K) - Used in a quarrel as a taunt.
97.	Enjoyment of my smell, makes my lover lose the road to his house. (K)
98.	There is still a good lover left, but he is hard [costly] to win. (K)
99.	All showing of teeth is not a laugh.
100.	All stretching out of the hand is not friendship.
101.	When you curse the buzzard, it hurts the turkey.
102.	The carpenter's house has no benches.
103.	Boss Djaki says, ‘It is not for nothing that the worm crawls from side to side.’ - A warning to be careful of a person.
104.	I cannot change the toad to [so that he will] open a parasol for a snake. - A play on words is involved here, for todo-prasoro means a ‘toad-stool’.

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105.	What can an ant do with a cow's head? - Said in a quarrel as a retort to a threat.
106.	When I bought my cow, my cow, My cow had no horns. - This ridicules a person who is putting on airs.
107.	Love is already dead. - A cynical saying, used when someone brings up the story of a quarrel between a man and a woman.
108.	If you have not crossed the stream, you do not curse the alligator's mother. - Used for men who boast, to suggest the value of discretion.
109.	The turtle says, it is not that he cannot climb a hill, but the laughter disturbs him. - Said in mockery to someone who, as an excuse for something which he cannot do, blames it on some trivial external thing.
110.	When the chambermaid and the butler quarrel, then you hear where the butter went. - This would be said during a quarrel between friends, who in their anger disclose confidences.
111.	When you strike the bottom of a kettle, you hear the boiling-man's tongue. - When two people who had gossipped about another quarrel, he will soon hear what they had said about him.
112.	The chameleon says, ‘Haste, haste is good, but caution, caution is good, too.’ - This, is said to an impetuous person. (Compare No. 11).
113.	Do not be shamed into eating poison. - Spoken to a timid person. As has been stated, wisi may mean either ‘poison’ or ‘black magic’.
114.	The toad says, ‘If you are talking of buttocks, I cannot speak, but if you are talking of eyes, I can speak.’
115.	Anansi is cunning, but today the tiger rides on his back. (K) - This was said of a man who had for a long time criticized the authorities but had finally been sentenced to serve a prison term for it.
116.	Seize food, but do not seize speech.
117.	The tongue brings his master good, it brings his master evil, too.
118.	The old sickness of the toad is eczema.
119.	When you comb the head, you find lice.
120.	What you leave in the burning house, you will find in the ashes.
121.	The wild dog changes his house, but he cannot change his manners.
122.	If a child is not ashamed to die in the middle of the night, his mother is also not ashamed to bewail him.

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123.	As long as there is running away, so long there is a whip.
124.	The angel on the street, the devil at home.
125.	An unknown hunter is worse than a killer whom all men know.
126.	Strength does not take the cow to the barn, but one small ripe banana will.
127.	The gourd which holds cassava-flour has a white mouth, but other people eat the flour. - This is said by a person who is accused of possessing something which he does not have.
128.	Snakes that hide, change into boa constrictors. - Someone who wished to register distrust of another person would use this proverb.
129.	The wanderer sees a ghost, the ghost sees that a man is there. - This proverb is used when a strong man meets his equal.
130.	To tell the truth is not evil. - This would be said by a man who had been insulted for being frank.
131.	When you do not want to hear ‘howdo, howdo’, you must not build your house by the side of the road. - Spoken to someone who has put himself in a position to be criticised, and resents it.
132.	The pudding which you thought would not fill your belly, that one is going to tax your digestion. - This applies to a person who has misjudged another.
133.	God knew what he did, (when) he did not give the horse horns. - Said to a man who has tried to do more than he is capable of doing.
134.	What you do not know should overwhelm you, but what you know should not overwhelm you. - This is a criticism of someone who did that which he knew he should not do, and is now in difficulties.
135.	It will come to all of us. - Spoken to reprove a person who seems to find relish in another man's bad luck.
136.	You go (prepared) to lose the arrow, you lose the salamander. - This would be said to a man who has given up something he was sure of for the possibility of finding something better, and has lost both.
137.	All fish shake their tails, the old-wife, too. - This is said about a poor man who tries to act as though he were rich, the point being that ‘old-wife’ is the name of a very small fish.
138.	When the rain comes the buzzard wants to build a house, when the rain is over, he forgets.
139.	When hard times come to tiger, he eats earth. - That is, when tiger has not found any kill.

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140.	A lie hurts more than a wound.
141.	When the fire is dead, the pickaninny plays in the ashes.
142.	What is in the dark shall come to light.
142a.	There is nothing in darkness, that will not come to light.
143.	(If) you buy poison (black magic), you must buy cunning (sense) also.
144.	You do not know what elephant has eaten to make him grow so big.
145.	Dog has four feet, but he does not walk on four roads.
146.	He took the stool, and he wants to take the buttocks also.
147.	With one finger you cannot drink okra.
148.	When I walk on the earth, then I step softly; for when I die, the earth is going to eat me. (See Saramacca Proverb 1.)
149.	The chief's breast is for all children. (See Saramacca Proverb 2.)
150.	You must plant the cassava before it will grow. - That is, a person must ask for a thing before he can hope to get it.
151.	When a person digs a hole to put another in, he himself falls into it.
152.	I took my ship to the middle of the stream, the rudder broke, and it left me in midstream. (K)
153.	Look at the speck on your own face, but do not look at the sore on your neighbor's eye.
154.	Love is nothing, talk (companionship?) is the boss.
155.	If a boiler has no fire, there will be no steam.
156.	Standing with a clenched fist is not an embrace.
157.	All animals do not speak the same language.
158.	When the rain finds you in a leaky house, it never stops coming down on you.
159.	When there is no wood, I put vines on the fire.
160.	Suriname is a horse's tail; today it moves so, tomorrow it moves so. (See No. 45.)
161.	An orange must (first) be green before it is ripe.
162.	Anansi says he is not afraid, but his body trembles. (See No.109.)
163.	Rat does not know what money buys.
164.	Rat says, ‘When I go about stealing at night, it is not for my own sake, but (that) my children send me.’
165.	When there is no dog, you take the goat hunting.
166.	You play with a puppy, he (will) licks your mouth.
167.	When the sheep dies, it leaves (its) suffering to its skin.
168.	When Tiger is dead, Deer dances on his grave.
169.	If you are called a cow, you must carry horns.
170.	Goat is small, but it is not a servant to cow.
171.	Goat says, ‘(When) the mouth is quiet, then it is a ghost.’
172.	Even though crab has no blood, it has anger.
173.	I am the owl; when I cry, someone dies.
174.	When the monkey is in need, it embraces a thorn.