3 Don’t call the alligator a big-mouth till you have crossed the river BELIZE
4 You cannot cross a river without getting wet SOUTH AFRICA
5 The first in the boat has the choice of oars ENGLAND
6 Row with the oars you have NETHERLANDS
7 A boat does not go forward if everyone rows their own way KENYA
8 Those who are carried down the stream need not row ENGLAND
9 No matter how long a log floats on the river it will never be a crocodile MALI
10 Do not put each foot on a different boat CHINA
11 No one can paddle two canoes at the same time SOUTH AFRICA
12 The water is the same on both sides of the boat FINLAND
13 Those who own the boat should give it a name NORWAY
14 The one who has taken the bear into the boat must cross over with him SWEDEN
15 Although the river is broad there are times when boats collide CHINA
16 On a slimy shore it is easy to push a canoe CAMEROON
17 The paddle which you find in the canoe is the one that will take you across LIBERIA
18 A canoe is paddled on both sides NIGERIA
19 When a canoe capsizes, everyone gets wet MADAGASCAR
20 Those who wait long at the ferry will get across some time SCOTLAND
21 A worn-out boat still has three thousand nails in it CHINA
22 The junk capsizes and the shark has its bellyful MALAYSIA
128 SWIMMING
1 Swimmers do not see their own back TOGO
2 Dogs do not know how to swim until the water reaches their ears UKRAINE
3 No matter how hard you throw a dead fish in the water, it still won’t swim REPUBLIC OF CONGO
4 It is hard to swim between two stretches of bad water NETHERLANDS
5 In rivers and bad government, the lightest things swim at the top USA
129 TRAVEL BY AIR
1 A featherless arrow does not travel very far ZANZIBAR
2 One bird in the dish is better than a hundred in the air GERMANY
3 Clumsy birds need early flight CHINA
4 The candle is put into the lantern and the moth is left outside fluttering IRAN
5 The fly flutters about the candle until at last it gets burnt NETHERLANDS
6 Falling hurts least those who fly low CHINA
7 The seagull sees furthest who flies highest FRANCE12 DRAMATIC PROVERBSDuring the eighteenth century, a genre of drama based on the proverb emerged in France. The origins of these proverbes dramatiques are unclear, but their popularity at the time owes much to the French painter and architect Louis de Carmontelle (1717–1806). The audiences would be presented with a short drama containing clues that pointed to a particular proverb. The game was to guess the proverb. The genre was exploited in several European countries. Catherine the Great of Russia made up her own dramatic proverbs to be acted out by her court. The modern game of charades does something similar.In the nineteenth century, there was a further development, in the form of proverbes – a genre of comedy characterized by dialogue rather than action and with a proverb as its theme. The French poet Alfred de Musset (1810–57) wrote several such pieces, whose names speak for themselves:On ne badine pas avec l’amour (1834) – There’s no trifling with loveIl ne faut jurer de rien (1836) – You can’t be sure of anythingIl faut qu’une porte soit ouverte ou fermée (1845) – A door must be open or shutOn ne saurait penser à tout (1853) – You can’t think of everything
8 Those who wait for roast duck to fly into their mouth must wait a very, very long time CHINA
9 God gives birds their food, but they must fly for it NETHERLANDS
10 You cannot prevent the birds of sadness from flying over your head, but you can prevent them from nesting in your hair CHINA
11 If the string is long the kite will fly high CHINA
12 Pigs might fly ENGLAND
13 There are old pilots, and there are bold pilots, but there are no old, bold pilots USA
14 A sparrow in the hand is better than a crane on the wing FRANCE
15 A lie has no legs, but a scandal has wings ENGLAND
16 When an ant gets wings it perishes SERBIA
17 Do not blame God for having created the tiger, but thank Him for not having given it wings ETHIOPIA
130 FAST
1 When in doubt, gallop FRENCH FOREIGN LEGION
2 It’s the tortoise that discounts the value of a pair of fast legs JAPAN
3 If you want to go fast, go the old road MYANMAR
4 Who marches fast remains on the road ALBANIA
5 Four horses cannot overtake the tongue CHINA
6 A child learns quicker to talk than to be silent NORWAY
7 Quick work – double work MONTENEGRO
8 They give twice who give quickly TURKEY
9 When the hands and the feet are bound, the tongue runs faster GERMANY
10 Slowness comes from God and quickness from the devil MOROCCO
11 Those who have not seen a hare run, must not speak of fear ITALY
12 Don’t run too far; you will have to come back the same distance FRANCE
13 ’Tis the one who runs that falls IRELAND
14 Clothes put on while running come off while running ETHIOPIA
15 One cannot shoe a running horse NETHERLANDS
16 What is the use of running when we are not on the right road? GERMANY
17 More haste, less speed ENGLAND
18 It is not enough to run; one must start in time FRANCE
19 When rats infest the palace a lame cat is better than the swiftest horse CHINA
131 SLOW
1 Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still CHINA
2 The mills of God grind slowly ENGLAND
3 Dress slowly when you are in a hurry FRANCE
4 Going slowly doesn’t stop one arriving GUINEA
5 You have to learn to crawl before you can walk ENGLAND
6 Slowly, slowly makes the slug arrive at the fountain RWANDA
7 Slowly but surely the excrement of foreign poets will come to your village MALI
8 Better keep under an old hedge than creep under a new furze-bush ENGLAND
9 Slowness comes from God and quickness from the devil MOROCCO
10 The moon moves slowly, but it gets across the town CÔTE D’IVOIRE
132 STRIKING
1 A blow on the purse of another is like a blow on a sand-hill EGYPT
2 A good question is like one beating a bell CHINA
3 Although the river is broad there are times when boats collide CHINA
4 Chop, and you will have splinters DENMARK
5 Don’t shout before the birch-rod falls LATVIA
6 Education