“Shingles cover everything.”--Family roofs often cover a multitude of
sins. [_Mauritius._]
[8] The sarcasm of this proverb appears to be especially levelled at
the rich. In other Mauritian proverbs the house of the rich man is
always spoken of as the house covered with shingles, in
contradistinction to the humble slave cabins, thatched with straw.
18. Báton pas fò passé[9] sabe. (Le bâton n’est pas plus fort que le
sabre.)
“The stick is not stronger than the sabre.”--[_Martinique._]
[9] _Passé_--_lit_: “past”--therefore synonymous with “beyond.” Word
for word the translation would be:--“The stick is not strong beyond
the sword.” But the Creole generally uses “plis....passé” instead of
the French plus....que (“more than”). “Victorine li plis zolie passé
Alphonsine”--Victorine is more pretty than Alphonsine. The Creole
_passé_ is really adverbial; bearing some semblance to the old English
use of the word “passing,” as in “_passing_ strange,” “_passing_
fair.”
19. Batté rendé zamés fére mal. (Les coups rendus ne font jamais de
mal.)
“Blows returned never hurt.”--Vengeance is sweet.--[_Mauritius._]
20. Bef pas bousoin lakhê li yon sel fois pou chassé mouche. (Le bœuf
n’a pas besoin de sa queue une fois seulement pour chasser les mouches.)
“It isn’t one time only that the ox needs his tail to drive the flies
away.”--Ironical expression for “you will have need of me
again.”[10]--[_Martinique._]
[10] This proverb may be found in all the Creole dialects of the West
Indies. We have in the South a proverb to the same effect in English:
_Flytime will come again_, and the ox will want his tail.
21. Bef pas jamain ka dîe savane, “Meçi!” (Le bœuf ne dit jamais à la
savane, “Merci!”)
“Ox never says ‘Thank you,’ to the pasture.”[11]--[_Trinidad._]
[11] A proverb current in Martinique, Louisiana, etc., with slight
variations. Favors or services done through selfish policy, or
compelled by necessity, do not merit acknowledgment.
22. Béfs laquée en lére, mauvés temps napas loin. (Les bœufs ont la
queue en l’air, le mauvais temps n’est pas loin.)
“When the oxen lift their tails in the air, look out for bad
weather.”--[_Mauritius._]
23. * Bel tignon[12] pas fait bel négresse. (Le beau tignon ne fait pas
la belle negresse.)
“It isn’t the fine head-dress that makes the fine
negress.”--[_Louisiana._]
[12] The Louisiana _tiyon_ or _tignon_ [_tiyon_ is the true Creole
word] is the famously picturesque handkerchief which in old days all
slave women twisted about their heads. It is yet worn by the older
colored folk: and there are several styles of arranging it--_tiyon
chinoise_, _tiyon Créole_, etc. An old New Orleans ditty is still
sung, of which the refrain is:--
Madame Caba!
Tiyon vous tombé!
Madame Caba,
Tiyon vous tombé!
“Madame Caba, your tiyon’s falling off!”
24. Bénéfice ratt, c’est pou sèpent. (Le bénéfice du rat, c’est pour le
serpent.)
“The rat’s gains are for the serpent.”--[_Martinique._]