“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._]