UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO 
 
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 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO 
 
 3 1822 00203 3538 
 
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 Social Sciences 4 Humanities Librarv 
 
 ^his Item ,s subject to recall. 
 
 Date Due 
 
 C/ 39 (5/97) 
 
 UCSD Lib. 
 
 A
 
 TRUBNEE'S 
 ORIENTAL SERIES.
 
 BEHAR PROVERBS 
 
 CLASSIFIED AND ARRANGED 
 
 ACCOEDING TO THEIR SUBJECT-MATTER, AND TRANSLATED INTO 
 
 ENGLISH WITH NOTES, ILLUSTRATING THE SOCIAL CUSTOM, 
 
 POPULAR SUPERSTITION, AND EVEEY-DAY LIFE OF 
 
 THE PEOPLE, AND GIVING THE TALES 
 
 AND FOLK-LORE ON WHICH 
 
 THEY ARE FOUNDED 
 
 APPEl^DIX AND TWO INDEXES 
 
 GIVING THE SUBJECT OF EACH PROVERB IN ENGLISH AND THE 
 IMPORTANT WORDS IN HINDI 
 
 JOHN CHRISTIAN. 
 
 "Proverbs are the genius, wit, and spirit of a nation." — Bacon 
 
 LONDON 
 
 KEGAN PAUL, TEENCH, TRUBNER & Co., Limited 
 
 57 AND 59 LUDGATE HILL 
 
 1891
 
 HERTFORD : 
 PRINTED BY STEPHEN AUSTIN AND SONS.
 
 DEDICATED 
 
 TO 
 
 G. A. GRIERSON, ESQ, B.A. 
 
 B.C.S., M.A.S.B., M.R.A.S. 
 
 IN GIlATEFrL ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF 
 
 EVER FRIENDLY ENCOURAGEMENT AND KINDLY HELP 
 
 BY 
 
 THE AUTHOR.
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 1. Frorerbs in General. 
 
 It Is no less a true than a terse Arabic saying, " That 
 a Proverb is to speech what salt is to food." It aptly 
 describes the office of proverbs, and puts in a practical 
 though homely form the part played by them in a 
 language. It is quite possible to derive nourishment and 
 sustenance from food without salt ; but if we want to 
 enjoy our meals, we must have salt in them. Just so with 
 Proverbs. Language would be tolerable without spicy, 
 epigrammatic sayings, and life could no doubt be carried 
 on by means of plain language wholly bereft of ornament. 
 But if we wish to relish language, if we wish to give it 
 point and piquancy, and if we want to drive home a 
 truth, to whip up the flagging attention of our listener, 
 to point a moral or adorn a tale, we must flavour our 
 speech with proverbs. There is no language in the world, 
 however poor, that has not its proverbs, its pithy and 
 pointed sayings, and its witty epigrams, " the wisdom of 
 many and the wit of one" — some one who has treasured 
 up and kept ready for use in a concentrated and palatable 
 form the essence of practical wisdom, by availing ourselves 
 
 b
 
 Vlll INTRODUCTION. 
 
 of which we become possessed of a clear sight and take 
 a ready view of intricate matters, to unravel which for 
 ourselves would require a disproportionate expenditure of 
 time and mental labour. " Proverbs," says Archbishop 
 "Whately, " are somewhat analogous to those medical 
 formulas which, being in frequent use, are kept ready 
 made up, in the chemist's shop, and which often save the 
 framing of a distinct prescription." 
 
 2. Proverbs of a people are the index of their lives. 
 
 Every nation has its peculiar form of expressing its 
 ideas, its special shades of thought. The idea may be 
 the same, but different people will employ diflPerent figures 
 of speech and modes of expression to convey it. These 
 may seem quaint, perhaps crude, and even grotesque to 
 others ; but they are the appropriate vehicles of thought 
 of the people, and suited to their circumstances in 
 life. " Proverbs, however quaintly expressed, contain 
 the essence of some moral truth or practical lesson ; 
 they are drawn from real life, and are generally the 
 fruit of philosophy grafted on the stem of experience." 
 Carlyle says, " That a man's religion is the chief fact 
 with regard to him : a man's or a nation of men's." 
 If the proverbs of a people are not the chief facts with 
 regard to them, they are at any rate a safe index of their 
 lives, their mode of living, their current thoughts, their 
 intellectual and social status, their surroundings, and in 
 fact everything else that goes to make up social life.
 
 INTRODUCTION. IX 
 
 3. Use of Prorerbs : thoij help us to see the jjeople as 
 theij are, and understand them better. 
 
 To know a people thoroughly we must accompany 
 them in their homes, find them in their daily occupations 
 and amusements, see them as they are, — not with 
 behaviours and manners assumed for the occasion, but 
 in their natural and every-day habit, just as they appear 
 to their own friends and families. In this unsophisticated 
 state we see them in the natural utterances that form 
 the proverbs and sayings of the people. In them they 
 give vent to their genuine thoughts freely and without 
 constraint. We see them as they are seen in their own. 
 circles, in their domestic relations (when, human nature 
 unbends itself), in their jovial moods, and in the 
 various phases of social life. It is impossible to under- 
 stand a people when they are acting a part, when they 
 are playing an artificial role as it were ; and this is 
 what most natives do when they appear in the presence of 
 a European. It is therefore no exaggeration to say that 
 an illiterate native seldom appears to a European in 
 his true light. 
 
 The role he unfortunately assumes is the one least 
 calculated to produce a favourable impression. He 
 speaks in hyperboles, as language more comprehensible to 
 a European ; he agrees to everything the Sahib advances ; 
 he cringes ; he does not even mind stretching a point ; 
 if questioned about anything which in his opinion 
 would act prejudicially towards his interest, he at once 
 avows ignoi'ance, thinking that the safest way out of the 
 difficulty ; he makes desperate attempts to speak a 
 gibberish made up of Hindi, Urdu, and his own Gauwdri,
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 — all this, as he imagines, to acquit himself well and to be 
 in the European's good books. This counterfeit form 
 he always dons when he appears before a foreigner, not 
 because this is his usual manner with his own people, 
 or that he is habitually given to exaggeration or being 
 imaginative, but because he thinks this is the behaviour 
 best calculated to please a European. Thus, with the 
 best of intentions, and with no little trouble to himself, he 
 manages to convey a wrong impression about himself. 
 And the consequence is, that he appears blacker than 
 he really is. This is no doubt an error of judgment 
 based on an inordinate desire to please at any cost : 
 the foundation of this frame of mind probably going 
 down deeper, and resting on a moral nature diflFerently 
 constituted. This view will not be disputed if it is 
 remembered that natives who have long been in contact 
 with Europeans usually behave more straightforwardly, 
 as they know from experience that this is the safest 
 course to pursue to gain the desired end. Another 
 unfortunate fact against the Bihari peasant is that his 
 European critic does not always approach him prepared to 
 make the largest possible allowance for his failings, 
 drawbacks, and surrounding circumstances. He is too 
 ready to judge him by his own standard of merit and 
 demerit ; and as he falls so lamentably short of it, to 
 give him up as past redemption. And this he does, not 
 from any uncharitableness, but solely from want of a 
 thorough acquaintance with his real character. The 
 proverbs, therefore, as helping us to pierce through this 
 assumed veil, and enabling us to see the people in their 
 genuine state, and thus helping us to understand thera 
 better, are a useful study. If we knew that the people
 
 INTRODUCTION. XI 
 
 had some good points, and were not so wholly bad or 
 corrupt, that when moving in their own circle their 
 chief characteristics and prominent features were not 
 exactly those by which they are known to outsiders, 
 we would perhaps be more inclined to view them 
 leniently and give them a helping hand to ameliorate 
 their condition. The writer made it a point, when either 
 his work or excursions into the country brought him into 
 contact with the peasants, never to be overbearing or in a 
 hurry, but always to listen attentively and sympathetically 
 to them, and then, surely as they went on, they gradually 
 " doffed " this mannerism and assumed their natural style. 
 Thus by exercising a little patience he was enabled to see 
 the " real " Bihiiri peasant ; and would recommend this 
 plan to every one who would care to hear him talk not 
 artificially but naturally. He will find them more 
 truthful, and certainly far more interesting. 
 
 4. BUiCw Proverbs : their language. 
 
 By " Bihar Proverbs " is meant those sayings in use 
 among the people of Bihilr. They include not only 
 epigrams and pithy utterances containing practical truths, 
 wholesome rebukes or salutary advice, but also nursery 
 rhymes, proverbial figures of speech, short fables and 
 lampoons (some transgressing the conventional brevity of 
 proverbs), which are current among the people and are 
 often quoted by them. "They walk upon men's tongues, 
 dance in their fancies, are carried about in their memories, 
 and are reserved for graces of their discourses, when they 
 desire to appear in their festival habits and holiday 
 behaviour," These are principally of Hindi origin,
 
 XU INTRODUCTION. 
 
 and in one of the several vernacular dialects in use in the 
 province. A proverb couched in the Shiihabad dialect, 
 for example, would be readily understood by a native of 
 Champiiran, but he would in using' it liimself employ the 
 patois of his district. It is difficult for a foreigner, 
 unless thoroughly conversant with all the provincial 
 shades of speech, to detect the nice geographical 
 distinctions of dialect. It would require long familiarity 
 to do this readily. But, nevertheless, these fine shades of 
 distinction exist, and Mr. Grierson, in his admirable work 
 on the Bihar Peasants, has pointed them out to a nicety. 
 Many of the proverbs in vogue are thus local, and 
 variations occur frequently. The same ideas are repeated 
 in different forms. No collection of proverbs therefore 
 can be comprehensive enough to include all the variations 
 prevalent in different parts of a province that is larger 
 than England. The following proverb shows that 
 variety of speech may sometimes lead to unpleasantness. 
 AVhat is the usual and polite language of one part 
 may be regarded as vulgar and even rude in another : — 
 
 Maggah des kanchna puri 
 Des hhala pai hhdhha hnri, 
 Rahluh Maggah liahluh re, 
 Tekra la ka mdrhe re ? 
 
 i.e. " Maggah is a rich (golden) country ; the place is 
 good, but the language vile. I lived there, and said in 
 consequence re. Will you therefore beat me ? " Where 
 one who has lived in Maggah, and has acquired the habit 
 of using re, is thus taken to task. It will be noted that 
 though a quarrel has been picked up with him for using 
 re, yet he cannot desist from the habit of using it. This
 
 INTRODUCTION. XIU 
 
 is, of course, aimed at the people of Maggah, who in- 
 variably use the interrogative terminal re in addressing 
 people — a term considered especially vulgar in polite 
 language. Many Hindi and Sanskrit words are corrupted 
 (either in pronunciation or etymology) beyond recogni- 
 tion, or have come to acquire meanings altogether 
 different from their originals, and in no way traceable, 
 at least immediately, to the primary ones. In such 
 cases the word is written as pronounced in Bihar, and 
 translated in the accepted sense which prevails among 
 the people. Such corruptions are unavoidable in an 
 uncultivated and unwritten language. A purist may 
 object to this style as perpetuating errors. But there 
 can be no doubt that the right way to transliterate 
 words used by the peasants is to write them exactly as 
 they are pronounced in ordinary familiar talk. This 
 may not be etymological ly correct, but it is so colloquially, 
 and the only form in which they would be recognized by 
 the mass. Surely the so-called " right " method would 
 be pedantic without any purpose or good being served 
 in a work like this, A few Urdu proverbs that have 
 gained currency, and are freely used by the people of 
 Bihar, have been included in this collection. These have 
 been naturalized and are familiar to the people in their 
 Hindi form. But Arabic, Persian, and Urdu words 
 are treated with scant courtesy in the mouths of the 
 Biharis ; they give them " their own intonation." 
 As Mr. Grierson says, " All the dots in the world will not 
 make a Bihiiri pronounce a ^ as other than J, or a Sad 
 as other than /S'." But his liking for these foreign words, 
 and his tendency to use them in season and out of 
 season, is none the less very pronounced. Every one
 
 XIV INTRODUCTION. 
 
 acquainted with the Bihuri rustic has noticed that 
 shortly after he comes into town, or into better society, he 
 attempts a refinement of speech by interlarding it with 
 Urdu phrases and words. He does this perhaps as much 
 with the object of making himself intelligible (as he 
 thinks) to the townsfolk, as to air his familiarity with 
 polite parlance. His ludicrous failure is pathetic at 
 times, and provokes the good-natured laugh of the 
 citizen. The writer was once very much puzzled by 
 the frequent use a respectable villager made of two 
 words which he, for the life of him, could not make out. 
 They were '' hama," ''soma'* {sic). At last, after 
 much patience (for interruption and questioning would 
 have hopelessly lost the words), he discovered that they 
 were .f*.^ and U-ij (Persian "I" and "you"),^ which 
 he irrelevantly and persistently kept on thrusting 
 between his sentences, quite to his own satisfaction. 
 
 5. Some peculiarities of these Proverbs. They chiefly 
 bear the country stai»p. 
 
 It would be perhaps just as well to note briefly here 
 a few of the characteristic features of the Bihar Proverbs 
 — some peculiarities that distinguish them. Begarded 
 generally, the proverbs in common use among the people 
 are of a rural and agricultural nature ; that is, the images 
 they call to mind are connected with husbandry, and the 
 associations they awaken are chiefly such as surround 
 country domestic life, A little reflection will show that 
 this is but natural ; our ideas and thoughts naturally run 
 in the grooves of our occupations and daily lives ; and we 
 
 1 An idiomatic Persian expression meaning " Such as you and I."
 
 INTRODUCTION. XV 
 
 readily draw our illustrations, comparisons, and similes, 
 from images familiar to us, and ever present in our 
 thoughts. Hence it is that people whose chief concern 
 in life is with the soil and the country, draw on rustic 
 objects, agricultural implements, and domestic animals 
 to illustrate, emphasize, and explain their thoughts. 
 Thus, when a Bihiir rustic wishes to express his sense 
 of the unfitness of things, the unseasonableness of a 
 remark, or the inappropriateness of an act, he puts 
 into requisition the implements of agriculture with which 
 he is familiar, and conveys his sense of incongruity by 
 the proverb : Ilcuisuica ke hiydh khurpa he git (Proverb 
 202), " In the wedding of the sickle, the song of the 
 hoe ! " that is, in the wedding of the sickle, the song 
 should of course be about the sickle. It is therefore 
 singularly Out of place to sing on such an occasion in 
 praise of the hoe. This is not merely a figure of 
 speech, but is literally true, however quaint and far- 
 fetched it may appear to us, and points to a time when 
 it was really the custom to hold marriage ceremonies of 
 these agricultural implements. This custom of wedding 
 inanimate objects is still extant in regard to groves, 
 tanks, wells, etc., which are formally married on being 
 opened,^ Even now artisans and peasants worship their 
 tools and implements with deep feelings of veneration, 
 and the Kiiyath (the writer class) has his ink-pot 
 festival [dmcdt piija), when he washes his reed pen and 
 ink-bottle clean, and worships them with offerings, and 
 nothing will induce him to write on that day. Similarly, 
 
 ^ No doubt the underlying idea in these marriages, for instance of a kudur 
 (spade) to an untilled field, of a sickle to a field of corn, etc., was the fertility 
 and productiveness supposed to result from the unions.
 
 XVI INTRODUCTION. 
 
 when a rustic wants to express to you his feeling of 
 ijncertaint}^ the evanescence of anything, or the fleeting 
 nature of an advantage, and desires to warn jou against 
 phicing too much reliance on an ephemeral object, what 
 better simile can he call to his aid than " the shadow of 
 the palm tree," which he has so often watched ! The 
 comparison is picturesque in its simplicity, and quite 
 familiar to him. Changing almost every minute as the 
 sun moves along his orbit, the shadow of the toddy palm 
 cannot be relied on to shelter you for any length of time. 
 If you, therefore, put too much trust on wealth or rely on 
 your post, which you may hold to-day and lose to-morrow, 
 the peasant tells you : "Dau/at far guc/ih he clihdya " or 
 ''Nauh'i tar gdchli l-e chhdyaJ' "Wealth or post is uncertain 
 and transitory like the shadow of a palm tree." 
 
 Then again if he wants to express his surprise at the 
 unexpected impudence or pugnacity of any one who 
 suddenly assumes the role of a bully, but who is naturally 
 expected to be humble and meek, he quotes the following 
 hyperbole : Jollia he either marhhdh ! " The goat of a 
 weaver, and given to viciousness ! " {lit. butting). The 
 quiet, humble, forbearing weaver, the butt of all, and the 
 typical fool of Indian society, is the most inoffensive of 
 human beings; therefore, from a parity of reasoning 
 (helped by imagination), his goat, of all creatures in the 
 world, ought to be the most inoflensive ! Then, goats 
 are not usually vicious, and much less the goat of a 
 weaver. It is therefore singularly inconsistent with its 
 nature if it takes to pugnacious ways, and wonder is 
 expressed at this unexpected transformation. 
 
 If, again, one of his fellow-villagers, after a short 
 absence, returns home and decks himself out in gay colours
 
 INTRODUCTION. XYll 
 
 and costumes, not usually seen among the homely-dressed 
 peasants, and otherwise gives himself airs (a very 
 common weakness), he laughs at him in the proverb : 
 Chare din ke gaile murga mor Jioke aile ! " The cock went 
 away for four days only from his home, and returned a 
 peacock !" which is analogous to the story of the jackdaw 
 who arrayed himself in the plumes of a peacock, and 
 suffered an ignominious humiliation at the hands of his 
 former indignant companions. 
 
 Thus dozens of proverbs may be quoted to show that 
 they are essentially rustic in their nature. The similes 
 and metaphors are drawn from rustic objects, familiar 
 to the every-day life of the Bihiir peasant, and an odour 
 of homely village life pervades them. 
 
 6. The morale of the Proverbs : their tone more practical 
 than moral. 
 
 But it is necessary to examine these proverbs from 
 a higher standpoint of view, to see if they are anything 
 more than a collection of railleries, banters, and jokes, 
 now treating in a spirit of pleasantry certain personal 
 failings, foibles, and vices, and now deriding and taunting 
 in a severe, perhaps cynical, tone the misfortunes and 
 weaknesses of our fellow-mortals. As a very com- 
 prehensive division these proverbs, for our purpose, may 
 be classed under two broad heads : those of a practical 
 or worlcUy nature, and those of a moral and didactic 
 nature. The former would lay down rules useful to 
 be observed in our worldly dealings ; the latter would 
 embody principles of conduct (whether the result of 
 experience or deduced from religious belief) which are
 
 XVlll INTRODUCTION. 
 
 generally accepted as right in our relations to our fellow- 
 mortals, and to a future world. Regarded from this 
 point of view, the proverbs in most common use among 
 the people are decidedly of a very practical nature. 
 They relate more to worldly wisdom than to high 
 principles of rectitude ; they tell us oftener what is 
 expedient and useful than what is right and what ought 
 to be our unswerving line of conduct ; their teachings 
 would help us rather to meet and combat the acuteness 
 and cunning which pass for wisdom in the world than to 
 shun them as low artifices unworthy of us; they are 
 more selfish and less self-denying. There is a general 
 absence in them of an elevating tone, a want of high 
 ideal, such as one would expect to find in the sayings 
 of wisdom left by the sages of old. There is no ethical 
 principle or choice moral maxim conveyed in them ; 
 they rather incline to selfishness and cynicism. Self- 
 interest is their key-note and worldliness their one tune. 
 Perhaps this is the natural outcome of a religion 
 dissevered from morality and ages of grovelling sub- 
 jection. 
 
 7. Ridicule and Derision their chief aim. 
 
 Ridicule is their chief aim, and persiflage their 
 usual style. Their tone is sometimes bitterly sarcastic 
 and a light vein of satire runs through them all. 
 Ridicule, sarcasm, and derision are the chief weapons 
 in the armoury of these proverbs, and they are often 
 wielded with merciless severity. They are rather the 
 cuts of a blunt, heavy sword than the sharp, clean 
 thrusts of a rapier ; very often the jokes are coarse to a 
 degree, and are levelled almost ruthlessly regardless of
 
 INTRODUCTIO>\ XIX 
 
 the feelings of the person aimed at. It is no wonder then 
 that these heavy weapons often leave a deep wound 
 behind. For we all know, if from nothing else, from the 
 fable of the stone-throwing boys and the frogs, that 
 a missile hurled in fun may leave an eflPect the reverse 
 of funny. One of the commonest methods of ridicule 
 in these proverbs is to put the satire into the mouth of 
 the person to be ridiculed, and to make it appear as if it 
 comes from the person himself. This is no doubt a 
 most effective way of caricaturing, as the extravagant 
 utterances sound much more ludicrous in the mouth 
 of the "subject" (who is thus unconsciously developing 
 his oddities) than in that of the "operator." For 
 example, in Proverb 391, " The misfortunes of a husband 
 who has a shrew at home," the scold is pitilessly 
 held up to laughter, when she is represented uttering 
 the lampoon in which she is so mercilessly satirized. 
 The barber's wife, again, who is represented as lamenting 
 the death of her beloved husband (Proverb 107), because 
 " Who is there now left to shave the town ? " is 
 caricaturing in her own person one who is so self- 
 opinionated as to think fondly either herself, or some one 
 dear to her indispensable. 
 
 In the same way the witch who is represented (in 
 Proverb 11) as making a grim boast of her infant- 
 devouring powers, is only caricaturing in herself those 
 who take a delight in boasting of their evil deeds. 
 She says : " Lnrika khdit khCiit biir/ii hhelln ; Jocj kahe hak- 
 ddin,'" " I have grown old in the habit of feasting 
 on infants ; yet people have the impertinence to say I am 
 only a novice in the practice " (literally " only half 
 a witch "), which is only meant as a heavy thrust at those
 
 XX INTRODUCTION. 
 
 perverse natures we occasionally meet who are for ever 
 making a boast of what they ought really to be ashamed 
 of. Similarly, the proverb (No. 112) in which the jackal 
 pup who, being born only in August, has the impudence 
 to speak of a flood that took place in the following month 
 as " such a heavy one that he never saw the like of 
 it in his life," is pleasant irony with humour, and takes 
 off beautifully the presumption of the raw youth who 
 talks as one ripe in experience and knowing everything. 
 Another very common mode of ridiculing adopted in 
 these proverbs is by exaggeration. This puts in the 
 most ludicrous form the object to be ridiculed and 
 provokes the laugh of the hearers, which, in most cases, is 
 all that is aimed at. It is, besides, a form that commends 
 itseK most to the taste and calibre of the rustic. 
 
 8. Humour. 
 
 Speaking of humour, it would perhaps be useful 
 here to point out that these proverbs are not wholly 
 destitute of it, at least, as understood by the Bihilri 
 rustic. The peasant has his style of humour, as he has 
 his style of talk. It may be rough and ready, but it is 
 genuine. Like the coarse salt he uses, it lacks refinement, 
 but it helps to flavour his language. We can only afibrd 
 space for a few examples chosen at random. There is 
 no doubt genuine humour when a despicable effort 
 made to effect a gigantic purpose is likened to the 
 presumption of the seagull in the fable who slept with her 
 tiny feet held upwards, lest the sky should fall (Proverb 
 108). Again, the man who is foolish enough to confide 
 in a notorious swindler, and to trust him with his money,
 
 INTRODUCTION. XXI 
 
 is aptly compared to the stupid creature who entrusted 
 a jackal with a piece of meat to be kept for him till 
 he wanted it! (Proverb 161). The occasional visit of 
 an acquaintance is welcome ; but if he should take to 
 the habit of coming frequently, and " sponging " on 
 you for long periods, his visits become anything but 
 pleasant. Such a behaviour is satirized in the follow- 
 ing humorous simile (perhaps too grotesque in its grim 
 humour of treating so lightly such a serious subject as 
 death) : Burh ke marie na demln jam ke parikle derdln ; 
 i.e. "The occasional incursion of the 'angel of death' 
 {jam) to seize an old victim is not by any means to be 
 feared (for that is to be expected), but his getting 
 accustomed to making frequent raids!" (Proverb 314). 
 Few who have had experience of camping life in Bihar 
 will fail to recall a village quarrel into whicb the women 
 enter with so much gusto as an indispensable part of 
 their daily business. The termagants ranged on opposite 
 sides, brawling, gesticulating, and screaming with all 
 their might like so many cockatoos, the men going about 
 their business as usual and quite unconcernedly as if this 
 periodical outburst was a necessary part of the day's 
 proceedings, the children and the village pariahs adding 
 their chorus. On such an occasion we can imag-ine a 
 wag, who has been watching the fun with the relish 
 of a by-stander who is not mixed up in it, turning away 
 from it, just when the quarrel is raging at its highest, 
 and the warmed combatants are becoming a bit unmindful 
 of modesty in their language and gestures, with the 
 humorous advice thrown in, more in jest than in earnest, 
 " Lar parosin did rakh," " Yes, go at it, you neighbours ! 
 but please preserve a little sbame in your modest eyes "
 
 XXll INTRODUCTION. 
 
 (Proverb 389). Of course, the word " neighbours " is not 
 used without a toucli of irony. Those who are 
 quarrelling now so vehemently (in such unneighbourly 
 fashion) will not long after be the best of friends, as 
 neighbours ought to be. It is only a daily " con- 
 stitutional." 
 
 Akin to humour is drollery and burlesque. In 
 essence they are a coarse form of humour, where effect 
 is sought by sportive tricks, buffoonery, ludicrous or 
 unnatural representation and exaggerated parody. These 
 predominate in the proverbs that are descriptive of the 
 peculiar traits characteristic of certain castes and classes, 
 where the prominent failings are laid hold of and 
 are mercilessly gibbeted and parodied in a fashion which, 
 to those unused to this style, would almost seem inhuman. 
 The oddities, for example, of the JoU/a (the Mussalman 
 weaver, the proverbial fool of Indian society) are 
 travestied in a melodramatic style in the sarcastic lines 
 describing his encounter with the frog, where, after being 
 defeated by that mighty creature, he recounts his 
 adventure (not without a tone of vaunting) to his 
 admiring wife, and winds up with the bathos, "Now, 
 whatever happens, whether I live or die, I am off to 
 the battle of the frogs !" — intended not only to excite 
 his wife's wonder at his prowess, but her commiseration 
 (Proverb 313). The Kanmijia Brahmin, than whom 
 there is not a greater stickler in regard to caste rules, is 
 similarly ridiculed in the over-drawn picture of " three 
 Brahmins and thirteen separate cooking places " (Proverb 
 259). And the "poor" Myath is with great art ludicrously 
 represented as "picking" up the bits that drop when two 
 laddm (sweetmeat balls meant figuratively for "rich
 
 INTRODUCTION. XXlll 
 
 fools") fight: Laddii lare jhilli jltare hdijath hechdre ha pet 
 hhare, " "When laddus fight bits drop out ; the poor kayath 
 gets his living" (Proverb 280). But though somewhat 
 exaggerated, a better portrait could not be given than 
 in the description of him when taking anything on 
 " tick " and when paying cash. Nagad kdijath hhict udJidr 
 kayath deota, " A kdyath when paying cash is the very 
 devil (in exacting a bargain) ; but when taking a loan 
 he is as meek as an angel ! " "When a perverse nature, 
 that cannot under any circumstances behave straight- 
 forwardly, is satirized in the saying, " If he is very 
 straight, he is like a sickle " (Proverb 230), or when one, 
 whose acrid nature is increased in acerbity by outward 
 circumstances, is likened to " the bitter karela creeper 
 climbing the still more bitter nlm,'" the images called 
 forth are eminently calculated to provoke a laugh by their 
 extravagance (Proverb 143). 
 
 9. Nature of some of the Proverbs : simile half expressed. 
 
 In these proverbs as it will be readily noticed the 
 
 simile is usually only half expressed. The incident 
 
 or object to be compared is not mentioned, but only the 
 
 image is quoted to illustrate it. The former is always 
 
 taken for granted as being present ; the latter only 
 
 is brought into prominence. The particle or word 
 
 indicating comparison is seldom expressed ; but the things 
 
 are placed side by side and the hearer is left to draw his 
 
 inference. In fact, the primary meaning of the Arabic 
 
 word mashl^ is likeness, and probablj'- the office of proverbs 
 
 1 " The title of the 'Book of Proverbs' in Hebrew is Mishle-Mashal, 
 rendered in the Arabic version 'by-word,' 'parable,' 'proverb.' It is 
 derived from a root mashal 'to be like,' and the primary idea involved 
 in it is that of likeness, comparison. Probably all proverbial sayings
 
 XXIV INTRODUCTION. 
 
 was originally, as has been conjectured, to furnish 
 comparisons only. 
 
 10. Oftener concrete than abstract in their form. 
 
 And this brings us to the consideration of one marked 
 feature of these proverbs, being as they are the rude 
 primitive utterances of illiterate minds. They are oftener 
 concrete than abstract in the forms in which they appear. 
 For, as is well known, abstraction and generalization are 
 habits acquired after long civilization and training. The 
 form of expression which readily commends itself to 
 the uncultivated mind is the concrete form. A truth or a 
 fact is expressed by the uncivilized in a tangible shape, 
 associated with images familiar to him. The same idea 
 is made of general application by the trained mind 
 in an abstract expression. The notion is the same, 
 but the form different. Many instances of this will 
 readily occur to all who have had experience of the 
 illiterate Bihiir peasant. The images, illustrations, and 
 expressions they employ are almost always material. 
 For example, the idea expressed by us in the abstract 
 and generalized form, " He laughs best who laughs last," 
 is comically illustrated in the story of the potter and the 
 greengrocer, who jointly hired a camel to convey their 
 respective articles of trade. The potter filled his side of 
 the pack with earthen pots and chatties, and the green- 
 grocer did likewise with greens and vegetables. As they 
 proceeded on their journey, the camel frequently helped 
 himself to the greens from the greengrocer's bag. This 
 
 were at first of the nature of similes. From this stage of its application 
 it passed to that of sententious maxims generally, many of which, however 
 still involve comparison." — Dr. Chambers.
 
 INTRODUCTION. XXV 
 
 excited the potter's laugh, who thought he had the 
 best of the bargain, and quizzed his friend on his 
 bad luck. To this he retorted by saying, " We shall 
 see, ray friend, on what side the camel sits." Presently 
 they had occasion to stop on the road, and the camel 
 was made to sit. He naturally sat on the heavier 
 side of the potter's package, and also, probably, with 
 an eye to having occasional mouthfuls from the green- 
 grocer's bag. This caused all the pots to smash, and 
 then of course the greengrocer had the laugh all on, 
 his side. Hence the saying: ^' Kanna kare to iint baithela," 
 "Let's see on what side the camel sits" (Proverb 194). 
 " Ingratitude " is illustrated by the common story of 
 the young cuckoo remaining after all a cuckoo, and 
 causing disappointment and shame to its foster-mother, 
 the crow, who, under a delusion, was led to hatch the 
 eggs of a cuckoo (Proverb 50). "Inattention" is cari- 
 catured in the person Avho, having sat through the whole 
 epic of the Rdmdyan, inquires innocentl}' at the end, 
 "Whose wife is Sita?" (Proverb 65). "Presumption" 
 is similarly illustrated in the story of the donkey who 
 attempted to ford a stream in which huge animals, like 
 the camel, were drowned, and paid with his life for his 
 audacity (Proverb 98). Extreme feminine vanity is 
 similarly travestied in the " blind woman " keeping three 
 collyrium boxes to beautify her eyelashes (Proverb 84), 
 and so on. 
 
 11. Some Proverbs convey their meaning hij suggestion rather 
 than expression. 
 
 Some proverbs convey their meaning, more by sugges- 
 tion than expression ; they refer to some folklore or to
 
 XXVI INTRODUCTION. 
 
 an analogous case which brings out the point to be 
 illustrated, or the absurdity of the situation prominently. 
 It is vain to endeavour to find, in them a parallel idea 
 corresponding to every word, used : the result would be 
 nonsense. You have to infer the comparison as a 
 whole from the parallel instance put forward. The 
 implied metaphor, from its very incompleteness as it 
 were, strikes you forcibly. The parallel is not complete, 
 but ends half-way, and suggests the corresponding idea 
 and simile, more by implication than expression. In- 
 stances of this occur in every language, e.g. " Money 
 makes the mare to go," " Blood is thicker than water," 
 etc. Of this nature are proverbs, 
 
 Gdi gdi ha holihah hdiir, 
 
 BJiUsa kutale niksi chdur ? (Proverb 160). 
 
 Said when one is advised not to waste his breath in 
 trying to convince a man who will not be convinced. 
 The process is similar to extracting rice by pounding 
 husk : E, giir khdyen, kdii chhcddyen (Proverb 159). 
 Said when one is bound to do a thing nolens volens, how- 
 ever much he may object to it at first. This proverb 
 refers to the practice of giving a piece of sugar (jaggery) 
 to a child, whose ears are to be bored ; while she is thus 
 engaged her ears, or rather the cartilages of her ears, 
 are pierced, etc. 
 
 12. Rhyming Pvorerbs. 
 
 Often a telling effect is obtained b\^ a casual rhyme 
 of words of widely different import, e.g. Chor jaUne 
 hlra ke, icaime klilni ke, "A thief is a thief whether
 
 INTRODUCTION. XXVU 
 
 he steals a diamond or a cucumber;" or Jekra hath mm 
 doi, tela-a hath men sab hoi, " He who holds the hcliiing 
 spoon commands everybody" (Proverb 175) ; or Kdm iri- 
 yara chcwi nahi piydra, " Handsome is that handsome 
 does" {tit. "Work is loveable, not the skin"). But 
 oftener the rhyme is there, but not the reason. 
 
 13. Feminine Proverbs. 
 
 There are some proverbs and expressions especially in 
 use among the women ; they are peculiar to females, and 
 applicable to them only. They are seldom used by men, 
 unless by those despicable creatures called Maiigrds, or a 
 class of effeminate men who affect the ways of women. 
 They talk and behave like them, assume a feminine 
 gait and tone, clothe themselves like women, and pretend 
 in all respects to have feminine tastes. They prefer 
 women's company to men's, sing feminine songs in 
 feigned voices, and are looked upon as buffoons. It is 
 strange to notice the freedom with which they are allowed 
 to mix with women — a liberty not usually permitted to 
 men in native society. 
 
 The writer can only afford space to direct the atten- 
 tion of the reader to a i&w of the Proverbs (out of a 
 great many) that are used in reference to the w^omen 
 only : they are for instance Proverbs 82, 87, 103, 104, 
 318, 368, 401, etc. 
 
 It will be noticed that the feminine gender is denoted 
 by the terminal "o," and that a wife never speaks of 
 her husband by his name, but simply by the personal 
 pronoun " he," and its cases. Among other curious 
 domestic customs, in connection with the wife, may be
 
 XXVUl INTRODUCTION. 
 
 noticed the extreme reserve which she is supposed to 
 exercise towards her husband's father and elder brother, 
 at all times. Iler person is sacred to them, it is there- 
 fore considered a pollution to be touched by them. She 
 will never speak to them, or if she can help it, be seen 
 by them. She will hide herself on their approach, or 
 if she is obliged to serve them she will draw her sari 
 cloth over her head. The following warning thrown in 
 by the wife, who was serving out dinner to her father- 
 in-law, in the form of a riddle, is interesting as illustrating 
 that direct speech on the part of the daughter-in-law, 
 under any circumstances, is considered highly indecent. 
 AVhile she was engaged one day in helping her father- 
 in-law to his meal, a drop of milk from her, breast fell 
 in his food. Unable to warn him directly, she repeated 
 the following lines which conveyed to him the necessary 
 hint and stopped him in time from making himself " the 
 son of his daughter-in-law : 
 
 Kdhat mora laj lage, simat par gari, 
 Sds 1x6 patoh Idgim, sasur he mahidri ? 
 
 " I am ashamed to say so, and those who hear me will 
 take it as an abuse : I am the daughter-in-law of my 
 mother-in-law and (am I to become) the mother of my 
 father-in-law?" These restrictions are not so strictl}'' 
 observed among the lower classes in Bihar, who, owing 
 to their circumstances, are often thrown together ; but 
 there is, notwithstanding, always a reserve between the 
 futher-in-law, the elder brother-in-law, and the wife. 
 While on the other hand she is allowed the utmost 
 liberty to joke with her husband's younger brother, who 
 iji a legitimate object of her practical jokes.
 
 INTRODUCTION. SXIX 
 
 Speaking of conmidruras and riddles, the writer will 
 just notice in passing that some very witty ones exist in 
 the mouths of the people. They are chiefly characterized 
 by a play of fancy and. humour, and by the very 
 good use made of familiar domestic objects to amplify 
 and clothe the metaphors and give a quaint turn to 
 common expressions so as to conceal the real meaning- 
 They are replete with "quips and cranks" and happy 
 twists, which sometimes recoil on the head of the solver 
 of these riddles himself. A spirit of hilarity breathes 
 through them and a "double entente^' is often used with 
 telling effect. 
 
 14. Sources of tJiese Proverbs. 
 
 It is impossible now to trace the history of most of 
 the proverbs, to say who were their authors, or how 
 they originated and became current among the people. 
 A few are no doubt of classical origin, and are traceable 
 to well-known Hindi works, such as the great Epics, 
 the Ramayan, the Mahabharata, etc. Others are the 
 remarkable sayings of local poets, seers, and astrologers. 
 For example, a great many of the clever sayings regard- 
 ing agriculture, seasons, and pastoral subjects in general, 
 are attributed to the two brothers Ghjig Rae and Bhiig 
 Rae, who, it is said, were natives of Bhojpur. To 
 Bhaddar,^ also supposed to be a native of the Shiihabad 
 district, are ascribed, on the other hand, many of the 
 remarkable utterances relating to the science of jotkh or 
 astrology, by which an undertaking is ascertained to be 
 auspicious or inauspicious. These are formuke and dicta 
 
 1 See a note on Bbaddar under Proverb 437.
 
 XXX INTROUUCTIOX. 
 
 based on astrology, and are quoted to recommend or 
 dissuade any one from taking an impending step, such 
 as starting on a journey, building a house, undertaking 
 a heavy responsibility, etc., and have the greatest hold 
 on the imagination and belief of the people. Others, 
 again, are no doubt the sayings of clever villagers, being 
 the outcome of experience or of popular superstition. 
 The Proverbs relating to agriculture, seasons, and pur- 
 chase of cattle, are especially useful as rules of guidance 
 for all agriculturists and farmers, who want to keep on 
 the right track, and profit by the experience of others. 
 
 15. Classification and Arrangement of the Proverbs; their 
 Transliteration and Translation. 
 
 In concluding this rambling and discursive notice of 
 the Proverbs the writer would wish to make a few re- 
 marks on their classification and arrangement. That 
 this is a difficult task will be readily acknowledged by 
 all who have taken the subject into their consideration ; 
 but the peculiar difiiculties besetting one who attempts 
 to translate proverbs into a foreign language, and then 
 to reduce them into certain order, are perhaps greater. 
 Perhaps, no attempt to classify the proverbs and group 
 them under definite heads can be perfect and give uni- 
 versal satisfaction. The same proverbs may be viewed 
 from difierent standpoints by different individuals, and 
 each would naturally class it under the head which 
 appeared to him the fittest. It is, therefore, almost a 
 trite saying that there are as many ways of looking at 
 a proverb as there are dispositions and temperaments. 
 The following will show that proverbs may reasonably
 
 INTRODUCTION. XXXI 
 
 be classed under any out of the several general heads 
 adopted in this compilation. For instance (Proverb 49G) : 
 
 KdnlJi gaiija he ahje hathdn, 
 
 "A blind cow requires a separate house" (cattle yard), 
 
 (a) Can be taken as referring to cattle and put under 
 class vi. 
 
 (b) Can be considered as aimed at a foible (a crotchet or 
 queer whim, which is really the object of the proverb) 
 and classed under class i. 
 
 (c) Can be taken as a saying of worldly wisdom and 
 put under class ii. 
 
 (d) May be taken as a social proverb and classed under 
 class iv. 
 
 Similarly proverb 325. 
 
 JSfanado he nanad hola, 
 
 " A sister-in-law has a sister-in-law too " (to tyrannise 
 over her). May be taken either as a piece of consoling 
 advice to those who are tyrannised over (class ii.) ; or may 
 be classified according to the particular foible aimed 
 at, i.e. home oppression (class i.); or may be regarded 
 as a scene out of native domestic life in which the 
 sisters-in-law figure (class iv.). It will thus be noticed 
 that the classification in each case would be right, 
 according to the point of view from which the proverb 
 was regarded. Another difficulty of reducing the proverbs 
 under general heads is the variety of subjects they treat 
 of. A generic head does not take in the various shades 
 of difierence, and is thus to some extent deceptive. This 
 difficulty increases considerably when the attempt is 
 made to arrange them under sub-heads.
 
 XXXU INTRODUCTION. 
 
 In the early history of this compilation, shortly after the 
 work was undertaken, the writer in submitting a few 
 specimen sheets to Mr. G. A. Grierson, C.S., for his 
 opinion, had applied to him for his suggestions as to 
 the lines on which it would be advisable to classify 
 and group the proverbs. He was kind enough to give 
 them freely. Indeed, without his kind encouragement 
 and advice, given from time to time, and given so 
 gracefully, the work would never have been persevered 
 with. He was then good enough to direct the compiler's 
 attention to the following methods. (As these are clearly 
 and concisely laid down by him in his letter the compiler 
 will give Mr. Grierson's own words) : — 
 
 " There are many principles to choose from. The 
 simplest and easiest is that of Fallon in his 'Dictionary 
 of Proverbs.' He arranges them alphabetically according 
 to the first word of each. But as the same proverb 
 varies greatly in different people's mouths it is not a 
 good arrangement. It is better to arrange them either 
 according to subjects or according to objects. In 
 the first method you group all proverbs about, say, 
 birds, then all those about plants, and so on. In the 
 second method you arrange them according to the 
 particular vices or foibles aimed at, e.g. those aimed 
 at gluttony, then those at parsimony. Both these 
 methods are difficult to carry out. The best way I 
 think is to class them, as far as possible, according to 
 subjects and to add a complete index giving every 
 important word which occurs. No collection of proverbs 
 can be satisfactory without such an index, for such a 
 collection is a work of reference, and unless proverbs 
 can be found easily, they may just as well remain in
 
 INTRODUCTIOX. XXXIU 
 
 the brains of the natives as in a printed labyrinth 
 without a clue." 
 
 ]^o\v, each of these methods has its advantages and its 
 disadvantages, its recommendations and its drawbacks. 
 The alphabetical system, besides the important reason 
 given by Mr. Grierson, could not be adopted, as it was 
 unsuited to the original plan of this work, which is not 
 a dictionary of proverbs, but a compilation with notes 
 on the context, in which it was essential to follow some 
 principle of grouping the proverbs under certain " heads." 
 Moreover, if a dictionary of proverbs were needed, there 
 is Dr. Fallon's excellent work, which perhaps some may 
 think renders this compilation unnecessarj^ To such I 
 would say in the words of George Elliot (slightly altered), 
 " One could not carry on life comfortably, without a little 
 blindness to the fact, that everything has been done better 
 than we could do it ourselves." But, as a matter of fact, 
 this compilation is altogether different from Dr. Fallon's 
 important work, as will be seen at a glance. 
 
 The next method of grouping them according to the 
 subject, i.e. the images employed to illustrate, exemplify, 
 or emphasize the idea, would be certainly easier and 
 perhaps complete, and less open to questioning. But 
 notwithstanding these recommendations, the principle can 
 hardly be pronounced to be satisfactory. The simile or 
 metaphor employed, is, after all, the mere husk, the 
 outward form and accidental. Birds, plants, animals, 
 various rustic tools, implements, etc., are put into requi- 
 sition simply to act as illustrations to the prominent idea 
 involved. Thus the tusk of an elephant is in one proverb 
 (Proverb 246) made to symbolise straightforwardness and 
 in another (Proverb 3) exactly the opposite qualit}'.
 
 XXXIV INTRODUCTION. 
 
 When the paras tree is spoken of as having but three 
 leaves, this incidental natural fact is seized to emphasize 
 the main idea of the extent of one's power — "thus 
 far thou shalt go and no further." Again : when the 
 delicate huJhul is made use of in keen irony to ridicule 
 a rough coarse woman, who pretends to be fine, the 
 prominent idea of the proverb is not the bird, but 
 "affectation." Similarly, when a vain man makes a 
 boast of his short-lived power and is giddy with his 
 slight elevation, he is likened to a " cricket on a bundle 
 of clothes ; " the harmless insect is the least part of the 
 proverb, and is simply a casual metaphor employed to 
 laugh at the common human failing, because its chirping, 
 when seated on a slight eminence, is not unlike that of the 
 upstart. And so on, the images are merely the outward 
 integument to enclose and hold the germ of idea involved 
 in the proverb. It would be as reasonable in a classifica- 
 tion of English proverbs to class the proverb, " Casting 
 pearls before swine," under the head of "animals" or 
 " precious stones " as to put the last Hindi proverb under 
 the generic head of insects. The classification, to say 
 the least of it, vs^ould be misleading. 
 
 The third method, no doubt, has the least to be said 
 against it ; it is classifj'ing the proverbs according to 
 their subject-matter. This would include the " object " 
 {i.e. the particular vices or foibles aimed at) w^hich would, 
 in the case of these proverbs, form their true subject- 
 matter. For example, the proverbs relating to " human 
 failings, foibles, and vices " (class i. in this collection) 
 would be grouped, according to their " objects," i.e. 
 the particular vices aimed at, such as " hypocrisy," 
 " parsimony," " gluttony," etc., while proverbs relating
 
 INTRODUCTION. XXXV 
 
 to " peculiarities, traits," etc. (class iii.), or those relating 
 to "agriculture" (class v.), would be grouped according 
 to the subject-matter treated of. But this principle 
 of classification has its drawback also. In a few 
 instances, especially in proverbs coming under classes 
 i, ii. and iv., the grouping of the proverbs under the 
 general heads has to be somewhat " forced " — perhaps 
 a distinction has to be made without much of a difference. 
 This is unavoidable from the nature of the cognate 
 subjects treated of in the proverbs, which, viewed from 
 different standpoints, might come just as easily under one 
 head as under another. The proverbs coming under 
 class ii. cannot easily be comprised under definite 
 sub-heads. The variety of subjects are too numerous 
 and diversified to admit of classification. Even cognate 
 ideas are often expressed in a variety of shades that 
 require separate grouping. Thus the sub-heads have a 
 tendency to become as numerous as the proverb heads. 
 
 In classifying the proverbs the compiler has followed 
 the last method. He has been principally guided by 
 their subject-matter, their application and use ; their 
 object rather than their subject or form. This system 
 might not be the best, but it seemed to him to be the 
 one which had most reason on its side. It is natural, and 
 has the advantage of easy reference. Of course some of 
 these groupings may appear arbitrary, but this is also 
 unavoidable, so long as a proverb can be viewed from 
 different standpoints. In the index the object has been 
 to give the subject-matter (substance) of the proverbs in 
 their own words, expressed as concisely as possible. This, 
 it was thought, would have the advantage of directing 
 attention to the proverb when it was heard or a reference
 
 XXXVl INTRODUCTION, 
 
 was made to it, and would also avoid the use of hackneyed 
 phrases. In order, therefore, to have a correct idea, we 
 must turn to the proverbs themselves, as very often the 
 brief index-heads will fail to convey an adequate idea 
 of the proverb. They are expressed so quaintly and in a 
 form so foreign to our notions and ideas of things, though 
 the subject-matter may be familiar enough. The general 
 heads will also be a guide where to look for proverbs of 
 a certain kind. 
 
 The system of transliteration adopted is the same as 
 that of the Bihar Peasant Life by Mr. Grierson. It may 
 be briefly described as the Jonesian system, with every 
 possible diacritical mark omitted. In pursuance of this 
 the cerebral letters are given no dots, and, as nearly every 
 final vowel is long, the long mark has been omitted from 
 final vowels. As Mr. Grierson has described this system 
 clearly in the Introduction to his Bihar Peasant Life, I 
 give his own words : "Every native word is written twice 
 over — once with accuracy in the native character for 
 those who are able to read it, and once in the English 
 character for those who are not acquainted with the 
 Indian vernaculars. This transliteration does not pretend 
 to be scientifically accurate. Such a transliteration with 
 its diacritical dots and dashes would only puzzle those for 
 whom it is intended, viz. those who are ignorant of the 
 language. All that has been attempted for them is to 
 give them a general idea of the correct pronunciation of 
 the words, without professing to tell them the exact pro- 
 nunciation, which they hardly require, and which would 
 be difficult to do. For these persons all that is necessary 
 is, that they should pronounce the vowels as in Italian, 
 and the consonants as in English, and they will then
 
 IXTRODUCTIOX. XXXVll 
 
 approacli sufl5ciently near to the way in which the natives 
 themselves pronounce the words. For those who are ac- 
 quainted with the vernacular languages, no instructions 
 for pronouncing the words in their vernacular dress are 
 necessary." 
 
 Dark passages the writer has not shunned to the best 
 of his knowledge and light in translating. But he has 
 been careful to avoid holding " a farthing rushlight to 
 the sun." To those familiar with the vernacular of the 
 peasantry nothing would be dark, and to those not so 
 conversant, every expression would need a commentary. 
 Thus to adopt a middle course was by no means such 
 plain sailing as might be imagined at first sight. Then 
 the peculiar difficulty of translating idiomatic, terse, and 
 colloquial expressions, which chiefly make up the language 
 of the proverbs, from one tongue into another, is known 
 to all. To translate these by their literal meanings would, 
 in most cases, be to make great nonsense in another 
 language. Of course the only safe method in such cases 
 is to translate the idiom of one language into the 
 corresponding idiom of the other. But this proposi- 
 tion, which is so easy to state, is most diflBcult to carry 
 out. Besides requiring a perfect familiarity with the 
 idiom of both languages on which the translator is at 
 work, there are seldom exactly corresponding idiomatic 
 expressions to be found in two languages — expressions 
 which convey exactly the same ideas and no more and no 
 less, and with equal force and terseness. It is truly said, 
 that " metaphor, which is the strength of language, is 
 invariably the stumbling-block of the translator," and a 
 "pun," according to Addison, "can be no more engraven 
 than it can be translated."
 
 XXXVUl INTllODUCTION. 
 
 My sincere and grateful acknowledgments are due to 
 my friend Mr. H, F. Drummond, of the Opium Depart- 
 ment, for his friendly help and kind advice (alwaj^s 
 freely given, whenever I was in doubt or difficulty) 
 throughout the compilation of this work. To his nice 
 literary judgment and extensive reading I owe many 
 valuable suggestions. 
 
 John Christian. 
 
 Hajipue, Tiehut, Eehar, 
 December, 1890.
 
 XXXIX 
 
 CLASS I. 
 Peoyeebs eelating to Humak Failings, Foibles, and Vices. 
 
 Sub- Class. 
 
 No. 
 
 Subject of Proverbs. 
 
 Affectation, 
 Pretence, 
 Shamming, 
 Dissembling, 
 Hypocrisy, 
 etc. 
 
 Avarice, Parsi- 
 mony, Cove- 
 tousness, 
 Greed, etc. 
 
 Aping. 
 
 Bullying, 
 Oppressing, 
 Venting rage, 
 etc. 
 
 1. Cutting off the head and pretending to 
 
 preserve the hair. 
 
 2. Father a drunkard, and the son pretending 
 
 to play the role of a religious man. 
 
 3. Like the tusk and teeth of an elephant, 
 
 one set for show and another for use. 
 
 4. Pretending to turn over a new leaf. 
 
 5. Pretending the end of the cucumber is 
 
 bitter. 
 
 6. Sinner turned a saint. 
 
 7. Shamming to shirk. 
 
 8. She knows nine, but not six. 
 
 9. She calls herself a sayad, but stoops to steal 
 
 a nose ornament. 
 
 10. She calls herself a lulhul, but swallows a 
 
 gfdar. 
 
 1 1 . Old in sin yet a novice. 
 
 12. A life's hoarding lost at a stroke. 
 
 13. Almighty dollar. 
 
 14. The miser's loss is sudden. 
 
 15. The miser and his wife. 
 
 16. To take one and give two. 
 
 17. When gaining he is discontented, when 
 
 losing contented. 
 
 18. Apiug — a losing game. 
 
 19. Aping often causes discomfort. 
 
 20. Paying dearly for a])ing. 
 
 21. The weak bullying the weaker. 
 
 22. The cunning bullying the weak. 
 
 23. The anvil bears the missing stroke. 
 
 24. The fallen are trampled. 
 
 25. Entirely at your mercy. 
 
 26. Venting one's rage on the innocent. 
 
 d
 
 xl 
 
 HUMAN FAILINGS, ETC. 
 
 Sub -Class. 
 
 No. 
 
 Subject of Proverbs. 
 
 Bad writing. 
 Elabbins;. 
 
 " Counting the 
 chickens be- 
 fore they arc 
 hatched," 
 Anticipating, 
 etc. 
 
 Conceit. 
 
 Extravagance. 
 
 Exaggeration. 
 Gluttony. 
 
 Ingratitude. 
 
 Ignorance. 
 Improvidence. 
 Inability to ap- 
 preciate worth, 
 merit, etc. 
 
 27. Bad hand-writing. 
 
 28. A blabber dying to blab. 
 
 29. The tell-tale causes the downfall of a 
 
 kingdom. 
 
 30. The son is born before the father. 
 
 31. The father is still unborn, but the son 
 
 attends a wedding (safilowcr). 
 
 32. Proclaiming before the son is born. 
 
 33. Crying before he is hurt. 
 
 34. Anticipating evil. 
 
 35. Conceit about one's wisdom. 
 
 36. Can't afford rice-gruel, but drinks toddy. 
 
 37. Expenditure on a thing more than it is 
 
 worth. 
 
 38. Cost of the wood is 9 pice, but he spends 
 
 90 on it. 
 
 39. Useless appendage. 
 
 40. Servant to a servant. 
 
 41. Critics say more than the poet. 
 
 42. Making a mountain of a mole-hill. 
 
 43. A lakh is on the lips of a brag. 
 
 44. A greedy daughter-in-law. 
 
 45. Pretended fasting before her husband. 
 
 46. Ambition dying for name : greed for belly. 
 
 47. The greedy advised to eat with eyes closed 
 
 before children. 
 
 48. Hunger to be appeased before devotion (a 
 
 " full bellv, then a devout heart"). 
 
 49. "Enemy to food." 
 
 50. The young of a cuckoo will after all be a 
 
 cuckoo. 
 
 51. A snake bites its charmer. 
 
 52. A viper is never grateful. 
 
 53. Like a horse that grumblingly neighs 
 
 when given ghi. 
 
 54. Poor attainments taunted. 
 
 55. An improvident man overtaken by the flood. 
 
 56. Can a low caste appreciate hard (a kind 
 
 of sweetmeat) ? 
 
 57. Can a monkey appreciate ginger? 
 
 58. The hubble-bubble in the hands of a 
 
 monkey.
 
 HUMAN FAILIXGS, ETC. 
 
 xli 
 
 Sub-Class. 
 
 No. 
 
 Subject of Proverbs. 
 
 Inattention. 
 
 Love of false dis- 
 play, empty 
 boast, fop- 
 pishness, etc. 
 
 59. Music hath, no charms for a buffalo. 
 
 60. Useless to adorn before a blind husband. 
 
 61. To the blind day and night are the same. 
 
 62. Worth unappreciated. 
 
 63. Merit not recognized (illustrated by an 
 
 allegory). 
 
 64. Making no distinction. 
 
 65. Enquiring who is the hero after the whole 
 
 tale is finished. 
 
 66. Affecting high-sounding names. 
 
 67. Foppishness in dress. 
 
 68. One who asks for alms should not enquire 
 
 after the rent-roll of a village. 
 
 69. Dying to eat jt?«?^. 
 
 70. A vain woman's love for display. 
 
 71. False outward display. 
 
 72. Fashionable father and son, with frogs for 
 
 kettle-drum. 
 
 73. One who cannot afford it keeping up a 
 
 dance at his gate for display. 
 
 74. Falsely calling himself a " Benares man." 
 
 75. The cock after four days' absence returns 
 
 home a peacock. 
 
 76. Display in borrowed plumes. 
 
 77. A vain woman thinks of adorning herself 
 
 only. 
 
 78. Himself a beggar and a beggar at his door. 
 
 79. Love of worthless finery. 
 
 80. When out he wears long dhotis ; at home 
 
 he eats masur bread. 
 
 81. Tall talk when out and kodo rice at home. 
 
 82. Eoasting of three-seer anklets. 
 
 83. Demanding a torch at another's house. 
 
 84. A blind woman owning three collyrium 
 
 boxes. 
 
 85. The needy keeping company with the 
 
 great. 
 
 86. Rags to wear and carpets to spread. 
 
 87. Proud of her Chundri Suri. 
 
 88. A poor fop. 
 
 89. The poor man at the prow of the boat. 
 
 90. Vain boast of learning.
 
 xli 
 
 HUMAN FAILINGS, ETC. 
 
 Sub -Class. 
 
 No. 
 
 Subject of Proverbs. 
 
 "Pot calling the 
 kettle black," 
 
 Alike faulty or 
 defective. 
 
 Presumption, 
 Audacity, 
 Cheeli, Arro- 
 gance, Over- 
 confidence, 
 Imprudence, 
 etc. 
 
 Eecklessness. 
 
 Selfishness, 
 Heartlessness, 
 
 91. 
 92. 
 93. 
 94. 
 95. 
 96. 
 97. 
 
 98. 
 
 99. 
 100. 
 
 101. 
 
 102. 
 
 103. 
 104. 
 105. 
 106. 
 107. 
 
 108. 
 
 109. 
 
 110, 
 111, 
 112, 
 113 
 114 
 115 
 116, 
 
 117 
 
 118 
 119, 
 120, 
 
 An upstart affecting gentility. 
 
 Affecting familiarity with the great (a snob). 
 
 The sieve blaming the sup. 
 
 Equally miserable and poor. 
 
 Both alike defective. 
 
 Blind to one's own fault. 
 
 Where giants have failed, the pigmy has 
 
 come to try his strength. 
 Where camels are drowned, the donkey 
 
 ventures to ford. 
 Falsely claiming kinship. 
 While the superior spirits are crying from 
 hunger, Mua has the cheek to ask for 
 cakes. 
 Breeze of the fan pitted against the hurri- 
 cane. 
 The goat of a jolhu (weaver) and addicted 
 
 to butting ! 
 Cheek in a young girl. 
 Can the dance get on without gango ? 
 Cricket on a bundle. 
 Making free with another's property. 
 The barber's wife lamenting the death of 
 
 her husband. 
 Can the sea-gull support the falling skies 
 
 with its tiny feet ? 
 He does not know the charm for scorpions, 
 yet ventures to put his hand in a snake's 
 hole. 
 Self-praise is no praise. 
 Arrogating superiority over one's teacher. 
 Presumption of the inexperienced. 
 The young crow wiser than its mother. 
 Born but yesterday and to-day a giant. 
 An old goat quizzing the wolf. 
 Recklessness of those who have nothing to 
 
 lose. 
 One who has nothing to lose can be reck- 
 less to any extent. 
 Beckless waste of other's property. 
 What is play to one is death to another. 
 Dying man asked to sing.
 
 HUMAN FAILINGS, ETC. 
 
 xlii 
 
 Sub-Class. 
 
 No. 
 
 Subject of Proverbs. 
 
 Obstinacy, Self- 
 willed, having 
 one's own way, 
 etc. 
 
 Yain or impo- 
 tent desire. 
 Vain expecta- 
 tion. Useless 
 labour, etc. 
 
 121. A self-willed man. 
 
 122. Requiring full weight when the hanyd 
 
 does not come to terms. 
 
 123. The goat has paid with its life, yet its 
 
 meat is not tasty. 
 
 124. The poor dog is dying, but the Raja thinks 
 
 of his sport only. 
 
 125. The Rani has thoughts of the Raja only. 
 
 126. Vain desire of the handless woman to dance. 
 
 127. "Wife vainly waiting for the collyrium to 
 
 put in her eyes. 
 
 128. Fruitless labour in spinning. 
 
 129. The earless woman wishing for earrings. 
 
 130. An old cow's desire to take part in the 
 
 Sohrui festival. 
 
 CLASS II. 
 
 Pkoveebs eelating to Worldly "Wisdom and Maxims, Ex- 
 pediency AND Cunning, and "Warnings and Advice. 
 
 A new broom. 
 
 131. A circuitous route. 
 
 132. Absurd sight or situation. 
 
 133. A new washerwoman applies soap to rags 
 
 even. 
 
 The barber's wife with a wooden nail- 
 cutter. 
 
 A chip of the old block. 
 
 All that glitters is not gold. 
 
 A good man needs speaking once. 
 
 All in the same plight. 
 
 139. An old parrot never gets tame. 
 
 140. After meals wait awhile. 
 A dog is brave at his own door. 
 Grinding corn on the dead. 
 The Karaila climbing on the Nim. 
 A bear, and he with a spade on his 
 
 shoulders. 
 
 145. Insulting the dead. 
 
 146. A demon and a torch in his hand. 
 
 134. 
 
 135. 
 136. 
 137. 
 138. 
 
 141 
 142 
 143 
 144
 
 div 
 
 WORLDLY WISDOM, ETC. 
 
 Sub- Class. 
 
 No. 
 
 Subject of Proverbs. 
 
 147. A bad workman quarrels with his tools. 
 
 148. A barking dog seldom bites. 
 
 149. A black goat has no heart. 
 
 150. A ludicrous attempt to frighten. 
 
 151. A rat's skin is not sufficient to cover a 
 
 kettle-drum. 
 
 152. " A prophet is with honour save in his 
 
 own country." 
 
 153. Among butchers a devout man can never 
 
 be happy. 
 
 154. Annoying an old man. 
 
 155. Whatever is in the vessel will come out 
 
 of the spout. 
 
 156. Beneath notice is Bhak Bhaun Puri. 
 
 157. Bamboos make the clump. 
 
 158. Beating is pleasant, but the consequences ! 
 
 159. Bound to do it, nolens volens. 
 
 160. Constant repetition not conducive to con- 
 
 viction. 
 
 161. Can meat be kept on trust with a jackal ? 
 
 162. Drowning the miller. 
 
 163. "Diamond cut diamond." 
 
 164. Dear at his native place, and cheap at the 
 
 market. 
 
 165. " Do as they do in Eome." 
 
 166. Do what he may he is still a beggar. 
 
 167. Dictum for preserving health. 
 
 168. The Paras (tree) has but three leaves. 
 
 169. However strong the grain, it cannot break 
 
 the cooking pot. 
 
 170. Follows the rich and " spunges " on the 
 
 poor. 
 
 171. Fate and self-help equally shape our 
 
 destiny. 
 
 172. Can a dead horse eat grass? 
 
 173. Can a frog catch cold ? 
 
 174. Can a goat eat nine maunds of flour? 
 
 175. He who holds the spoon commands every- 
 
 body. 
 
 176. He who has suffered can sympathize with 
 
 those in pain. 
 
 177. He thatches his roof whose house leaks.
 
 WORLDLY WISDOM, ETC. 
 
 xlv 
 
 Sub-Class. 
 
 No. 
 
 Subject of Proverbs. 
 
 178. How money may be got rid of. 
 
 179. " Happy medium." 
 
 180. Indifference to loss. 
 
 181. "Ifs" and " ands." 
 
 182. "Ifs" and "ands." 
 
 183. In the friendship of the ass look out for 
 kicks ! 
 
 184. In a treeless country the castor-oil plant 
 is a big tree. 
 
 185. If a woman of ill-fame gets angry with 
 you, so much the better. 
 
 186. It is a Sarkari dog : do not oppose it : let 
 it do as it likes. 
 
 187. If benighted go where the dog barks and 
 not where the light is seen. 
 
 188. Kill the snake as well as save the stick. 
 
 189. Like to like. As the curry, so the 
 vegetables. 
 
 190. As the animal, so the grass. 
 
 191. Little things are great to little men. 
 
 192. Laddus in both hands. 
 
 193. Leading an unhappy life. 
 
 194. Let's see on what side the camel sits. 
 
 195. The strong can strike in the most vulner- 
 able part. 
 
 196. The strong not only strikes, but prevents 
 you from complaining. 
 
 197. The strong, even if he should be in the 
 wrong, strikes you. 
 
 198. Right or wrong the mighty bully. 
 
 199. Necessity has no law. 
 
 200. No good to be got out of him. 
 
 201. Not the sugar that flies will take to. 
 
 202. The wedding of a sickle and the song of 
 the hoe ! 
 
 203. Same thing right or wrong according to 
 situation. 
 
 204. Jfunj stitches on velvet ! 
 
 205. Pestle has nothing to do with curd. 
 
 206. A cummin seed in the mouth of a 
 camel. 
 
 ^ I 207. Can the bark of one tree fit another ?
 
 xlvi 
 
 WORLDLY WISDOM, ETC. 
 
 Sub-Class. 
 
 No. 
 
 Subject of Proverbs. 
 
 208. Will the bald head again go under the hel 
 
 tree ? 
 
 209. " A scalded cat dreads cold water." 
 
 210. A dog once struck with a firebrand di'eads 
 
 even the sight of lightning. 
 
 211. On the horns of a dilemma (the snake and 
 
 the musk rat). 
 
 212. One man's meat is another man's poison. 
 
 213. One never reveals his defeat and the 
 
 beating he has I'eceived from his wife. 
 
 214. A full belly gives a heavy head. 
 
 215. Out of all reckoning. 
 
 216. One with a wax nose is easily led. 
 
 217. One good turn deserves another. 
 
 218. Plain speakers not general favourites. 
 
 219. Truth at times parts the best of friends. 
 
 220. Pain preferable to remedy in some cases. 
 
 221. Purchasing troubles. 
 
 222. Right question, wrong answer. 
 
 223. Riches often count for virtue. 
 
 224. Requiring constant service without 
 
 adequate return. 
 
 225. Splendour but short-lived. 
 
 226. Straightforwardness not always expedient. 
 
 227. Some amenable to kicks only. 
 
 228. Give him. pcin and he won't offer you sattu 
 
 even ; but give him kicks and he will 
 offer you sweets. 
 
 229. Call him "father" and he will not give 
 
 you oil even ; but abuse him and he will 
 offer you c/hi. 
 
 230. " Straight as a sickle " (a perverse nature). 
 
 231. Sing his praise who gives you food. 
 
 232. Slay your enemy without scruple. 
 
 233. Too many cooks spoil the broth. 
 
 234. The blusterer lords it over all. 
 
 235. The weevil gets crushed with the wheat. 
 
 236. The grass suffers in the fight of the tiger 
 
 and buffalo. 
 
 237. The sweet ones he swallows, the bitter he 
 
 rejects. 
 
 238. Toncue — source of honour and shame.
 
 -WORLDLY WISDOM, ETC. 
 
 xlvii 
 
 Sub-Class. 
 
 No. 
 
 Subject of Proverbs. 
 
 239. A needy troupe of dancers use their own oil. 
 
 240. The meanest can injure. 
 
 241. The less the grain to be parched the more 
 
 noise it makes. 
 
 242. Things to be avoided as leading to danger. 
 
 243. Things we ought to pray to be saved from. 
 
 244. Taking a pleasant view of everything. 
 
 245. The staves of ten men make the load of one. 
 
 246. The word of a man is like the tusk of an 
 
 elephant : it cannot be withdrawn. 
 
 247. If the hel fruit is ripe, it matters little to 
 
 the crow. 
 
 248. If she disappoints, the bed will remain 
 
 empty. 
 
 249. "Without restraint. 
 
 250. "What is in a name ? 
 
 251. The cunning of the dwarf, the squint-eyed, 
 
 and the one-eyed compared. 
 
 252. Beware of grey eyes. 
 
 253. "Warning against men with certain peculi- 
 
 arities. 
 
 254. "Where there is a will there is a way (mind 
 
 compared to a blacksmith). 
 
 255. "What houses are on the certain road to 
 
 ruin (according to Ghagh the soothsayer). 
 
 CLASS III. 
 
 Pbovebbs eelating to Peculiarities and Traits Characteristic 
 OF Certain Castes and Classes. 
 
 Ahirs or Goalas 
 (milkmen). 
 
 Brahmans. 
 
 256. An Ahir knows only how to sing his Lorik 
 
 ballad. 
 
 257. Rent receipt given by the cunning Kaeth 
 
 to the burly Ahlr. 
 
 258. The young barber practises on the Alilr's 
 
 head. 
 
 259. Hair splitting about difference of castes. 
 
 "When three Kanaujiya Brahmans meet, 
 adieu to cooking.
 
 xlviii 
 
 PECULIARITIES AND TRAITS. 
 
 Sub-Class. 
 
 No. 
 
 Subject of Proverbs. 
 
 Barber. 
 Baniya. 
 Babhan. 
 
 Barhai 
 
 (carpenter). 
 Chamars 
 
 (cobblers and 
 shoemakers). 
 
 Darji (tailor). 
 Dhobi 
 
 (washerman). 
 
 Kayath. 
 
 260. 
 2G1. 
 
 262. 
 263. 
 264. 
 
 265. 
 266. 
 267. 
 
 268. 
 
 The Paiire does not practise what he 
 
 preaches. 
 A Kaeth wants payment, a Brahmin 
 
 fcedinp;, and paddy and betel watering, 
 
 but the low caste only kicks to make 
 
 them do their work. 
 A barber's wedding. 
 The owed baniya gives further tick. 
 A Babhan, a dog, and a bhat are always 
 
 at variance with their own caste. 
 A Babhan never to be believed. 
 One Bhuifihar is equal to seven Chamars. 
 A pretentious barhai or carpenter. 
 
 When shoemakers quarrel, the king's 
 saddle suffers. 
 
 269. A shoemaker's daughter with an aristo- 
 cratic name ! 
 
 270. Sticking to his last. 
 
 271. The Dhobi and his ass. 
 
 272. Washermen wash best under competition. 
 
 273. The washerman never tears his father's 
 clothes. 
 
 274. The Dhobi, the tailor, and the barber are 
 always careless. 
 
 275. A Dhobi is likely to starve ia the village 
 of the nude. 
 
 276. A Kayath essentially a man of figures. 
 
 277. Sinning in good company is no sin (story 
 of the Kayaths who ate donkey's meat). 
 
 278. A Kayath helpless without pen and paper. 
 
 279. Kayaths, crows, and sweepings gather 
 their own kinds. 
 
 280. A Kayath when paying cash is the very 
 devil. 
 
 281. A Kayath gains when fools quarrel. 
 
 282. Wherever three Kayaths gather together, 
 a thunderbolt will fall. 
 
 283. Comparison of castes. 
 
 284. The three people who dance in others'houses. 
 Kurmi. 285. A Kurmi always untrustwoi'thy. 
 Kumhar(potter) 286 A Kumhar sleeps secure.
 
 PECULIARITIES AND TRAITS. 
 
 xlix 
 
 Sub-Class. 
 
 No. 
 
 Subject of Proverbs. 
 
 Musalman. 
 
 Mlyaiiji (or 
 family tutor). 
 
 Noniya. 
 Rajput. 
 Suthra fakirs. 
 Sonar 
 
 (goldsmith). 
 Teli (oilman). 
 
 Jolha (weaver), 
 
 287. A Musalman, a parrot, and a hare are 
 
 never grateful. 
 
 288. To a Musalman give toddy, to a bullock 
 
 kheiisari. 
 
 289. When the Mlyanji is at the door, it is a 
 
 bad look out for the dog. 
 
 290. The Miyanji loses his beard in praise. 
 
 291. A Mlyanji's run is up to the mosque 
 
 only. 
 
 292. A Noniya's daughter is born to labour. 
 
 293. Thick-headed. 
 
 294. Selfishness in Suthra fakirs. 
 
 295. Hundred strokes of the goldsmith will not 
 
 equal one of the blacksmith. 
 
 296. A Teli, though possessed of lakhs, cannot 
 
 equal Raja Bhoj. 
 
 297. The weaver bearing the sins of others. 
 
 298. The weaver as a cultivator. 
 
 299. The weaver penny wise and pound foolish. 
 
 300. A whip does not make an equestrian. 
 
 301. A weaver's daughter aping her betters. 
 
 302. A weaver becomes proud as a king when 
 
 he has a ^agra-iull of rice. 
 
 303. The avaricious weaver. 
 
 304. The weaver asks to be let off fasting, but 
 
 gets saddled with prayers. 
 
 305. The weaver suffers on leaving his loom. 
 
 306. Id without weavers. 
 
 307. A weaver makes a sad hash when required 
 
 to reap a field. 
 
 308. The weaver going to cut grass at sunset. 
 
 309. The weaver tries to swim in a linseed 
 
 field. 
 
 310. The weaver's wife. 
 
 311. "Weavers' and shoemakers' promises never 
 
 to be relied on. 
 
 312. A weaver as an impressed labourer. 
 
 313. A fight between a frog and a weaver.
 
 CLASS IV. 
 
 Pkoveebs relating to Social and Moeal Subjects, Religious 
 Customs and Popular Superstitions. 
 
 Sub-Class. 
 
 No. 
 
 Subject of Proverbs. 
 
 Brother and 
 
 Sister-in-law. 
 
 Bride and 
 
 Bridegroom. 
 
 Blind and Deaf. 
 
 Daughter. 
 
 Dependent. 
 Dancina. 
 
 314. Angel of death to be feared. 
 
 315. As the Debi, so the offering. 
 
 316. A weak Debi and a strong he-goat for 
 
 sacrifice. 
 
 317. A saddening reflection. 
 
 318. A fast woman of course blames others 
 
 when she elopes. 
 
 319. A meddlesome woman. 
 
 320. A disgraced cat is as humble as a wife of 
 
 the rat. 
 
 321. A forward woman. 
 
 322. Born to labour. 
 
 323. Bad lineage. 
 
 324. A weak elder brother-in-law is not re- 
 
 spected. 
 
 325. A sister-in-law has a sister-in-law to annoy 
 
 her. 
 
 326. The bride gets rice gruel only, and others 
 
 sweets ! 
 
 327. A foolish bride gets no presents. 
 
 328. The " face-money " to the bride. 
 
 329. Crocodile tears of a bride. 
 
 330. Blind master and deaf pupil. 
 
 331. Backbiter. 
 
 332. Charity (sharing the last crust). 
 
 333. Dying in Benares is going to heaven. 
 
 334. Beware of overpraising your daughter. 
 
 335. A bad daughter ruins a son-in-law. 
 
 336. A daughter has three names in succession 
 
 during her lifetime. 
 
 337. A dependent knows no happiness. 
 
 338. Making absurd conditions for dancing. 
 
 339. False modesty in dancers.
 
 SOCIAL AKD MORAL SUBJECTS, ETC. 
 
 li 
 
 Sub-Class. 
 
 No. 
 
 Subject of Proverbs. 
 
 Especial haunts 
 or resorts. 
 
 Fools. 
 
 Guests and 
 
 hosts. 
 
 Habit second 
 nature and 
 unchangeable 
 (the leopard 
 cannot change 
 his spots). 
 
 Heart's dearest 
 
 "wish. 
 Husband and 
 
 wife. 
 
 340. The blind man's lodging is at the turner's. 
 
 341. A loose horse is sure to stand near the 
 
 chaff-house. 
 
 342. Paith makes god of a stone. 
 
 343. A fool's property the prey of all. 
 
 344. A fool's property the prey of all. 
 
 345. A fool thinks of his belly only. 
 
 346. A fool worries himself with others' concern. 
 
 347. A fool went to fish, but lost his fishing 
 
 basket. 
 
 348. A fool's wife the jest of all. 
 
 349. A fool unable to distinguish the trunk 
 
 from the tail of an elephant. 
 
 350. A simpleton is " cheeked " by a dog even. 
 
 351. Who are fools according to Ghagh the poet. 
 
 352. The three greatest fools in this world. 
 
 353. Unwelcome guests. 
 
 354. Guests but in name. 
 
 355. Presuming to play the part of the hostess. 
 
 356. Assuming a leading part in a marriage 
 
 ceremony. 
 
 357. The host, and he to get broken bits of cake. 
 
 358. Grandfather's funeral ceremony. 
 
 359. Notwithstanding all charms and incanta- 
 
 tions the boy does not change his habit. 
 
 360. The rope burns, but not the twist. 
 
 361. A dog's tail can never be straightened. 
 
 362. Half dead, he still shakes his head. 
 
 363. Can the crow become white by eating 
 
 camphor ? 
 
 364. What does a blind man want but his two 
 
 eyes ? 
 
 365. The husband claiming unmerited service 
 
 from the wife. 
 
 366. The diffidence of the husband in making 
 
 presents to his wife in his father's house. 
 
 367. When the cat is away the mice will play. 
 
 368. Husband unsuited to the wife. 
 
 369. A greedy wife. 
 
 370. A would-be paragon of a wife gives a 
 
 pommelling to her husband. 
 
 371. Hard won prize.
 
 Ki 
 
 SOCIAL AND MORAL SUBJECTS, ETC. 
 
 Sub-Class. 
 
 No. 
 
 Subject of Proverbs. 
 
 Helplessness. 
 
 Jewels. 
 Mischief makers 
 
 Mother and 
 sister-in-law. 
 
 One blamed for 
 another's fault, 
 made a scape- 
 goat. 
 
 Quarrelsome 
 women, fire- 
 brands, etc. 
 
 Quarrels and 
 
 jokes. 
 Sisters. 
 
 Sympathy and 
 want of it. 
 
 372. He only "joins" bread who cannot make 
 
 them. 
 
 373. If every one takes to becoming pilgrims, 
 
 who is to do the worldly work ? 
 
 374. Ignorant villagers are easily duped. 
 
 375. Ignorant villager mulcted on going to 
 
 complain. 
 
 376. Ornaments as well as means of livelihood. 
 
 377. Job's comforter. 
 
 378. Love defies law. 
 
 379. Quarrels between relatives are made up ; 
 
 mischief-makers only return home dis- 
 appointed. 
 
 380. He tells the thief to steal and the wealthy 
 
 to keep awake. 
 
 381. The happiness of one who has neither 
 
 mother-in-law nor sister-in-law. 
 
 382. Music is charming at a distance. 
 
 383. Chamru enjoys, while Deyal gets whipped 
 
 for it. 
 
 384. For the sake of one all are disliked. 
 
 385. The man with a moustache is blamed for 
 
 the thieving of the moustacheless. 
 
 386. She in tatters is blamed forher in ornaments. 
 
 387. Priest and musician in one. 
 
 388. Physician prescribing according to the 
 
 patient's wish. 
 
 389. Quarrelsome women recommended to 
 
 quarrel with decency. 
 
 390. A tire-brand, wherever she goes, she sets 
 
 society by the ear. 
 
 391. The misfortune of a husband who has 
 
 a scold of a wife. 
 
 392. A shrew strikes terror into a demon even. 
 
 393. The root of quarrels is practical jokes, as 
 
 the root of disease is cough. 
 
 394. Envious tears of an elder sister. 
 
 395. Pains of a chapped foot. 
 
 396. Does a barren woman know the pain of 
 
 childbirth ? 
 
 397. To cry before a blind man is to waste tears. 
 
 398. Single-handed.
 
 SOCIAL AND MORAL SUBJECTS, ETC. 
 
 liii 
 
 Sub-Class. 
 
 •No. 
 
 Subject of Proverbs. 
 
 Son. 
 
 Singing. 
 
 Troubles 
 
 increased. 
 
 Tobacco. 
 
 Thieves. 
 
 Widow. 
 "Weddinf 
 
 Worshipping. 
 
 399. An unworthy son. 
 
 400. Who avoids the beaten track. 
 
 401. Good singers are apt to be bored. 
 
 402. Social aspirant snubbed. 
 
 403. She went to ask for a son, but lost her 
 
 husband. 
 
 404. He prayed that his troubles may be 
 
 lessened, but they were doubled. 
 
 405. The dead boy had fine eyes. 
 
 406. The man who offers you tobacco and lime 
 
 unasked is sure to go to heaven. 
 
 407. Tobacco is necessary for life. 
 
 408. The devil even flees from a thrashing. 
 
 409. The thief on the contrary mulcting the police. 
 
 410. Thick as thieves. 
 
 411. A thief's heart is in the hahri field. 
 
 412. With a thief he is a thief, to a watchman 
 
 he is a servant only. 
 
 413. A thief is a thief, whether he steals a 
 
 diamond or a cucumber. 
 
 414. A thief will not stick at a borrowed plate. 
 
 415. An impudent thief : he warns when he steals. 
 
 416. A thief with a face bright as the moon. 
 
 417. Taking tick sine die. 
 
 418. The idler (indolent). 
 
 419. Uncle and nephew at loggerheads (paying 
 
 off" old scores). 
 
 420. Vicissitudes of life. 
 
 421. Waiting for the auspicious time may bring 
 
 ruin. 
 
 422. Waverer's repentance. 
 
 423. A spinster weeping with a widow. 
 
 424. Handful of bangles or a widow. 
 
 425. Wedding of a noseless woman and nine 
 
 hundred obstacles. 
 
 426. Wedding headdress made of mango leaves 
 
 even. 
 
 427. The song ought to be for her whose 
 
 wedding it is. 
 
 428. Easy worship of the pTpal-tree. 
 
 429. Making a virtue of necessity in wor- 
 
 shipping.
 
 liv 
 
 CLASS Y. 
 
 PeO VERBS RELATING TO AgKICULTUKE AND SEASONS. 
 
 Sub-Class. 
 
 No. 
 
 Subject of Proverbs. 
 
 430. Distant farming ruinous. 
 
 431. The closer the field, the easier its culture. 
 
 432. Selling bullocks for seed. 
 
 433. A farmer is known when at his field. 
 
 434. Anxieties of agriculture unknown to the 
 
 lazy lubber. 
 
 435. If goats and sheep answer for ploughing, 
 
 why purchase bullocks ? 
 
 436. Impertinent request to lend a bullock for 
 
 ploughing. 
 
 437. The meaning of a speckled cloud and a 
 
 widow applying scented oil. 
 
 438. The meaning of its beginning to rain 
 
 on Saturday, Tuesday, Thursday, and 
 Sunday respectively. 
 
 439. The meaning of the rainbow at the begin- 
 
 ning and end of rain. 
 
 440. The meaning of the halo round the moon 
 
 on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday 
 respectively. 
 
 441. The rain in the beginning of Aradra and 
 
 the end of Hathiya. 
 
 442. The asterisms of Maggha, Swati and 
 
 Hathiya. 
 
 443. The efiects of the sevei'al rains on the 
 
 diiferent crops. 
 
 444. The effect of rain in Baisakh (April-May) 
 
 on paddy ; the yield is doubled. 
 
 445. If there is rain in Krittika (middle of 
 
 May), there will be no rain for the six 
 following asterisms. 
 
 446. When to sow C'kma. 
 
 447. AVhen rice will be plentiful. 
 
 448. The rain of Aradra (middle of June) does 
 
 away with distress.
 
 AGRICULTURE AND SEASONS. 
 
 Iv 
 
 Sub-Class. 
 
 No. 
 
 Subject of Proverbs. 
 
 449. If it does not rain at the commencement 
 
 of Aradra and end of Hathiya, the culti- 
 vator gets ruined. 
 
 450. If it rains at the commencement of Aradra 
 
 and end of Hathiya, the cultivator can 
 stand any increase to his rent. 
 
 451. The rain of Aradra injures jawas only. 
 
 452. AVhen to prepare the field and when to 
 
 sow paddy. 
 
 453. The effect of paddy heing sown in Aradra, 
 
 Punarbas or Pukh. 
 
 454. The meaning of a cloudy sunrise on the 
 seventh day of the bright half in Sawan. 
 
 455. The meaning of a clear sunrise on the same 
 day. 
 
 456. The meaning of a cloudless morning on 
 
 the same day. 
 
 457. The meaning of a dark night on the same 
 
 date. 
 
 458. The meaning of thunder at midnight on 
 
 the same date. 
 
 459. The effect of rain in Sawan (July-August) 
 
 and thunder in Bhadoii (August-Scpt.). 
 
 460. The meaning of west wind iu Sawan and 
 
 east in Bhadoii. 
 
 461. The effect of east wind in Sawan. 
 
 462. The effect of west wind ia Sawan. 
 
 463. The effect of west and east wind in Sawan 
 
 and Bhadoii. 
 
 464. Heaviest rain in Asres and Maggha. 
 
 465. Loss to cultivator if he does not finish 
 
 transplanting rice before Purwa. 
 
 466. The effect of east wind in Purwa. 
 
 467. The effect of west wind in Purwa. 
 
 468. The meaning of clouds flitting like the 
 
 wings of a partridge. 
 
 469. The meaning of a cloudy sky on Priday 
 and Saturday. 
 
 470. The effect of east wind in Saon and west 
 wind in Bhadoii. 
 
 471. When to cease planting paddy. 
 
 472. JSiot to transplant in Utra Phaguni.
 
 hi 
 
 AGRICULTURE AND SEASONS. 
 
 Sub -Class. 
 
 No. 
 
 Subject of Proverbs. 
 
 473. The racaninj^ of a crow speaking by night 
 
 and jackal by day. 
 
 474. The meaning of wind blowing from all 
 
 four quarters. 
 
 475. Hathiya rain produces three things and 
 
 destroys three things. 
 
 476. Eainless Aradra destroys three crops only, 
 
 but a rainless Hathiya destroys every- 
 thing. 
 
 477. The effect of rain in Hathiya and clouds 
 
 only in Chitra. 
 
 478. The effect of rain in Chitra. 
 
 479. "What to sow in Chitra. 
 
 480. The effect of a shower in Swati. 
 
 481. Instructions about harvesting rice. 
 
 482. Clear nights indicate breaking of the rains. 
 
 483. A cloudless night and a cloudy day show 
 
 that the rains are at an end. 
 
 484. The barking of the fox and the flowering 
 
 of the kas grass signs of the end of the 
 rains. 
 
 485. Appearance of the star Canopus indicates 
 
 the end of the rains. 
 
 486. The meaning of the flowering of the kas 
 
 and kus grass. 
 
 487. Respective effect of rain in Aghan, Pus, 
 
 Magh and Phagun. 
 
 488. The effect of rain in Aghan. 
 
 489. The effect of rain in Pus. 
 
 490. Signs of drought. 
 
 491. The meanings of west wind respectively 
 
 in Chait (March-April) and Bhadoii 
 (August-September).
 
 h 
 
 CLASS VI. 
 
 PeO VERBS BELATING TO CaTTLE AND AnIMALS IN GeNEEAL. 
 
 Sub- Class. 
 
 No. 
 
 Subject of Proverbs. 
 
 AwearybuUock. 
 
 492. A calf takes after its mother and a foal 
 
 after its father. 
 
 493. Can an ass be lean in the month of Sawan ? 
 
 494. To a weary bullock his girth even is heavy. 
 
 495. To a weary bullock his empty panniers 
 
 are even heavy. 
 
 496. A separate house for a blind cow. 
 
 497. Driving away a grazing cow a sin. 
 
 498. God takes care of a blind cow. 
 
 499. In the prancing of the pack-bullock his 
 
 master is visible. 
 
 500. The calf leaps, presuming on the strength 
 
 of the tethering peg. 
 
 501. Eules for selecting cattle. 
 
 502. The bullock toils, but the bay horse is 
 
 pampered. 
 
 503. The camel is blamed in the whole army. 
 
 504. You can endure kicks from a milch cow. 
 
 505. You can endure kicks from a milch cow. 
 
 506. Points of a milch cow. 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 POPULAE SuPEESTITIONS AND EeEOES. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Introductory Notes . . . . . . .231 
 
 Names of certain individuals and animals not to be taken . 233 
 Jatra or journey. The superstitions connected with a 
 
 journey. How augured to be auspicious or not . 234 
 Marriages of Tanks and Wells ..... 235 
 
 Divination, and charms, incantations and amulets to cure 
 
 maladies and keep off or exorcise evil spirits, etc. . 236 
 Superstitious ceremonies and observances connected with 
 
 birth and death 238 
 
 Planting trees ........ 240 
 
 Manner of detecting thieves ...... 240 
 
 Charms, spells, and incantations gone through . .241
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 CLASS I. 
 
 Proverbs relating to Human Failings, Foibles, and 
 
 Vices. 
 
 Affectation, Dissembling, Hypocriai/, Pretence, Shamming, etc. 
 
 1. Cutting off the head and pretending to preserve the 
 hair. 
 
 Miinr kdtin hdl he rachchha. 
 
 You make a show of preserving the hair, while you are 
 really cutting off the head {lit. cutting off the head and 
 preserving his hair). 
 
 It would be applied to one who, while he was secretly 
 trying to do you a serious injury, was all the time pre- 
 tending to be your friend ; one who simulates friendship, 
 but who really is your greatest enemy. E.E. " A wolf in 
 sheep's clothing." 
 
 2. Father a drunkard and the son pretending to play 
 the rule of a religious man. 
 
 Bd^) ke gale lahnl, put he gale udrdchli. 
 The father has a ^^^ luhni tied to his neck (his 
 constant companion), while the son wears a necklace of 
 ^^^TST " udnij'' ! (or ^^I^ll^ udrdchh). 
 
 1
 
 Z BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 " Lahu^^ is a longish earthen pot used for collecting 
 palm juice or "todd3\" Smaller ones are also used 
 for drinking. " UdmcJih " is the necklace made out of 
 the seeds of the rudrjichh (Elcocarpus ganitrus) and worn 
 commonly by devotees or Bharjats who eschew worldly 
 ways. Hence the father is a debauchee while the son 
 proclaims himself a religious man, and aifects the ways 
 and outward signs of a devotee. Said in sarcasm of a man 
 who ostentatiously parades his horror of vice generally, 
 when it exists in his own family. (There is no reason 
 why one whose father is a confirmed drunkard should not 
 be a virtuous man and lead the pious life of a hermit or 
 an ascetic ; but the usual style of sarcasm is to ridicule 
 one by pointing out the failings of his ancestors. The 
 point of sarcasm, it will be noticed, is levelled at the 
 parade the son makes of his virtuous and pure life, 
 knowing his father's failing.) 
 
 3. One for show and another for use. 
 
 Hat hi lie ddnt ; klidy ke dosar, dekhdice ke dosar. 
 
 Like the tusk and teeth of an elephant ; one set for 
 show and another for use {Hi. to eat with). 
 
 Said of a hypocrite ; one who plays a double part ; one 
 whose outward behaviour is the reverse of his real 
 character. A dissembler, (In proverb 246 this simile is 
 made use of to illustrate exactly the opposite virtue, 
 namely, of keeping to one's word.) 
 
 4. Pretending to turn over a new leaf. 
 
 Nao sai cliuha kha ke hllU cJuiIi haj ko.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 6 
 
 After eating nine hundred rats the cat is noAV going on 
 a pilgrimage. 
 
 Said of a wicked man who pretends to turn over a new 
 leaf and become virtuous after countless acts of sin. (It 
 is an Urdu proverb. The Hindi form of it from Sur Dm 
 is ffq ^f?:% Wt '^^ fW%^T ^t(T "ff T ^T^ ^ Tcq) karibe 
 ko ehali hilaiya sattar chuha khdy ke.) 
 
 5. Pretending the end of the cucumber is bitter. 
 
 Sagre khlra kha ke hheti tit. 
 
 After eating the whole of the cucumber he says the end 
 of it is bitter ! 
 
 5?^ " Bheti" is the end or part of a fruit attached to 
 the stalk. E.E. " Swallowing a camel and straining at a 
 gnat." It is also called %~xj^ " dJiehpi" 
 
 6. Sinner turned a saint. 
 
 Kab ki blbi bdmhni. 
 
 Since when has the Blbi turned a Bdmhni {i.e. an upright 
 woman) ? " Blbi " is the usual title of a Musalman lady, 
 here used for a woman with indifferent reputation, in 
 opposition to a Bdmhni, who, being the wife of a Hindu 
 priest, is supposed to be strictly virtuous. Said when one 
 of indifferent reputation suddenly affects a respectable role. 
 The following story is told in illustration of the above 
 saying. A sarai (or inn) was kept by some Musalman 
 Bhatfidrins. They found that they were not patronized 
 by Hindus, so to attract Hindu customers they set up one 
 woman among them as a Briihmani ; and in consequence 
 of this subterfuge they soon had a Brahman visitor, and
 
 4 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 the newlj'-macle " Bdmhni " was told off to attend him. In 
 course of talk the " Bdni/nn" asked the newly-arrived guest 
 how long ago it was that he had become a Brahman, 
 "Since when have you become a Bdmhni?" asked the 
 suspecting Brahman. " Only last week," was the reply. 
 The Brahman did not stay long in the sarai after this 
 information. 
 
 7. Shamming to shirk. 
 
 ^ ^'\'I ^T ^"K f T f^ ^^ 'T ^IJT ^ 
 ^t ^% t^ ^ ^ffV ^^'T M^ ? 
 
 Sing j hare aur Mur ghise pith na hojha le 
 Aise bur he bail ko bdndhi kawan bhus de ? 
 
 Who is going to feed such an old (useless) bullock that 
 shakes its horns, rubs its hoofs on the ground, and refuses 
 any weight on its back? These are the signs of a lazy 
 {korhi) bullock that refuses to work ; there is no use in 
 feeding such a useless animal. Said of a worthless man 
 who will not work from laziness. 
 
 8. She knows nine but not six. 
 
 Nao jdneli chao na jdnas. 
 
 Knows nine but not six ! 
 
 Said of one who shams ignorance — pretends not to 
 know simple things, but really knows a great deal. 
 Applied usually to women. 
 
 9. Sinking low indeed ! 
 
 KaJidwe le saiijad chordu-e le chhuchchhi. 
 She styles herself a saiyad, but she can be low enough
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 to steal even a nose stud. Said sarcastically when one 
 who is commonly accepted as a respectable person de- 
 scends to do a low act. ^^^ " Saii/ad" is the most 
 respectable sect (the priest-class) among the Mohamedans. 
 Another proverb of similar application is efi^j^ % ^^ 
 '^'^■^T^ ^ ^7T^^ Kalulice ke hlhi cJtonlwe he chammhh, i.e. 
 calls herself a lady, but can stoop to steal the leather of 
 the spinning axle. ^^T!^ " Chamralih " is the leather 
 on which the sjDinning axle rests in passing the upright. 
 
 10, Pretended delicacy. 
 
 Kahdwe ke hulbul, hie ke giilar. 
 She calls herself a hulbul, but swallows a gular ! 
 "^m^ " Bulbtil" is a nightingale, and is used to repre- 
 sent a delicate creature. A bulbul is too small to be 
 able to swallow a gular {i.e. a wild fig). Cast at those 
 who pretend to be delicate and small, but are really the 
 opposite. 
 
 11. Old in sin and yet a novice. 
 
 Larika kJtdit khdit hurhi hhelln ; log kahe, bakddin. 
 
 I have grown old in exjjerieuce {lit. in eating children), 
 still people call me a novice {lit. a semi-witch ; not a 
 " full " witch). ^^-T Ddin is " a witch." Her favourite 
 occupation would seem to be to kill (metaphorically " to 
 eat") children. A ^^Tgj^vi "bakddin'' is not a full 
 ddin ; something wanting to make one a full ddin. 
 
 One who prides herself on possessing a life-long ex- 
 perience in anything (chiefly in evil practices), but finds 
 her experience questioned, is supposed to express her
 
 b BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 indignation in tliis ghastly metaphor. It is of course 
 uttered by a third party, as if coming from the person to 
 be ridiculed. The point of the sarcasm lies in the person 
 being represented as boasting of her misdeeds (which slie 
 really does not). 
 
 Avarice, Parsimony, Covetousness, Greed, etc. 
 
 12. A life's boarding lost at a stroke. 
 
 «)^ W[W ^zYt ^Wt ^^^'\ TTT ^ZtT ^^^ 
 
 Sclhii hatore kauri kauri, Ram hatore kuppa. 
 
 The sdlm (or shopkeeper) collects {glii or oil) little by 
 little (a kauri's weight) at a time, but Riim (the god) 
 sweeps away a whole kuppa. ^^ o^^ "Kauri kauri" 
 means a very small weight at a time : the weight of a 
 kauri, or a shell, which is the lowest current coin. ■gjxCTT 
 " KujJpa " is a leather vessel used for keeping oil or ghi in 
 large quantities ; and contains about a maund. Said in 
 derision of the sdhii or haniya who laboriously gathers 
 kauri by kauri, while misfortune with one stroke sweeps 
 away the whole of his hoard. 
 
 13. " Almighty dollar." 
 
 Guru na gurhhaiya 
 Sab ten hara rupaiya. 
 
 Neither the spiritual guide nor the fellow disciple are of 
 any account ; greater than they all is the rupee. 
 
 ^T*T^ Gurhhaiya. The son of the religious teacher is 
 regarded in native society with the same respect and 
 affection as one's own brother.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. / 
 
 14. The misei^'s loss is sudden. 
 
 Kauri kauri kail hator 
 Rupya hhail ta le gail chor. 
 
 He gathered a shell at a time, and when he had gathered 
 enough to make a rupee a thief stole it. 
 
 Said to laugh at a miser when he loses what he has 
 toiled and pinched himself to gather. 
 
 15. The miser and his wife. 
 
 %T[ %ff ir?: ^f%^ m'W ^^^ wt^r 
 
 SHniin puch/ie sum se, kclhe hadan malin 
 Ka gdnthi ka gir jxira, ka kdhu ko dm 
 Na gdnthi ka gir para, na kdhu kachhu din 
 Dei let par dekldya, ta ten hadan malin. 
 
 The miser's wife asked her husband, " Why are you 
 looking so sad ? Has anything dropt out of your pocket, 
 or have you given away anything to anybody ? " " No," 
 was the reply, "nothing has dropt out of my pocket, nor 
 have I given away anything to anybody. I saw another 
 parting with his money, and that has made me sad ! " i.e. 
 A miser feels unhappy at seeing others generous. 
 
 ■^^«T '^ Badan'^ face; some people say '' deh,'^ body, 
 instead of " hadan." 
 
 16. Take one and give two. 
 
 Lena ek, na dena du.
 
 8 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 To take one and give two ; i.e. not to hold any inter- 
 course, not to have any transaction, 
 " I will not take one and give two." 
 
 The following story is told in illustration of the above 
 proverb : — Once upon a time a peacock and a tortoise 
 became great friends. The peacock lived on a tree on the 
 banks of the stream in which the tortoise had his home ; 
 and daily the peacock after he had a drink of water danced 
 near the stream and displayed his gay plumage for the 
 amusement of his friend. One unfortunate day a bird- 
 catcher who was on the prowl caught the peacock and was 
 about taking him away to the market. The unhappy bird 
 begged of his captor to allow him to bid his friend the 
 tortoise good-bye, as it would be the last time he would 
 see him. The bird-catcher allowed him his prayer and 
 took him to the tortoise, who was greatly moved to see his 
 friend a captive. The tortoise asked the bird-catcher to 
 let the peacock go; but he laughed at the request, saying 
 that was his means of livelihood. The tortoise then said, 
 " If I make you a handsome present, will you let my friend 
 go ? " " Certainly," answered the bird-catcher, " that is 
 all I want." Whereupon the tortoise dived into the water 
 and in a few seconds came up with a handsome pearl, 
 which, to the great astonishment of the bird-catcher, he 
 handed to him. This was beyond his expectations, and he 
 let the peacock go immediately. A short time after the 
 avaricious man came back and told the tortoise that he 
 thought he had not paid him enough for the release of his 
 friend, and threatened that unless a match to that pearl 
 was obtained for him, he would again catch the peacock. 
 The tortoise, who had already advised his friend to betake 
 himself to a distant jungle on being set free, was greatly
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 9 
 
 enraged at the greed of this man. " Well," said the tor- 
 toise, "if you insist on having another pearl like it, give 
 it to me and I will fish you out an exact match for it." 
 The cupidity of the bird-catcher prevented his reasoning 
 that " one in hand was equal to two in the bed of the 
 stream," and he speedily gave the pearl to the wily tor- 
 toise, who swam out with it, saying, " I am no fool to take 
 one and give two ! " and forthwith disappeared, leaving 
 the bird-catcher to be sorry ever after for his covetousness. 
 
 17. When gaining he is discontented, when losing 
 contented. 
 
 Awat Jid]ii,jdt sai/tokh. 
 When it is coming in {i.e. he is gaining), he is discon- 
 tented ; when it is going out {i.e. he is losing), he becomes 
 contented — i.e. the more an avaricious man gets, the more 
 he is anxious for, and is consequently discontented. But 
 he learns to be contented when he begins losing. Then 
 he would be content with what is left, if he should only 
 lose no more. 
 
 jipinff. 
 
 18. Aj)ing a losing game. 
 
 ^^ ^T7T ^T^ 'Nt^ 
 
 Kamca gela hans he chdl slk/ie, 
 Aila apan cJidl fjanivdij. 
 The crow went to learn the ways (" walk ") of the goose, 
 but lost its own ! 
 
 ^T^ " Chdl," Jit. " walk," hence " ways," " habit." The 
 waddling gait of the goose is much admired.
 
 10 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 One who abandons liis natural ways to ape those of 
 others is very apt to lose his individuality and make him- 
 self ridiculous. 
 
 19. Aping 3^our betters causes discomfort. 
 
 Bina ban tilah lihlr cliarcharui/. 
 Whoever applies a tilali, being unaccustomed to it, will 
 find his forehead skin-chapped. Said to ridicule one who 
 apes the habits of his betters and finds that he is not made 
 comfortable thereby. (fTT^cfi " Tilak'^ is the sandal-wood 
 mark that a Brahman applies to his forehead. When it 
 dries, the skin shrinks with it. The sandal paste is made 
 by rubbing sandal-wood.) Another proverb of similar 
 application is % ^T'T % ^T^T ^J^ ^ft^T ^c ^^'^^ ^"^ Marika 
 bans barobar, " To one not in the habit of using a tooth- 
 pick, it is like a bamboo ! " i.e. he feels when using it as 
 uncomfortable as if he were forcing a bamboo between his 
 teeth. Said to ridicule those who take to a habit in 
 imitation of others and find that it makes them very 
 uncomfortable. 
 
 20. Pajnng dearly for aping. 
 
 ^0 ^^cR^ t?^-^ ^?i % -wq-wi ^tiTT ^Tf 
 
 Anhar scndur dckh he dpan l<apdr phorm. 
 
 If I see vermilion on another's forehead, am I to crack 
 my own ? [i.e. cause it to bleed so as to appear as if I have 
 also applied vermilion?). An admonition to those who 
 cannot afford it, but strain their utmost to appear like 
 others, and really suffer thereby. 
 
 Aimed at those who ape others.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 11 
 
 Bullying, Oppressimj^ Venting Rage, etc. 
 
 21. The weak bullying the weaker. 
 
 Kadua par situa chokh. 
 
 The sitiin is sharp enough for the pumpkin. 
 
 t%fIW " Situa " is a " sj^oon " or " scraper," generally 
 made out of a shell. A kind of primitive spoon with a 
 blunt edsre : here it is meant for a blunt instrument. 
 
 The " situa " with its blunt edge is an instrument sharp 
 enough to cut the soft pumpkin, though not sharp enough 
 to make any impression on a hard surface. One who takes 
 advantage of the weakness of his inferior and bullies him 
 may fitly be compared to the situa operating on the 
 pumpkin. J^-ff., when a petty police constable visits a 
 village, among the villagers he is the very embodiment 
 of authority. 
 
 22. The cunning bully the weak. 
 
 Cliatur ke kills abare jmr uthela. 
 The rage of the cunning man is (usually) vented on the 
 weak, i.e. on those unable to resent it. 
 
 23. The anvil bears the missing stroke. 
 
 Hukal chot nehdi par. 
 The missing (or empty) stroke falls on the anvil. 
 Usually said when a man is angry with one and vents his 
 rage on another weaker than himself — on one who is 
 usually the butt of his anger.
 
 12 lUHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 24. The fallen are trampled. 
 
 R8 xn:^ THT ^iT t^ ^TT^ 
 
 Pa ml pain niimgre munrjre tJiathdin. 
 
 The fallen are cudgelled repeatedly. 
 
 One who is found weak and fallen is constantly beaten 
 with a mallet. Those who are down are always apt to 
 be kicked. (The use of mutHjre twice denotes repetition 
 of the act.) 
 
 25. Entirely at your mercy. 
 
 ^M ^T wrz fxr?n rfrT ^^ 
 
 Mar hat piya tore as. 
 Whether you kill or save, I am at your mercy {lit. all 
 my hope rests in you). 
 
 fHTi 'mZ " Mar hat " is lit. " to beat " and " to cut up." 
 
 26. Venting one's rage on the innocent. 
 
 ^% ^^ ^^ x?fTT ^TT % ^"^^ f^^^fT 
 
 TJies lacje pahdre, ghar ke pliorm silwat. 
 I hurt myself against a rock {lit. I receive a knock 
 from a rock), but vent my rage on the grinding-stone at 
 home by breaking it. Usually said by the wife who has 
 to put up with the rage of the husband if he has met with 
 any reverse or disappointment in the world. 
 
 Bad Hand-H-riti)ig. 
 
 27. Bad hand-writing. 
 
 LikJieTi Musa pjarhen Khoda. 
 What is written by Mum (Moses) can only be read by 
 God {lit. Moses writes and God reads). Said when the 
 hand- writing is so bad that nobody can read it.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 13 
 
 A slight variation in the pronunciation of the words 
 Musn and Khoda (pronouncing the svllables separately, 
 Mu-sa and Kliod-a) gives a ludicrous turn to the meaning 
 of the passage. "He writes as fine as hair, and, in order 
 to read it, has to come himself" {i.e. he writes so badly 
 that no one else can read his writing except himself), 
 where nm (Persian) is " hair." The same idea is got by 
 substituting Isa (Jesus) for Mma (Moses) — 1%%"^ %^ 
 ■qs'^lt^ Likhen aisa parhen khoda, "He writes so (badly) 
 that he has to come himself to read it." 
 
 Blabbing. 
 
 28. A blabber dying to blab. 
 
 R^ ^1 f^^T Tf T ^T ^T^ ^TTT ^'mr ^TT WRf 
 
 Kahe biiia ralia najdy 
 Sara bhagioa jara jay. 
 
 When the loin-cloth is burning, it is impossible to re- 
 frain from speaking out. 
 
 Puts in a quaint way the failing of one who is affected 
 with cacoethes loqiiendi and cannot keep himself from 
 blabbing, just as one whose loin-cloth takes fire, must 
 needs jump and cry out; also said when any one suffers 
 a wrong from another's hand and finds it impossible to 
 refrain from complaining. Also said when one feels 
 compelled to speak. 
 
 29. The tell-tale causes the downfall of a kingdom. 
 
 Ghar ka hliediya lanka ddli. 
 The man who divulges home secrets (the tell-tale) brings 
 about the ruin of a house (as Bibhikhan caused the down- 
 fall of Lanka).
 
 14 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 The allusion is to the Hindu mythology. Bibhikhan, 
 the brother of Riiban, by joining Ramchandra and giving 
 out the secrets of his brother, caused the downfall of 
 Lanka. 
 
 Counting the chickem before they are hatched, 
 Anticipating, etc. 
 
 30. The son is born before the father. 
 
 Bapjamhe na kaile, put pichhudre tlidrh hhaile. 
 
 The father is not yet born, but the son has taken his 
 stand behind. 
 
 This is said as a riddle, meaning " smoke." The father 
 is the fire and the son the smoke, which usually precedes 
 the fire. 
 
 Said when one anticipates an event b}^ a long period. 
 
 A similar Urdu proverb is ^^ "q?^ ^Zl^ ^1% W B^ 
 
 Gdchh par hatahal, horith men tel, " The jack fruit is 
 yet on the tree, but the oil has been already applied to 
 the lips." (The "jack " being a very glutinous fruit, 
 oil is usually applied to the lips to prevent it sticking.) 
 E.E. " Counting the chickens before they are hatched." 
 
 31. The father is still unborn, but the son attends a 
 wedding (safflower). 
 
 ^«i W[^ X^^ *qt ^ %^ ^fr^Tfl 
 
 Bd]} ralial pete, put gail hariydt. 
 
 While the father was still in the womb {^i.e. pod), the 
 son went to a wedding party. 
 
 The father is the seed of the safflower in pods ; the sou 
 is the safflower dye (Grierson).
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 15 
 
 32. Proclaiming before the son is born. 
 
 Beta bhaibe na kail, pahile danda dor. 
 The son is not yet born, but a beat of the drum pro- 
 claims the event beforehand. 
 
 Of similar application to Proverb No. 30. 
 
 33. Cryino;' before he is hurt. 
 
 ^^ ^T ^^TT ^T MZ ^T ^Tt| ^xi ^^^ 
 Laur kapdr ha blietit na, bap bap agate. 
 Before the cudgel and his forehead have met, he cries 
 out, " O father, O father," the usual cry of a native when 
 he is hurt. 
 
 i.e. Crying before one is hurt. 
 
 34. Anticipating evil. 
 
 Bag laghe na kail mangran dera del. 
 
 The trees in the orchard have not yet been planted, 
 but the woodworms have settled down there beforehand. 
 
 "^^X " Mangar " is a longish kind of insect de- 
 structive to trees in general. It has a hard beak with 
 which it burrows into the wood, and destroys the pith. 
 Applied when destructive agents are already present 
 before anything is begun. " Canker in the germ." 
 
 Conceit about one's wisdom. 
 
 35. Conceit about one's wisdom. 
 
 ^M f^f^ T^^ if^ ^i Wt^ 
 "^1 W ^VT ^T<T ^^^T tfti 
 
 Bidhi radial bnddlii ndrJie tin 
 Teh men ddha jagat dpan tin.
 
 16 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 God made wisdom of three parts and a half, of which 
 the half went to the world, the rest to him ; i.e. accordinj^ 
 to the person aimed at, the whole world has got only the 
 half, while he possesses the remaining three parts. 
 
 This is a sarcastic reference to a conceited man. 
 
 Extravagance. 
 
 36. Can't afford rice-gruel, but drinks toddy. 
 
 Mcinr najiire tari. 
 He cannot afford rice-gruel, yet he (drinks) toddy ! 
 Extravagance in a drunkard. 
 
 37. Expenditure on a thing more than its worth. 
 
 ^^ ^^ % ^^^^ ^^ 'Tt^TT 
 
 Damri he hulhul taka chothdi. 
 
 The bird is not worth more than a damri, but the 
 "plucking" costs a taha. 
 
 ^^T^ Damari= eight kauris, or 3-^ dam. 
 
 3^ Taka = two (Gorakhpuri) pice. 
 
 Said when the expenditure in connection with a thing 
 is more than it is really worth. 
 
 38. Cost of the wood is nine pice, but he spends 90 on it. 
 
 Nao he lahari nahhe hharach. 
 
 The wood is worth nine onl}^ but the expenditure 
 thereon is ninety. 
 
 (Variation of No. 160, meaning to imply that the expenses 
 in connection with an object are more than it is really 
 worth.)
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 17 
 
 39. Useless appendage. 
 
 Chdkar ka c/iukar maurdi ka osdra. 
 Servant to a servant is like a portico to a hut. 
 Useless, unnecessary, out of place. 
 
 ^efi^ " CJiukar " is a word coined to ao:ree in sound 
 with ^^X! " Chdkar," i.e. a servant. 
 An unnecessary appendage. 
 
 40. Servant to a servant. 
 
 80 ^^ft % '^^T "^^ft ^t^^ 
 
 Nokaro ke chdkar tckaro lamaiehar. 
 
 Servant to a servant and on him another dependent. 
 
 '^Lamaiehar" is probably connected with ^fl"^! "kimera," 
 which Mr. Grierson defines as " the seed which falls on 
 the ground in the field at harvest time, and which germi- 
 nates next year;" a wild uncared-for plant; extra; not 
 in the regular order. Hence a servant's servant would 
 be one out of the regular order, an extra, unnecessary 
 appendage. 
 
 Exaggeration. 
 
 41. Critics say more than the poet. 
 
 {JJO) ^^ ^T ^^ t*T^ ^FfT ^T ^^^ 
 
 Tlior kailan Tulsldds hnJiut kailan kahita 
 (ija) Thora karaiti. Bdli Miydn hahut karaih dafdii. 
 Little was said by the poet Tulsldas, but a great deal 
 was added by the (other) poets (and commentators). 
 
 Tulsldas was the well-known author of the Riimayan. 
 Commonly said when the original story is greatly ex- 
 aggerated. 
 
 2
 
 18 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 42. Making a mountain of a mole hill. 
 
 Sidr Ice guh parhat. 
 
 The dirt of the jackal is made into a mountain [i.e. to 
 magnify trifles). 
 
 E.E. To make a mountain of a mole hill. 
 
 43. A lakh is on the lips of a brag. 
 
 Labdr ka muJili men lakh riipaii/a. 
 
 A Idkh is on the lips (mouth) of a liar ; i.e. a fibber, who 
 is all talk, can give you as high a figure as you wish with- 
 out the least hesitation ; that is, a liar has no scruple in 
 exaggerating. Labdr is a braggart. 
 
 Ohittony. 
 
 44. A greedy daugbter-in-law. 
 
 88 ^TrT ^T^ HTfT ^€t ^^f^"^ ^f^^ TTH % ^Wt 
 
 Sdt bdsi sdt tewdsi, bnluiriija kahaicafh rdt ke npdsi. 
 
 The daugbter-in-law has fed seven times on the rem- 
 nants of yesterday's meal, and seven times on the remnants 
 of the day before ; still she makes out she is fasting from 
 last night. 
 
 ^1^ "Bdsi" is what is left over-night from the pre- 
 vious day's meal, and ^^^ ''tewdsi" is what remains 
 the third day. 
 
 This ungracious speech is supposed to be uttered by the 
 mother-in-law who is always at " daggers drawn " with 
 her daughter-in-law.
 
 BIHAR rilOVERRS. 19 
 
 45. Pretended fasting before her husband. 
 
 8dt heri sataim, piya age dataun. 
 
 Seven times has she breakfasted, and yet before her 
 husband she is only brushing her teeth {i.e. preparing to 
 eat for the first time). 
 
 Natives as a rule never eat before cleaning their teeth. 
 Hence ^^ "^^ cfoR ^fft«T •TT cB?;^'" "Ham ahhi tak dataun 
 na karlln " implies that " I have not yet broken my fast 
 even." ^f^«T " Dataun " is a tooth brush made of a twig 
 of Nim. ^fft"*! " Sataun " is from ^(T«T^T " satanjaj" or 
 7 ans, or kinds of grain mixed, which is usually eaten as 
 an early breakfast. This mixture of 7 kinds of grain is 
 also eaten on other occasions, such as during the paddy 
 transplanting time in some parts of Bihiir. 
 
 Also a sneer cast at the wife by either her mother-in- 
 law or sister-in-law. 
 
 46, Ambition dying for name ; greed for belly. 
 
 Ndmi maralan nam la lietu maralan pet la. 
 The ambitious man dies for fame : the glutton for his 
 belly ! 
 
 47. The greedy advised to eat with eyes closed before 
 children. 
 
 Ankh mund ke khuih ; larika )ia parikdlfi. 
 
 Shut your eyes and eat; and do not encourage children. 
 
 This is thrust at a glutton who does not offer what he 
 is eating to the children standing by. He is advised (in 
 bitter irony) to shut his eyes lest he may, seeing the
 
 20 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 children, feel induced to share with them what he is 
 eating, and thus encourage them. (Shame is supposed to 
 dwell in the eyes, by shutting them, therefore, one does 
 not feel any shame ; and thus he can play the role of a 
 tender-hearted and liberal man and also make the excuse 
 that he does not wish to encourage children.) 
 
 48. Hunger to be appeased before devotion. 
 
 C/idr kaivar bJilfar, tab deota jntar. 
 
 First eat {lit. put inside you) four mouthfuls, then think 
 of deities and ancestral heroes. 
 
 This is hit at those who think of their belly more than 
 the household gods. 
 
 efi'^^ " Kaicar " or ^"^ " haur " is a mouthful or mor- 
 sel. ^^<TT ■'T^cT'?^ " Deota pitar " are deities and deceased 
 ancestors who are worshipped after their death. The 
 household gods. 
 
 49. " Enemy to food." 
 
 Kmi ke na key ke, dusinan andj ke. 
 
 Fit for no work, but an enemy to grain {i.e. destroys 
 food). 
 
 One who lives to eat ; cast at a lazy fellow who fills 
 his belly and does no work. 
 
 Ingratitude. 
 
 50. The young of a cuckoo will after all be a cuckoo. 
 
 MO ^i;^"^ ^ ^=^^T ^T^ ftff #W ^" WT^ 
 
 Koili ke haclnm koili hoihcTi kana miiheh clihdij. 
 The young of the cuckoo will (after all) be a cuckoo,
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 21 
 
 and cause the crow (its foster-mother) grief and dis- 
 appointment. 
 
 ^^"^^T^ '^ Muhen chhCiij " lit. is to put ashes on the face. 
 Besmeai'ing one's face with ashes or dust is a token of 
 sorrow and penitence. " Covering of the head with ashes 
 has been long a common sign of mourning among Eastern 
 nations, indicative of the greatest distress and humiliation." 
 E.E. "Birds of a feather flock together." "Like will 
 produce like." 
 
 51. A snake bites its charmer. 
 
 JJlta samp sapaJieriye hate. 
 
 When a snake turns he bites the snake-charmer (its 
 keeper), i.e. " stings the bosom that warmed it." 
 
 Said of " ingratitude " (or "^^ZT " u^td- " niay be ren- 
 dered " on the contrary," i-e. contrary to what it ought to 
 do, which would give the same idea of "ingratitude"). 
 
 52. A viper is never grateful. 
 
 Samp ke dudh piydih tahaliun hlkhe ugali. 
 
 The snake even if fed (all its life) on milk will always 
 when it bites give out venom. Ugali is to vomit, " to 
 spit out." 
 
 E.E. " The leopard cannot change his spots." 
 
 53. Like a horse which grumblingly neighs when given 
 ghi. 
 
 M^ ^^ tcT ^^ ^f^^T^ 
 
 GJiia (let glior nariydij. 
 When given ghi the horse grumblingly neighs ! 
 Said of one, who, instead of being grateful for favours,
 
 22 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 scorns them like a horse that is not thankful for being fed 
 on a dainty like ghi (clarified butter). 
 
 Ignorance. 
 
 54. Poor attainments taunted. 
 
 Kodo de ke parhaJa hai ? 
 
 Have you paid kodo for your education ? 
 
 ^^ "Kodo " (Paspalum frumentaceum) is one of the 
 small millets. It is very cheap, and the usual food of the 
 poorest classes ; hence despised by the well-to-do. The 
 idea is that if his education has been purchased at so cheap 
 a price, it cannot be worth much. Said to quiz one of his 
 ignorance. 
 
 Improvidence. 
 
 55. An improvident man overtaken by the flood. 
 
 Siraki ek delanhi tdni 
 Tdhi her men del pdni 
 Siraki uihdive ka ralial na hera 
 Agn ndnth na pdchhu pagaha. 
 He pitched his hovel, and it began to rain, nor could he 
 get an opportunity for striking it ; he was (like an ass) 
 without nose-string or tether. 
 
 f^T^ " Siraki" is a hut or tent made of reeds of that 
 name (Grierson). 
 
 The meaning of this proverb comes out better with the
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 23 
 
 following variation : instead of " Cuju ndnth na pdch/m 
 pagaha " read " na dgu ndo na pdcliJia bera," which is the 
 form sometimes used. 
 
 " He pitched his hovel, when down came the flood ; he 
 had no time to strike it, nor had he a boat or a raft to 
 save himself." Said of course to ridicule those who are 
 80 improvident as to make no provision for the future and 
 suffer in consequence. %TT " Bera " is a raft usually- 
 made by joining plantain trees. 
 
 Inability to appreciate wort//, merit. (Pearls before sivine.) 
 
 56. Can a low caste appreciate barn ? 
 
 M^ TTT ^T% ^TT % ^^T^ 
 
 Rdr jane bdra ke saudd. 
 
 What do the vulgar (low caste) know of the taste of 
 
 the bdra ? WIT.^ " Bdra " are cakes of urid pulse fried in 
 
 ghi or oil, and considered a great delicacy among the 
 
 respectable people. E.E. " Casting pearls before swine." 
 
 57. Can a monkey appreciate ginger ? 
 
 Bdnar jdne ddi ke saicdd ? 
 What does the monkey know of the taste of the ginger ? 
 (A variation of Proverb 56.) 
 
 58. The hubble-bubble in the hands of a monkey. 
 
 Bdnar ke hdth men nariyar ? 
 The hubble-bubble in the hands of a monkey ! 
 if^'^T ^^ Nariyar" is cocoanut — hence hubble-bubble 
 made of the cocoanut shell. 
 
 A man who does not know the use of a thing, which he
 
 24 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 has probably come by accidentally, is sure to spoil it, just 
 as a monkey would a nariyar, which he could not ap- 
 preciate. 
 
 59. Music hath no charms for a buffalo. 
 
 Bhains he age hen hajdice, baitlti b/iaiT/s pagiirdi/ 
 (>ja hJiaimi pdijiildwe) . 
 (He) plays the flute before the buffalo, but the buffalo 
 sits (unconcernedly) and ruminates ! 
 
 Perfectly indifferent to the charms of music (expresses 
 want of appreciation). Pdgurdy chews the cud. 
 
 ^•T ''Ben" — the correct word is ^lir '' Benu,'" which 
 means bamboo ; hence all musical instruments made out 
 of it, such as ^TO"?^ hdnsuri, etc., derive their names. 
 
 60. Useless to adorn before a blind husband. 
 
 Ka par karon siugdr, piinilih mor dndhar. 
 What is the use of adorning myself, my husband is 
 blind ? ^T ^T '' Ka par,'^ lit. " on what." This is a peculiar 
 idiom among the common people, meaning " on what 
 strength or hope," " relying on what strength." 
 
 61. To the blind day and night are the same. 
 %'^ («=!) ^?rfVT ^T %% ^^ TTrf ^"fr^ 
 
 (1) AndJtar ka lekhe clin rdt barobar. 
 
 (2) Je dlye na dckJii se d'uja le kd deklii. 
 
 (1) To a blind man day and night are alike. (2) The 
 other proverb is a play on the words ^^ diije, " even the
 
 BIHAR PROVKRBS. 25 
 
 light," and ^i^ dehhi, " to see." lie who cannot see the 
 light itself, what can he see with the light ? 
 
 The well-known Urdu proverb ^qj 'TT ^^T dii/a na diya 
 is a play on the word dii/a, and has two meanings : (1) You 
 have not given me a light. (2) Your giving is the same 
 as not giving, i.e. you have given under such conditions 
 (perhaps so late), that it amounts to not giving; the gift 
 has no value. Also said when anything is given nominally, 
 with the object of being taken away. 
 
 62. Worth unappreciated. 
 
 JahCih hujh na bardi taJiun se b/idg chal re bJidi. 
 Brother ! let us flee from a place where there is no 
 appreciation of worth. ^^ •TT ^tI^ -Z?w//^ na bardi, lit. 
 neither understanding nor honour or respect (paid to the 
 worthy). 
 
 63. Merit not recognized (illustrated by an allegory). 
 
 ^^ ^VT^T ^^T^ ^^^ TTWr 
 
 Andherpiir nagari kubuddhi raja 
 Take ser blidji take ser khdja. 
 
 The country is one of unreason ; the ruler is Folly. 
 Both »TT^ bhdji and T§T^T khdja are sold at the same 
 price {lit. at a "2^^ taka a seer). 
 
 ^VT^T " Andherpur " is an allegorical name (from 
 "^^X foidker, unjust, unreasonable, senseless, and 'q'^ pur, 
 city) for a country where there is no sense of justice ; 
 and g?^^ " kubuddhi " (from ^ ku, bad, and ^^ buddhi, 
 sense) for one wanting in sense. 
 
 »^T^ Bhdji or sdg is a very common herb used for
 
 26 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 pottage and found often growing wild, and of little or no 
 value: whereas ^T^ khdja is an expensive sweetmeat 
 made of flour, ghi, milk and sugar. 
 
 The meaning is that in such a country as the above no 
 distinction is made between the good and the bad, tlfe 
 deserving and the undeserving, the worthy and the un- 
 worthy. Another proverb of similar import is No. 64. 
 
 64. Making no distinction. 
 
 Sah dJtdn hdise paseri. 
 
 To him every kind of paddy is the same {lit. worth 22 
 paseries per rupee). 
 
 There are of course different classes of ^TT'T dhdn or 
 paddy, and like most things the price varies with the 
 quality. When this is not recognized and all are treated 
 alike, no distinction being made according to merit, this 
 saying is used. 
 
 Inattention. 
 
 65. Enquiring who is the hero after the whole tale is 
 finished. 
 
 Sara Rdmdyan kali gaye, Sifa kis kijoy ? 
 
 After the whole Ramayan has been repeated, (he en- 
 quires) whose wife is Sita ? 
 
 TJ^ " Ram," the husband of ^cTT " Sita," is the 
 principal character in the "^^TTRpf " Ramayan." " The 
 whole plot of this great Epic poem, the ' Ramayan,' rests 
 on a rash promise given hy Dasaratha, king of Ayodhya, 
 to his second wife, Kaikeyi, that he would grant her two 
 boons. In order to secure the succession to her own son,
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 27 
 
 she asks that Rilraa, the eldest son of the king's other 
 wife, should be banished for fourteen years. Much as the 
 king repents his promise, Rama, his eldest son, would on 
 no account let his father break his word, and he leaves his 
 kingdom to wander in the forest with his wife Sita and 
 his brother Lakshmana. After the father's death, the son 
 of the second wife declines the throne, and comes to Rama 
 to persuade him to accept the kingdom of his father. But 
 all in vain. Riima will keep his exile for fourteen years, 
 and never disown his father's promise." (Professor Max 
 Muller.) 
 
 A man who had sat through the play of Hamlet, and at 
 the end of it asked, ""Who was Hamlet?" would be a 
 parallel instance. Used towards one who discovers a joke 
 long after it is made. 
 
 Love of False Display ^ Empty Boast, Foppishness, etc. 
 
 66. Affecting high-sounding names. 
 
 %% ^q 1 -nTT ^^ -qTcI ^fT ^ ^T^ i^ftTT ^T 
 
 Bap ke nam sag pat put he nam parora khan. 
 
 The father's name is " Sag ])dt" ; the son (assumes) the 
 name of *' Ghendhdn Das'' or ^^ Parora Ram" or '^ Parora 
 Khan." 
 
 ^T in<T " Sag pelt," lit. leaves and trash, i.e. something 
 small and insignificant or trivial. il«m''0' " GhendJidri " 
 and Vt'^TJ ^^ Parora" are superior kinds of vegetables 
 much liked by the people. Hence " Ghendhdri Das " and 
 " Parora Rdm " mean simply high-sounding names. 
 
 If the father is a common low-caste man, and the son 
 assumes a high-sounding name of a higher caste, this 
 saying is cast at him. 
 
 Usually said of an upstart. It is a common thing to
 
 28 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 find low-caste people when they rise in the world assume 
 the title of the higher classes, e.g. a Pad or a Baniyn 
 styles himself " Liil," and a " Bom " or " Bosadh " adds 
 '* Riim " after his name. 
 
 67. Foppishness in dress. 
 
 Bdj) 2nd bisani terah goj ke ij'dr. 
 
 Father and son (pose) as stylish people ; they wear 
 (luxurious) paijdmas made up of 13 yards of cloth. 
 
 f^^ilY -Bisani means here people who make an outward 
 show of cleanliness. Also a debauchee — a man of the town, 
 or man of fashion who overdresses himself from foppishness. 
 (The meaning of this proverb is not clear. If bisani be 
 taken for an ascetic, the sense is clear. They call them- 
 selves ascetics, but they wear clothes usually worn by 
 fashionable men of the world.) 
 
 68. One who asks for alms should not enquire after the 
 rent-roll of a village. 
 
 ^^ ^iT m^ ^^rt m^^ ^ ^^ 
 
 Mdmjln bhikli imchlim gdoti kejamdn. 
 
 He sues for alms, yet asks the rent-roll of the village. 
 
 He is really a "make believe," who, while he has not 
 a penny in his pocket, pretends to ascertain the rent 
 of a village, in order to give the impression that he 
 wishes to purchase it. 
 
 69. Dying to eat pan. 
 
 Bap ddda na k hail pan ddnt niporale gel prdn 
 {ija) Bdpjanam na khaile7i pdn ddnt niporale gaile prdn.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 29 
 
 Ills ancestors (///. fatlier and grandfather) have never 
 tasted pan (betel-leaf), yet for want of it he is dying {/it. 
 showing his teeth in his eagerness to get it). 
 
 Said in sarcasm of one who apes gentility or hankers 
 after anything (e.g. comfort or luxury) which his ancestors 
 have never had. XTR "Pan," betel, is always eaten by the 
 fashionable and well-to-do, rarely by the poor, to whom it 
 is a luxury. 
 
 70. A vain woman's love for display. 
 
 Sank/an halnirii/a chatdi ke lahanga. 
 
 The woman is so fond of show, that although she can't 
 afford a better dress, she still wears a lahanga made out of 
 mat (to gratify her vanity). 
 
 ^I'TT " Lahanga " is a loose petticoat worn by the 
 women of the better class. 
 
 The vain woman, determined to make a show, will wear 
 a lahanga at any cost, though it be only one of straw mat ! 
 An exaggerated way of ridiculing a woman who cannot 
 afford it, but still decks herself, though it be in tatters. 
 
 71. False outward display. 
 
 ^«i %^ t?T ^m^ f^'f fff^ ^^t ^^T ^^^ 
 
 Nem tern Gopdl aisan, hdriri charui chamdr aisan. 
 
 The rules he observes outwardly are those of " Gopdl," 
 while his cooking pots and pans are (dirty and unclean) 
 like those of a chamdr. 
 
 Said of one who makes an outward show. 
 
 %fl %TT " Nem tern." ^?J " Nem " is a corruption of 
 niyani = rule. ^J{ " tern " is simply a meaningless word 
 put in for the sake of rhyme. The expression means 
 " outward behaviour," " outward show."
 
 30 BIHAR PROVERBS. ' 
 
 ^TT^ " Gopiil " is a name of the god Krislina. A 
 Gopiil is a devout hermit who observes cleanliness — who 
 keeps his house and everything about him clean and tidy, 
 unlike a chamdr or leather- worker, who is the opposite. 
 
 72. Fashionable father and son, with frogs for kettle- 
 drums. 
 
 Bd}) piit bisaiim hcng ke nagdra. 
 
 The father and son call themselves Bisanln, and they 
 have for drums (the croaking of) frogs. 
 
 f^g«fY" " Bisanm," a debauchee, a fashionable man. 
 Said in ridicule of one who affects to make a display with- 
 out the means. Every great man is supposed to sport a 
 kettle-drum at his gate. A Bisanln, i.e. one who sets him- 
 self up for a man of fashion, ought if anything to have a 
 better kettle-drum than the ordinary, instead of which he 
 has " croaking of frogs." 
 
 73. One who cannot afford it keeping up a dance at his 
 gate for display. 
 
 Ghar men kharchi na, deurhi par ndnch. 
 
 He cannot afford to carry on his daily house expenses, 
 yet keeps up a dance at his gate (for show). 
 
 Said derisively of one whose expenditure is beyond his 
 means ; or one who makes a display when he cannot 
 afford it. 
 
 74. Falsely calling himself a Benares man. 
 
 Ani na p)drsi, hhabjaji bandrasi.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. '31 
 
 Acquainted with neither Arabic nor Persian, yet my 
 friend calls himself a " Benares man." 
 
 ^•TTT^ " Bandmsi," i.e. "one of Benares," is looked 
 up to as a highly-polished man with a finish to his educa- 
 tion. Said to ridicule one who tries to pass himself off as 
 a polished citizen. 
 
 75. The cock after four days' absence returns home a 
 peacock. 
 
 Chare din ke gaile niurga, mor ho he aile. 
 
 The cock goes (from home) for four days only, and re- 
 turns a peacock ! 
 
 A rustic who goes to town for a short while, and fancies 
 on his return that he is a great swell. The following story 
 also holds up to ridicule those who on returning to their 
 homes after a short absence give themselves airs and pre- 
 tend to have forgotten their own patois. 
 
 ^^ ^^ ^ fij^ iftT '^^^ 
 
 Aral) gaye Mogal hoi ay 
 Bole Arbi Odiii, 
 Ah db knhi 2)iya mor mualen 
 Khatiya tar rahal pdni. 
 
 My beloved, he went to Arabia and returned quite the 
 Mughal ; he talked Persian (which nobody understood). 
 He died from thirst, calling out c-^t c_-?l " Ah, db " 
 (water), while all the time the water was under his bed !
 
 32 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 76. Display in borrowed plumes. 
 
 Chhdwal chhopal gliar panlln hdndhal pauliu tCiti 
 Anhar jCiinal beta ^muUn, chiima lenri hi chdti. 
 
 Like one who has found a ready furnished house {lit. 
 a house thatched and tatti walls secured), he has (without 
 trouble) come by another's son ; he is so elated that he 
 does not know how to express his affection. 
 
 Aimed at one who makes too much of anything which 
 really does not belong to hira, or which he has got without 
 any trouble or exertion. '^T^ " Chciti" is {lit.) " to lick," 
 as the lower animals (such as cows) do when showing 
 affection for their young ones. 
 
 77, A vain woman thinks of adorning herself only. 
 
 Sagare gdon pardyal jdij ghura bahu kahasje mdng tlk dah. 
 
 The whole village is fleeing, but Ghura's wife says 
 *' Please put the vermilion on my forehead." 
 
 ^T^ ^: " Tlk dah " or ^^^T ^: " tlka dah " is to put the 
 vermilion mark on a woman's forehead over the parting. 
 It is considered a necessary jjart of the toilet of a woman 
 whose husband is living (^fTf'I'T sohdgin or TJf^Tcft 
 ehwdti). A widow (^^T hen^'a or "^f^ rdnr) never decks 
 herself in that fashion ; indeed, she is never supposed to 
 wear ornaments of any kind or adorn her person. Her 
 life is one long penance. 
 
 Said of a vain woman who will deck herself at all 
 hazards.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 33 
 
 78. A beggar and a beggar at his door. 
 
 Ap mlydn mdiigne/i, darwaje dances. 
 Himself a beggar, (can he afford to have) one asking for 
 alms at his door ? 
 
 ^?^^^ '' Darwes,'" a Mahommedan /rtAxr. 
 
 79. Love of worthless finery. 
 
 Jlcith men na gor men takahl lildr men. 
 
 No (ornaments) on her arms or feet ; and yet a two- 
 pice trinket [tilmU) on her forehead ! 
 
 i.e. She cannot afford ornaments for her arms and feet, 
 yet such is her love for finery that she decks herself 
 prominently with a worthless fZcR^ tikuli worth two 
 pice only, fz^^ ^^ tilailV is a spangled circular and 
 wafer-like ornament gummed on to the forehead. The 
 two-pice ones are bigger and more gaudy, about the size 
 of a shilling piece. 
 
 Z^^ " Tir//i-rt/«' " is one worth a taka or two Gorakhpuri 
 pice. 
 
 80. When out he wears long dhotis, at home he eats 
 masur bread. 
 
 CO ^Tf T ^^ ^1^ ^rf^ ^^ 'T^'O % ft^ 
 Bdhar Iambi Iambi dhoti ghare masuri ke roti. 
 When out he wears long dhotis, at home he has nothing 
 better to eat than masur bread. 
 
 Tiftf!^ '^ Dhoti '^ is a cloth worn round the waist and 
 between the legs. Long dhotis are worn only by the 
 well-to-do and fashionable. 
 
 T^"^ ''Masuri" or Jf^T^ "Masur" (Ervum hirsutum, 
 
 3
 
 34 BIHAR rUOYERBS. 
 
 or Cicer lens) is one of the common pulses which furnishes 
 the well-known dull of that name. Bread made out of the 
 flour of this pulse is commonly eaten by the poorest, and 
 hence despised by the well-to-do. 
 
 Said of one who affects to make a vain display when he 
 really cannot afibrd it. 
 
 81. Tall talk outside and Kodo porridge at home. 
 
 Bdhnr lamhi Iambi hat cjhare kodai ke bhdt. 
 
 Abroad he is full of big talk : at home his food is 
 porridge of kodai ! 
 
 ^^t ''Kodai," or ^^ "Kodo," ^TfT ^J>at is porridge 
 made of kodo, a millet {Paapahim fninientaceum). It 
 makes a coarse kind of porridge which is only used by the 
 poor as food. 
 
 82. Boasting of tbree-seer anklets. 
 
 Bdhar pudicdi tin ser ke neura, gliare mp na daura. 
 
 Outside she boasts of possessing three-seer anklets : 
 at home she has not even the very necessary articles for 
 cleaning and keeping rice. 
 
 "V^^ " Pudicai" is to boast, to talk big (Feminine 
 colloquialism in Siiran and Shahabad). 
 
 ^^■^T "Neura" are beavy anklets worn as oi'naments 
 by the lower classes. They are sold by the weight and 
 serve as ornaments as well as provision for a rainy day. 
 As in the proverb : 
 
 Suk/ii ke singdr hhukhe ke adhdr. 
 
 i.e. Ornaments to those in easy circumstances and means 
 of food to those who are hungrv.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 35 
 
 ^TT " Baura" is a basket for holding grain. 
 
 ^H " Sup " is a basket for sifting grain. 
 
 Every bouse has a sup and a daura ; she must be poor 
 indeed who does not possess these necessary domestic 
 articles. An exaggerated way of expressing poverty. 
 
 83. Demanding a torch at another's house. 
 
 ^^ '^^^^ "^x ^^^^f[ tt ^'t^t ^^ ^^t: %^^ ^T<ft 
 
 Ajitia ghare sanjhwat na 
 Anka gJiare niusar aisan hdti. 
 In his own house he cannot afford the "evening light"; 
 at another's he pretends to want a torch as thick as a pestle. 
 ^^^fT " Sanjhu-at " is " evening light." There is a 
 widely prevailing superstition among natives that it is un- 
 lucky to commence the evening without a light. Even 
 the poorest light a chinlg for a few minutes only. 
 
 84. A blind woman owning three collyrium boxes. 
 
 Atikh haiye udn tin tin go kajrauta. 
 
 She is blind, yet she sports three collyrium boxes ! 
 
 ^^T^ZT '' Kajrauta" is an iron box or receptacle for 
 keeping lamp-black to be applied to the eyes. It is 
 warmed in it too. 
 
 It is a grim and exaggerated way of deriding one who 
 loves to make a display, but lacks the means. 
 
 85. The needy keeping company with the great. 
 
 Khcoje ke sag pat, haithe ke amir ka sdth. 
 He has barely enough to keep himself alive, yet he 
 moves in the company of the great. Applied to a " toad- 
 eater," a mean sycophant.
 
 30 LIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 ^T1 ^Tff " Sag pcU " are pot herbs, common vegetables 
 which the poor eat with their rice. 
 
 86. Rags to wear and carpets to spread. 
 
 Or//e Ice lugari bichhdwe he galaicha. 
 For covering he has rags, but spreads on the ground an 
 expensive carpet. 
 
 False love of display. 
 
 87. Proud of her chundari silri. 
 
 Chundari phdt gall 
 Chamalial met gail. 
 
 When the chundari is torn the shine is gone ! 
 
 ^^tI" " Chundari" is a variegated sheet with white 
 spots, which are caused by tying small knots in the cloth 
 to be dyed, so that the spots tied remain white. It is 
 very much prized by the village women. 
 
 The meaning is when the sheet gets torn, the pride is 
 gone. She has nothing left then to make a display with. 
 Said to ridicule those who boast about empty nothings, or 
 things which are evanescent. 
 
 88. A poor fop. 
 
 Ganthi men dam nan, Bdnhtpur ka sair. 
 
 He hasn't a damri in his pocket, yet he would go to 
 saunter about in Banklpiir ! 
 
 ^fofi^Tj?:^ " Bdnhpur,'" the chief town of Bihiir, and the 
 Divisional headquarters where the Commissioner resides. 
 One of the derivations given of Banklpiir is ^f% "Bdnhe" 
 and xtt; "Pur," i.e. "the town of the fop or coxcomb,"
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. O/ 
 
 on account of its once being the part of the town (Patna) 
 where women of ill-fame resided, and gaily-dressed men 
 were in the habit of frequenting it. A similar bazaar in 
 Gaya is called Tcrlii bazar, or the " crooked " bazaar. 
 
 89. The poor man at the prow of the boat. 
 
 Jinika khen-a naliln, se agila mangi sauxlr. 
 
 He who hasn't money to pay his fare is seated on the 
 prow of the boat. ^^T " fiheica " is ferry charge. 
 
 Said to ridicule one who takes up a prominent position 
 unbefitting his circumstances, while others who can really 
 afford it better, remain in the background. The prow of 
 a boat is the most conspicuous seat one can take in a 
 country boat, and boatmen worship the bow. 
 
 90. Yain boast. 
 
 qO t^^ -T lit ^TTT ^^»?^ T^f^^ 
 
 Lik/ie na parlie, nam Mohamad Fdzil. 
 He neither knows how to read nor write, but styles 
 himself Mohamad Fazil. 
 
 ■^Slf^^ ''Fazil" (Persian), learned. 
 Aimed at those who affect to be clever. 
 
 91. An upstart affecting gentility. 
 
 q«^ ^J^ -IT ^^T Wt^T ^^ ^T¥5IT^T 
 
 Bap na ddda, ilmr pmt sdJiujdda. 
 
 Neither his father nor his grandfather (was rich), but 
 he behaves as if he were the son of a rich man ! 
 
 i.e. Can one whose ancestors were poor suddenly acquire 
 the ways, tastes, and habits of one born amidst wealth ? 
 
 Cast at an upstart who affects to be habituated to wealth 
 from his very infancy.
 
 38 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 92. Affecting familiarity with the great. 
 
 Q?. ^m ^m^w[ tifT ^mT ^f^ ^^% ff(% TT^T 
 
 s» Cs. ^ 
 
 Bap hhusahula put chaupar 
 
 Ndnti haisale mdrih darhdr. 
 
 The father's sitting place was in the chaff house ; the 
 
 son used to sit in the open air (yard in front of the house) 
 
 in front of the rerandah ; but the grandson has taken to 
 
 sitting in the great darbiir, i.e. he will sit nowhere else. 
 
 Said to ridicule an upstart who affects the intimacy of 
 the great, and shuns his former friends and resorts. 
 
 Pot calling the kettle black. Alike faulty or defective. 
 
 93. The sieve blaming the siip. 
 
 Chalanih diisalan suj) Ice, jinka sahasar chhed. 
 
 The sieve with a thousand holes finds fault with the sUp). 
 '^^•tf '* Chalanm" a sieve. 
 
 ^tj " Slip,'" a basket, usually in the shape of a horse- 
 shoe, used for sifting and cleaning grains of various sizes. 
 E.E. " Pot calling the kettle black." 
 
 94. Equally miserable and poor. 
 
 Jaisane Digamhar Pdnre, ivaisane Basidla 
 Unka na chhan chhapar, unka na chulha. 
 Both Digambar Piinre and RasuUa are similarly cir- 
 cumstanced ; the former has no roof to his hut, the latter 
 no cooking place ; i.e. both are equally destitute, so that 
 one has nothinsf to boast over the other.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 39 
 
 t^JI?^^ ilfl " Digamhar Pdnre" and T^^T " Erfsulla" 
 are empty higli-sounding names, i.e. names of people who 
 are really poor. 
 
 " Digamhar " lit. means " naked," from f^J[ " dig,'" sides, 
 the four points of the compass, and "^WK^ " (iinbar," 
 dress, i.e. one who has nothing else but the four sides — 
 North, South, East, and West — for his covering or dress ; 
 i.e. the destitute. 
 
 Another saying of opposite signification is ^^^^ W[ 
 ^^ T.^^ " ^^^'^''^"^ ^^' Bhddo dubar." Is the month of 
 Sawan weaker than Bhado ? (both being heavy rainy 
 months) . 
 
 95. Both alike defective. 
 
 Q.q t^^ ^^ t^ HT^ ^['T^T ^% 'I ^^^T ^TT 
 
 Jaisane JJddi icaisane Bhdn 
 Inka ponchh na unka kdn. 
 As Uddi so Bhdn ; one is tailless and the other earless. 
 ^^ " Uddi " and ^T«T " Bhdn " are the names (after 
 the sun and the moon) of a pair of oxen that are yoke- 
 fellows. 
 
 96. Blind to one's own faults. 
 
 Apan tetar ndhhi dckhe 
 Anke phuli nihdrat phire. 
 He does not see the speck in his own eye, but stares at 
 the mote in another. 
 
 i.e. Blind to his own defects and faults while ready to 
 point out those in others.
 
 40 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 Presumption, Audacify, Cheel;, Arrogance, Over- confidence, 
 Impudence, etc, 
 
 97. Where the big have failed, the pigmy has come to 
 try his strength. 
 
 Bar bar gela (jajaur aila. 
 
 The great have failed, the pigmy {lit. one yard long) 
 has (now) come (to try his strength). 
 
 Said of a small man, or one of inferior position and 
 abilities, who attempts a work in wliich his superiors have 
 failed. 
 
 98. Where camels are drowned, the donkey ventures to 
 ford. 
 
 Bar bar unt dahdyal gela, 
 Gadaha piichhe hatek j)a.nm. 
 
 Huge camels have been washed away by the current ; 
 the donkey (has the " cheek ") to inquire what is the 
 depth ! 
 
 Where his betters have utterly failed, it is presumptuous 
 for the donkey to ask even the depth of the stream with 
 an intent to ford it. 
 
 99. Falsely claiming kinship. 
 
 (1) ChhiJiOH najdnon maiii dullah ki chachi. 
 
 (2) Manrica men koi bat na piichhe kohabar dulaha ki 
 
 chachi.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 41 
 
 (1) Though unknown, she calls herself the (paternal) 
 aunt of the bridegroom, i.e. claims kindredship. 
 
 The paternal uncle's wife of a bridegroom is an es- 
 pecially privileged individual in the marriage feast among 
 the people ; she lords it over all. Thus it comes to be 
 applied when one who, being a mere casual acquaintance, 
 claims the familiarity of kinship and its rights. 
 
 (2) Nobody even speaks to her in the Ilanriva (where 
 all have ingress), but she claims the treatment of the bride- 
 groom's aunt in the KoJiabar (where only the near relatives 
 of the bride and bridegroom are allowed). 
 
 100. While the superior spirits are weeping from hunger, 
 Mua has the " cheek " to ask for cakes. 
 
 «)00 ^^ ^^ »1fT ^^^ fTT ft%^ ^^ ^fJt TJ^ 
 
 Bar bar bJiut hadam tar roweFi, 
 Mm tnd>ige pua. 
 
 The superior ghosts are crying (weeping) under the 
 kadam (tree), Mua (has the "cheek") to ask ior piia. The 
 W^^ "I:adam" tree, and the •ft?? " nvii" tree, etc., are the 
 favourite resorts of evil spirits, as the t^t?^ "jf/pal" ; 
 the %^ " bel" and the ^^ " bar " are of the good. 
 
 ^W "Miia." Among the host of evil spirits and 
 deities worshipped by the people some are of very inferior 
 rank, and almost incapable of doing any harm. Mua is 
 one of them ; low down in the scale, and invoked only to 
 frighten children (chiefly in South Bihar). 
 
 TJ^ Piia is wheat and rice flour and molasses mixed 
 and cooked in ghi or oil. It is considered a delicacy, and 
 is used in piijas or other festive occasions. 
 
 (Used as a satire on presumption in asking for anything 
 which his betters would not dare to.)
 
 42 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 101. Breeze of the fan pitted against the hurricane. 
 
 Andhi ke age hena he hatas. 
 
 Before a gale the breeze from a fan has no effect ! 
 
 i.e. when a weak man presumes to oppose an immensely 
 powerful one, the light breeze from the fan may meta- 
 phorically be contrasted with the hurricane to mark the 
 disproportionateness of the opposing force put forth. 
 
 102. The goat of a.jola]ta, and addicted to butting ! 
 
 Jolaha ke chher markhdhi. 
 
 The goat of 2i jolaha, and addicted to viciousness ! 
 
 In the first place a goat is harmless and is not usually 
 addicted to butting ; and then the goat of a Wt<?T^ jolaha 
 (the proverbial fool) ought to be particularly quiet and 
 inoffensive. 
 
 103. Impudence in a young girl. 
 
 Dekhale chhaunri samdhin. 
 
 Yesterday a (mere) girl, and to-day a " samdhin." 
 
 ^Tf^T " Samdhin " is the mother of the son-in-law or 
 daughter-in-law. 
 
 The father of the bride and the father of the bridegroom 
 call each other ^JR\J^ " samdhi." Their wives call each 
 other ^?rr^«I "samdhin" (Grierson). 
 
 Said to snub " cheek " or " impudence " in a j^oung 
 person (also to express surprise at the sudden growth of 
 a girl). 
 
 Similarly the saying efij^f ^f^"^! "^11% %^ Kalhe haniydii
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 43 
 
 dje seth. " Yesterday a petty shopkeeper and to-day a 
 banker." 
 
 104. Can the dance get on without Gilngo ? 
 
 (1) Be Gdngo kejhumar {yd) Bina jolahen Id. 
 
 (1) Can the dance {jhumar, see proverb 126) take place 
 without Gango ? (2) Can the Id take place without 
 weavers ? 
 
 ^^ " Gdngo " is a fictitious female name. 
 
 Both these sa3'ings are used in a good-humoured way 
 when one is playfully said to be indispensable to an occasion. 
 
 105. Cricket on a bundle. 
 
 <^0M ^=q^^ ^^^^^ ^3R^T ^1^^ ^ ^^ ITT ^^ 
 
 Uchrwig charhlan hakucha 
 Kahlan ke sab hamre dhan. 
 The cricket mounted on a bundle says, "I am the owner 
 of this wealth." 
 
 A small-minded man suddenly raised to power gives him- 
 self unjustifiable airs, and considers he has more authority 
 than he really possesses. 
 
 106. Making free with another's property. 
 
 Ankar mad ankar mahua 
 Ndnche cJtor hajdive sahua. 
 Another's wine and another's maJiua', the wine-seller 
 plays to the dancing of the thief. 
 
 T^^ '^MaJuia" is the flower of the mahua tree (Bassia 
 latifolia) used for distilling country spirits.
 
 44 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 The idea is that the thief steals the mahna and makes 
 it over to the wine-seller, and both enjoy themselves at 
 another's expense (To dance to the playing of the wine- 
 seller, who pulls the string, is comically suggestive). 
 
 107. The barber's wife's lament. 
 
 «^0^ T:[^ f\ TT^ cTTTT f^^ 'Tlfr^T ^ Wi\ f[ TT^ 
 
 Raj ho raj, torn hhmn nagaria he munri, ho rCij ! 
 
 Without you, my lord, how will the town get shaved ? 
 
 The barber's widow, in bewailing her husband, praises 
 him inordinately. 
 
 Said to ridicule one who considers some one else indis- 
 pensable, as the barber's wife thought when her husband 
 was dead that there was no one left to shave the towns- 
 people ! 
 
 108. Can the sea-gull support the falling skies with its 
 tiny feet ? 
 
 «)0C fZZfi ^ t^% ^T^T ^Ti=ft 
 Tit ah i ha tehale hddar thanihi? 
 Would the sea-gull support the sky (with her feet) in 
 case it fell ? 
 
 There is a common story about the sea-gull, that it goes 
 to sleep at night on its back with its feet held upwards, in 
 order to hold the sky in case it comes down. 
 
 Applied when ridiculously feeble efforts are made to 
 effect great results. 
 
 109. He does not know the charm for a scorpion, yet 
 ventures to put his hand in a snake's hole. 
 
 Blchhi he mantar ndh jdnm, 
 Sam}) he bil me7i hath ddlln ?
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 45 
 
 lie is unacquainted with the charm for scorpions {I.e. 
 for curing scorpion sting), yet is foolhardy enough to put 
 his hand into a snake's hole. ♦ 
 
 i.e. He has not the ability to do an easy thing, and yet 
 has the " cheek " to try his hand at something far more 
 difficult. 
 
 It is easier to cure scorpion sting than snake bite. The 
 belief is universally prevalent in Bihiir that snake bites 
 and scorpion stings can be cured by spells and charms, if 
 only the patient be subjected to them in proper time. 
 Marvellous instances of cure (even after life was extinct) 
 are related in every village, and one or two ojhds (charmers 
 or wizards) are always to be found in a village, who are 
 supposed to possess the secret charm. The ojhds are also 
 employed in exorcising evil spirits, and are believed in by 
 the women of even well-to-do and educated men. Faith 
 in the efficacy of charms of every kind is universal among 
 the peasantry. Scarcely any malady is too severe to be 
 cured by the charmer, and the means adopted are as various 
 as the diseases to be cured. 
 
 110. Self-praise is no praise. 
 
 Apanen munh m'ujdii mittlni. 
 Perfect in his own estimation. ' 
 
 ffl^f f'Tf " Miydn mitthu " is one who is self-satisfied, 
 
 thinks himself a hero. A parrot is also familiarly called 
 
 mitthu. 
 
 E.E. " Self-praise is no praise." 
 
 111. Arrogating superiority over one's teacher. 
 <^=ici 5^ 5^ Tl% ^^T ^^'^ 1^ ^% 
 
 Guru gure rahale, chela chlni ho gaile.
 
 46 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 The teacher has remained the same coarse sugar (as 
 before), but his pupil pretends to have become clean sugar. 
 This is a play on the words ^^ " (/uru " (teacher) and ITK. 
 "ffur" (the coarse brown country sugar). 
 
 Cast at those who affect superiority over their betters. 
 
 112. Presumption of the inexperienced. 
 
 Sdwan jamle siydr hhddo ail bdrh ; 
 
 Bdp re hdp aimn bdrh kabahu nan dekhli. 
 The jackal pup was born in the month of Sdwan 
 (August), there was a flood in Bhddo (September), he 
 has the impertinence to say, " Good gracious ! I never saw 
 such a high flood." 
 
 113. The young crow wiser than its mother. 
 
 Kaua hi kabehce gdrh. 
 
 The young crow is more cunning than its mother ! 
 
 A crow was advising its young to fly away for safety's 
 sake, as soon as it saw any one stoop to pick up a stone, so 
 as not to give him a chance of pelting it. " But," said 
 the precocious young bird, " supposing the man comes 
 provided with a stone in his hand." 
 
 The old bird stopped giving further advice to one 
 possessed of so much foresight. 
 
 114. Born but yesterday and to-day a giant. 
 
 Kab jamah hah rdkas bhaih ? 
 Born but yesterday and to-day a giant ! 
 {Lit. "When was he born ? When did he turn a demon ?)
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 47 
 
 115. An old goat quizzing the wolf. 
 
 £urh bakari hunrdr se thatha. 
 
 The old goat has the impudence to quiz the wolf ! 
 
 Said when weakness audaciously pits itself against 
 strength, and runs the risk of being made to pay the 
 penalty. (An old goat is presumably more feeble than 
 a young goat, and therefore he ought not to defy a wolf.) 
 
 Recklessness. 
 
 116. Recklessness of those who have nothing to lose. 
 
 <1«1^ f I^T 1T% ^t ^T 
 Langta ndche, phdte ka ? 
 
 If the naked dance, what can they tear ? 
 
 Applied to those who, having nothing to lose, are very 
 ready to venture all. The following sayings are used to 
 laugh at the readiness of people who have nothing to carry, 
 to start on a journey at a moment's notice. ^^ ^f^T, 
 xffi^ ^^'ft^ ^T^ " Ilel bdnra, jmnchh aJgaule bdni," the 
 tailless bullock on being told to get ready says, " I have 
 already lifted my tail ! " {i.e. preparatory to entering the 
 water). 'SITIT ^T^ ^^ ^'fttZ'^ft %% " JVuga b/idi kiinch 
 langautiyo naikhe." Similarly, the naked (who has nothing) 
 is asked to get ready to start on a journey, says he has 
 not even the small rag round his loins, i.e. he has nothing 
 to get ready. 
 
 117. One who has nothing to lose can be reckless to any 
 extent. 
 
 S«^^ €»IZT ff% cf^T cf^T ^fCW ^^^cT ^f^ l^lfx:^ 
 
 Langta ndnche, tin tin beria 
 Angut, sdnjh, dupaharia.
 
 48 BIHAR PROVEUBS. 
 
 The shameless can afford to caper three times a day : 
 morning, noon, and night. 
 
 i.e. those who have nothing to lose can always afford to 
 be reckless. It is only those who have their reputation 
 at stake that have to be careful of what they do. 
 
 " To dance " is here synonymous with " playing pranks," 
 "being up to mischief." Dancing among themselves is 
 not considered a respectable amusement by the natives. 
 Those who take to it as a profession are looked down upon 
 by 80ciet3% " To dance " is therefore synonymous (in its 
 opprobrious use) with " To behave vulgarly." 
 
 118. Reckless waste of another's property. 
 
 Kanca koJidr he, ghlw jajamdn he; dharkaule jdli. 
 
 It is the pot of the potter and the ghi of the follower ; 
 go on pouring it. 
 
 This speech is supposed to be made by the Brahman who 
 has come to officiate at the piija and is performing the 
 oblation ceremony (ftT " Horn ") of pouring ghi into the 
 fire. A very small quantity of it is necessary to be poured. 
 A Brahman who is reckless will pour and waste a lot. 
 
 Said when one is reckless with another's property. 
 ^ol^TT " 'T'ijmdn " is a customer, a follower of a Brahman. 
 It is the Sanskrit "^m7T«Tt yajamdnah. 
 
 Selfishnens, Heartlessness, Obstinacy, Self-wUled, having one's 
 own way, etc. 
 
 119. What is play to one is death to another. 
 
 CJnram hejiu-Jdy, lan'haii he hhehdotdh. 
 It is play to the children, but death to the bird.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 49 
 
 120. Dying man asked to sing. 
 
 <=i^o fl-?:^ m^ xi^ TiTtf 
 
 Maraljdln, rds gain. 
 
 Can a dying man sing love songs ? 
 
 Lit. I am dying, and I am to sing love songs ! 
 
 "TJ^ "Puis." The love stories of the Hindu god Krishna 
 are related and acted in " Rds Lila." 
 
 Supposed to be said by one who is unhappy or sick, but 
 is expected to be jolly notwithstanding. 
 
 121. A self-willed man. 
 
 Man mdna, ghar jdna. 
 
 He goes home when he likes [lit. to go home when the 
 mind likes or wishes). 
 
 Said in reference to a self-willed man, or one who pays 
 no heed to the wishes or advice of others. 
 
 122. Requiring full weight when the shopkeeper does 
 not come to terms, 
 
 Banhjdh de na : pura taiil. 
 
 The shopkeeper does not agree to sell ; yet he says, give 
 full weight. 
 
 i.e. The seller does not agree to give at the terms offered, 
 yet he tells him to weigh out correctly. 
 
 Said sarcastically when any one takes for granted, or 
 neglects the most essential thing in any transaction which 
 requires to be settled first, before any steps can be taken. 
 Cast at one who takes an entirely selfish view of 
 anything.
 
 50 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 123. The goat has paid with its life, j'et its meat is not 
 appreciated. 
 
 Kliasi lie jiic (jail khawaii/d ha sau'dde na milal. 
 
 The (poor) goat has lost its life ; and still the gourmand 
 declares that the meat is not to his taste! i.e. the poor 
 goat has done its very best, it can do no more. 
 
 Said when one has done his very utmost and still gets 
 blamed, or fails to give satisfaction. Cast at one who is 
 difficult to please. 
 
 (The final "e " in '^'^^\'^ " saicdde" is to emphasize it.) 
 
 124. The poor dog is dying, but the Raja thinks of his 
 sport only. 
 
 «^^B f^^ ^ wt^ wr^ TT^T % "ftr^T ^T'lW ^"51 
 
 PiUi he jlwjCuj, raja lie sikdre hhdgaljdy. 
 
 The bitch is dying, but the Raja (declares that his) 
 game is running away. 
 
 i.e. The sufferings of the poor bitch do not cause any 
 concern to the Raja; all he thinks of is his enjoyments, lest 
 the game may escape. 
 
 Aimed at those who are so inconsiderate and selfish as 
 to think of their own pleasure and purpose only. 
 
 125. The Rani has thoughts of the Raja only. 
 
 ci^M ^^"^ % ^^ f^fTT T'nft % T^*^ ^ f^rTT 
 Ano lie dn chita, rani he rajaice he chita. 
 
 Others have other thoughts, but the Rani has thoughts 
 of the Raja only. 
 
 Applied to one who is intent on his own thoughts only, 
 regardless of others.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 51 
 
 Vain or impotent desire, vain ex^jcctations, useless labour. 
 
 126. Yain desire of the handless woman to dance. 
 
 8ah mil he jJnimar j)dre, thutlii hahe JiamaJiuu. 
 
 (When) all are dancing the jhuinar the handless woman 
 says, "I also (shall join)." 
 
 ?ITT"^ ^^ Jhumar" is an aboriginal dance in which the 
 women go round in a circle with joined hands. A woman 
 with a stump is evidently unfit to take part in it. Her 
 wish, therefore, to join is on the face of it absurd. 
 
 Said of one who has a wish to do anything, but lacks the 
 essential power. 
 
 127. Wife vainly waiting for the collyriura to put in 
 her eyes. 
 
 Kdjar gel hihdr, hahuriija dnkh niderale hath. 
 
 The Kdjar has gone to Bihilr, while the wife (woman) 
 has wide spread her eyelids to (receive it). 
 
 ^T^ll^ " Kdjar " is collyrium or lamp-black applied to 
 the edges of the lower eyelids. 
 
 It places in a comical and ridiculous light the situation 
 of one who has let an opportunity slip, and is still fondly 
 waiting for it, by depicting humorously the not very 
 comely attitude of the vain wife, who, in the act of apply- 
 ing the lamp-black to her eyes, has wide-spread them, 
 while the collyrium is nowhere at hand. 
 
 Applied to ridicule one who is waiting for the past or 
 any lucky turn of events, instead of exerting.
 
 52 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 128. Fruitless labour in spinning. 
 
 Mar mar kdtln mdlhejdy. 
 
 With the greatest hardship I spin cotton, but all (my 
 earnings) are wasted in mending the spinning machine 
 [lit. the driving band of the spinning machine). 
 
 TTT'^r "Mill" or ;Frr^f "Malh" is the driving band 
 " which goes twice round the driving wheel and the 
 spinning axle. It is rubbed with resin, and is then 
 blackened with charcoal" (Grierson). 
 
 It is a constant source of annoyance to the woman who 
 spins, because it frequently breaks. 
 
 A quaint way of expressing that all earnings are lost in 
 the cost of production, in repairing the machinery. 
 
 129. The earless woman wishing for earrings. 
 
 JVdk na kdn 
 Bdli ke armdn. 
 
 She has neither nose nor ears, yet hankers for ear and 
 nose rings. 
 
 130. An old cow's desire to take part in the Sohrai 
 festival. 
 
 Burh gdy, sohrai ke sdd/i. 
 
 An old cow with a longing to take part in the sohrdi f 
 
 "^WKlk. " So/u'ui " is a Hindu festival held on the 15th 
 
 of Kartik (October-November) of each year, chiefly by the 
 
 godlas (milkmen). Its object is to make the cow dance,
 
 BIHAK PROVERBS. 53 
 
 hence also called iflr%^ " Gomrthii.,'" ^^^T " Gokrlra," 
 or ^^"^ " Gaidar." Various means are adopted to 
 induce the cow to dance, really to run. A young 
 pig is made to squeal near a calf, at which the mother, 
 followed by all the herd, attack the pig and gore it to 
 death. Sometimes this cruel sport is humanely varied by 
 dragging a large gourd, or a black blanket, at which the 
 cows run to butt. Applied to one who is too old or 
 incapable to take part in a pleasure, yet has a longing 
 for it. 
 
 Compare also the following saying : 
 
 BurJn gay saJiyani cliaraU 
 Mdnke lagali dhahi ke paraU. 
 
 i.e. The old cow having grazed on the horse-radish tree, 
 began to gambol, but dropped down forthwith. 
 Another proverb of similar application is 
 
 \» • ^ 
 
 (1) Burhiija sardhe gliiio kldchri ! 
 
 A variation of it is 
 
 (2) Burwen sawadal ghlii khichri. 
 
 The former (1) means "The old woman is too fond of 
 ghi and khichri" {Jit. praises it, takes to it kindly). 
 
 The variation of (2) is " The old man has found the ghi 
 and khichri to his taste." 
 
 fT§^^ ''Khichri" is a very favourite dish with the 
 natives of all classes. It is made of a mixture of rice and
 
 54 BIHAR rROVF:RBS. 
 
 dull (cooked together). Tlie poor people can seldom afford 
 to use glti in it, which adds greatly to its flavour. The 
 well-to-do always mix ()Jd with their Iddchri. The idea is 
 that it becomes the old not to show excessive fondness for 
 such delicacies. 
 
 Said sarcastically when any one shows an overfondness 
 for a thing which does not become him. To ridicule un- 
 beseeming taste.
 
 55 
 
 CLASS 11. 
 
 Proverbs relating to Worldly Wisdom and Maxims, 
 Expediency and Cunning, and AVarnings and 
 Advice. 
 
 131. A circuitous route. 
 
 Gaya he rah Konnathu ? 
 
 The (straight) road to Gaya (is not through) Kormathu. 
 
 cfit"^??^ " Kormathu " is a village near Gaya, but not 
 on any of the high roads leading to it. Any man who 
 adopts a circuitous route or style instead of the straight 
 one might be asked sarcastically, " Are you going to Gaya 
 through Kormathu ? " 
 
 132. Absurd sight or situation. 
 
 Ek hath ke kakri nao hath ke h'lya. 
 
 The kakri is one cubit long ; its seed nine cubits ! 
 
 The seed contained inside the cfi^^ "kakri" (a longish 
 cucumber) ought in all reasonableness to be much smaller 
 than the kakri itself. Said to mark disproportionateness, 
 ludicrous effect, or absurdity of a sight ; also to ridicule 
 the presumption of a small or .insignificant man who 
 attempts to do anything much beyond his power.
 
 56 BIHAR PROVKRBS. 
 
 183. A new washerwoman applies soap to rags even. 
 
 Nai dhobiniydn aweli 
 Chirkutwe sdhun Idiceli. 
 A new washerwoman applies soap to rags even {lit. when 
 a new washerwoman comes she applies soap in washing 
 rags even, which are seldom washed with soap). 
 E,E. "A new broom sweeps clean." 
 
 134. The barber's wife with a wooden nail cutter. 
 
 Nai iidun, bans ke narahani. 
 
 A new (female) barber ; she has a bamboo nail cutter ! 
 
 •TT^«f^ "Narahani," a chisel-like instrument made of 
 iron for cutting finger-nails. It is never made of bamboo. 
 
 Said of a " new broom," who wants to effect im- 
 possibilities. 
 
 135. A chip of the old block. 
 
 Bdp he pUt, sipd/ii ke ghora ; nan to, tliorain thora. 
 A chip of the old block ; like the steed of the trooper, 
 if he is not up to very much still he is above the average. 
 
 136. All that glitters is not gold. 
 
 Upar ke ch/idin chhumen mat bhulah, tare lugnriije ba. 
 
 Do not be carried away by the outward specious appear- 
 ance ; below (the outward finery) are rags (as under- 
 clothing). 
 
 i^TT W^ " CJiJtdm cJiJium," specious appearance.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 57 
 
 137. A good man needs speaking once. 
 
 Bhala gJiora lie ek chCibuk 
 Bhdla mdnukJi ke ek hCit. 
 The good [i.e. spirited) horse needs hut once to be 
 whipped, just as the good man needs but, once to be 
 sjjoken to, 
 
 138. All in the same plight. 
 
 «)^^ %^T %^T ^ff ^t^ smTj •^^% ^iT TT^ 
 
 Kekar kekar Wnri ndon 
 Kamra orhle sagare gdon. 
 
 "Whom am I to name ? All the villages are similarly 
 circumstanced ! (///. all are alike covered with blankets, 
 i.e. poor, in the same boat). 
 
 Said e.g. when all in a place are more or less implicated 
 or blameworthy (or almost all are poor), and are trying 
 to sham. The poorer class only use the country made 
 blankets as a covering, and consequently it is taken as a 
 sign of poverty by the people. The better classes alwa3^s, 
 when they can afford it, use shawls, and people not so 
 well off use ^f?: "Dohars " (thick sheets), %fT^ "lehafs" 
 (light quilts), >sWT "Bhusas" (woollen sheets), etc. 
 
 A story is told of a former Tikiiri Raja, illustrating that 
 blankets are considered as fit covering for the poor only. 
 
 One day the Maharaj was belated in his evening walk, 
 and had to take " a short cut " through a village of Ahirs, 
 who are proverbially thick-headed. He wore a highly 
 valuable black shawl, which, to those who had never seen 
 a shawl, seemed like a black blanket. He had scarcely 
 passed the village when an old Ahir ran up to him and.
 
 58 
 
 BIHAR PKOVEllBS. 
 
 with tears in his eyes, supplicated the chief to accept all 
 he had, namely, the few rupees he had gathered together. 
 Still weejoing, he added that he could not bear to see the 
 old Maharaj in a common blanket ; that he had heard a 
 great deal about his being in debt and his income having 
 been much reduced of late, but until now he had no idea 
 that the Maharaj had come down to such straits as to 
 cover a blanket. Saying this, he earnestly besought the 
 Maharaj to accept his offering, and suggested that he 
 should make immediate use of it, in making for himself 
 a few red le/idfs and doJinrs, and not cause pain to his 
 loyal subjects by going about in that style. The Maharaj 
 very gracefully accepted the gift, and asked the Ahir to 
 accompany him to his palace. It is pleasing to know (so 
 the story says) that the Maharaj rewarded the Ahir's 
 loyalty by granting him the village in which he had his 
 home, and his descendants are now said to be well-to-do 
 zemindars in those parts. 
 
 139. An old parrot never gets tame. 
 
 BurJi suga pos nuaie/a ? 
 Can an old bird (parrot) ever get tame ? 
 Said when one advanced in years is ungrateful. 
 
 140. After meals wait awhile. 
 
 li/ia kepamnfi mar ke sasarln. 
 
 Stretch yourself after your meal, but disappear ("slope") 
 after beating (any one). 
 
 i.e. Rest after your food, but do not tarry after you have 
 thrashed anybody lest he may return it. It is a piece of 
 cunninj? advice.
 
 KIHAR PROVERBS. 59 
 
 tj^"5^^ " Pa.sarab " is to spread, to stretch out. 
 ^^■5(;^ " Sasarah " is to slope, to disappear, to clear out, 
 to remove. 
 
 141. A dog is brave at his own door. 
 
 ApauCui dudri kukuro hariydr. 
 A dog is brave at his own door. 
 
 An equivalent saying in Urdu is ^T^ ^ ^tTT ^T " Ghar 
 ha hitta sher,^' "A dog is brave as a lion at his own door ! " 
 E.E. "A cock on his own dunghill." 
 
 Adding insult to injarij. 
 
 142. Grinding corn on the dead. 
 
 Muala par kodo dare aile. 
 He has come to grind corn [kodo) over the dead. 
 i.e. over the corpse. 
 i.e. to add insult to injury. 
 
 143. The Karaila climbing on the nlni. 
 
 <^8? H^ ^"t ^t^T ^^% ^^t l^T "^^^ "^T 
 
 Ek to karaila apane kariii, dusare charhali nlm. 
 
 The karaila is itself bitter enough, but it becomes worse 
 when it climbs the nlm, 
 
 cRx;^X ''Karaila" {Moniordica cliarantia), a very bitter 
 kind of vegetable of the gourd family. It is a creeping 
 plant. 
 
 >^TT " Nlm " (Azaderachta indica), a common tree with 
 very acrid fruit and juice. 
 
 The idea is that the karaila, which is itself bitter, adds 
 to its bitterness by climbing the nlm.
 
 GO BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 Said of anything that aggravates an injury. 
 E.E. "Adding insult to injury." 
 A similar idea is expressed in the sayings: 
 (1) 11^ ffr ^^t ^-^ ^'t'fTt {m ^q^ tI) ^^ ^TT^ ^TT 
 
 £/i to ))uj/iui khud baurCihe (or, apne raJie) domre Iihdln hltdng. 
 The jf^^ mlydh is really mad, and adds to it by drinking 
 *ITT hhCing. 
 
 (2) ir^ fft ^-^T^T f{'^ ^T ^% ^^^ ^TT 
 
 Ek to naijana mad hliare, duje anjan sdr 
 Ai hauri koi det hai matwdre hathiydv. 
 Your eyes are full of intoxicating wine. You increase 
 their jDower by applying antimony. Stupid ! does any one 
 ever place a weapon in the hands of a drunkard ? 
 
 To say that a fair one's eyes are full of wine is a 
 figurative way of expressing that they possess the power 
 of intoxicating or captivating others. 
 
 144. A bear, and he with a spade on his shoulders. 
 
 «i88 IJ^ Mm ^^T ^^ f^T 
 
 Ek hJidl dusare kdndh kuddr. 
 The bear and he to shoulder a spade ! 
 i.e. Makes him ten times more dangerous. 
 Said when one who is already inclined to be a bully 
 gets power. 
 
 145. Insulting the dead. 
 
 Mare par sau durra. 
 On the dead (or after he is dead) he lays a hundred 
 stripes with the whip.
 
 BIHAR rilOVERHS. 61 
 
 i.e. ITeaping injury on the helpless; on one who cannot 
 return. 
 
 " Durrn," it is said, was a lash made of a long narrow 
 bag stuffed with pice, rupees, or gold mohaj's, according 
 to the social jjosition of the man who was to be chastised. 
 
 146. A demon and a torch in his hand. 
 
 Eke rdkas dusare hath men liikwan. 
 
 A demon and. with a burning torch in his hand ! 
 
 XJcJ}^ " Rdhas " is a demon who is supposed to emit 
 fire from his mouth. 
 
 Said when any one viciously inclined is placed in a 
 position which enhances his power of doing mischief. 
 
 147. A bad workman quarrels with his tools. \ \ 
 
 Ndche (or cJiale) najdnm angamcen terh. , 
 One who cannot dance blames the floor. 
 A variation of it is, 
 
 One who cannot walk straight says the compound is 
 crooked. 
 
 E.E. A bad workman quarrels with his tools. 
 
 148. A barking dog seldom bites. 
 
 «18^ ^fT^TT ^Ti^TTTW^l"': ^T^^l% ^t 
 
 Kariawa hddar garaje he dher barase ke haiye iiuh. 
 Black clouds thunder a great deal, but rain little. 
 E.E. A barking dog seldom bites. 
 A thundering cloud gives little rain. 
 
 149. A black goat has no heart. 
 
 <=i8e ^ft"^! ^^ ^T ^T^ ^ 
 
 Kariya khad ha kdrcje ndti.
 
 62 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 A black goat has no heart. 
 
 Said of one who has no courage : who cannot be trusted 
 or is not equal to an occasion. 
 
 A black goat is supposed to possess mysterious virtue. 
 It is a favourite offering to the gods (especially ^"'^ 
 Bhairo, and to the goddess ^T^ Kc'ili, etc.), and its bile is 
 believed to possess healing properties, e.g. those who suffer 
 from night blindness are strongly recommended to apply 
 its bile to the eyes and to eat its liver. 
 
 This proverb is ascribed to the following tale : 
 
 Once a tiger, who had grown sick and feeble from age, 
 and was unable to hunt owing to failing strength, was 
 strongly recommended by his physician to try the liver 
 of a black goat. Thereupon the monarch of the forest 
 ordered his vazir, the jackal, to get him a black goat. 
 The wily " Jack " by many false promises managed to 
 inveigle a black goat within reach of his infirm master, 
 who took no time in killing it. The cunning jackal, who 
 was himself eager to eat the liver, having heard of its 
 marvellous powers, suggested to his master a preparatory 
 bath before taking the remedy. The tiger approving of 
 the suggestion went to have a bath. In the meantime 
 "Jack" devoured the liver of the black goat. When the 
 tiger came back, he was surprised to find that the goat had 
 no liver. Turning to the jackal the tiger asked what was 
 the meaning of this. " Sire," exclaimed the " Jack," " I 
 thought your majesty was aware that black goats had no 
 liver : otherwise how could your servant have deceived a 
 black goat into your presence ?" 
 
 150. A ludicrous attempt to frighten, 
 
 ciMO Tfr^ t^T^ 'I^^ % t^"^Ttf 
 
 Poa deli/idi, garur he dencdin.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 63 
 
 By showing a young snake to the adjutant will you 
 (ever) frighten him ? 
 
 T^T " Gariir^' is a large species of crane {LeptopUlos 
 argala) ; its exceedingly voracious habits render it valuable 
 as a scavenger. It swallows up large snakes. 'rY^ P^a 
 is a young snake. It is absurd therefore to think of 
 frightening it with a young snake. 
 
 Said when an absurd attempt is made to intimidate any 
 one. Another saying of the same import is 
 
 t ^T ^^ ^T ^^^^^^ ^T^t 
 
 Jehara pith par agardJiat ke nagdra hdje ; 
 
 Se, ka, sup ka hharbharaute hhdge ? 
 " Will one on whose back is played a kettledrum, made 
 of several metals, be frightened at the noise made with a 
 winnowins' basket?'' As the camel is said to have re- 
 marked to the old woman who was trying to frighten him 
 away from grazing her field by using her winnowing 
 basket. 
 
 ^^■^\:iff " Agardhrd " is said by natives to be a cor- 
 ruption of ^S\JTrf " (tshtdhdiu,'" i.e. or eight metals. A 
 drum made of an alloy of many metals makes a great noise. 
 
 1 ol. A rat skin is not sufficient to cover a kettledrum. 
 
 MiiJis ka chain se dnmdma cJtJtaicdIa. 
 
 Is it possible to cover a kettledrum with the skin of a 
 mouse ? 
 
 The following couplet in Theth Hindi makes use of the 
 same proverb to illustrate the impossibility of getting men 
 of inferior ability (men of low caste) to fill honourable 
 places.
 
 64 inilAR PROVERBS. 
 
 fjf{ ^^W{ ^Trl ^# €T 'iff ^ 'TR 
 
 Kaise chhote naran se sarai haran ko ham 
 
 Marho damdmajdt kahiih sau chuhon ko chdm ! 
 
 How can the low do the work of the high, can the 
 
 kettledrum ever be covered with the skin of 100 mice even? 
 
 i.e. even 100 low-caste men can't fulfil the duties of one 
 
 high-caste man : just as impossible it is to cover the 
 
 kettledrum if the skins of 100 mice were pieced together. 
 
 152. A prophet is with honour save in his own country. 
 
 Gdoen ke koreya, log kahe indarjao. 
 
 This is the (common) koreija of the village, and people 
 style it the "Indarjao /" 
 
 i.e. It is the common produce that grows in every 
 village, commonly called " koreya " by the people, but 
 medically it is known by the high-sounding name of 
 '' Indar jao." 
 
 Xy^ ^R " Indar jao," literally, "barley fit for Indar," 
 King of the Fairies. 
 
 Applied when something common is dignified with a 
 sonorous or euphemistic name. 
 
 A short time ago a medicine was advertised as a recent 
 discovery and very much lauded (as all new patent 
 medicines are) as a specific for asthma. It was called 
 "Kalikarpa." A respectable Jlindu gentleman who was 
 suffering from this chest malady was advised to send for 
 a box of it. He did so. It was not bigger than half the 
 size of an ordinary tin of sardines. On his opening the 
 box and examining this high-priced specific, great was 
 his surprise to find that it was the rind of the common
 
 BIHAR PROVJiRBS. 65 
 
 dhatum plant {S(ramo)iiuin), which he knew very well 
 before. On this occasion he made use of this proverb. 
 
 153. Among butchers a devout man can never be happy. 
 
 «iM^ ^^f Hl"^ lt^ ^^Tt cTff U:^ TT^ ^T^ ^ ^T ^^it 
 
 Jahdn mgare gcioJi kasdi 
 Talian ek Ram Das ke ka basdL 
 Where the whole village consists of butchers, how can 
 one devout man find it pleasant to live ? 
 
 TTT ^T^ Bcon Bus is the declared servant of Rama, 
 the god ; he who leads a devout life and never touches 
 animal food. 
 
 154. Annojang an old man. 
 
 Cliala larlke, ddda ke bira din. 
 Come along, children ! let us go and mock at grandpapa ! 
 Said when people join together to annoy another. 
 
 155. Whatever is in the vessel will come out of the spout. 
 
 Je kanca tnen rake, se tonfi se bake. 
 Whatever is in the pot flows out of the spout ! 
 eji'?;^T " Karwa " is a pot with a spout. 
 E.E. " Out of the fulness of the heart the mouth 
 speaketh." 
 
 156. Beneath notice is Bhak Bhaun Pun. 
 
 Kaun (jane Bhak Bhaun pari ke. 
 Who counts (poor) Bhak Bhaun Pari 1 
 M"^ ^«T 'T'O ^' Bhak Bhaun Puri" is the supposed 
 name of one of the sects of ^^T^ Sani/dsi. The San//dsi
 
 66 BIHAR PR0VER15S. 
 
 faqlrs are divided into several sects. The following are 
 the titles of some of these sects or clans : 
 
 ''Avniia" ■^T^ ''Ban," X(,\m{ " Farbaf," etc., etc. 
 
 Applied when any one owing to his insignificance is of 
 no consequence. 
 
 Installation of a Mohant : 
 
 The following is a short account of the ceremony of in- 
 stalling a Mohant or abbot as head of the J{'Z math or abbey. 
 The ceremony is called '^^T ^TT'5.'^ " Chaddar UrCieh," 
 lit. "to cover with the sheet." The Mohant of a math, who 
 is vowed to celibacy, has usually some ^^ chelas or 
 disciples attached to him. They are adopted in the 
 following ways : they are either made over to hira when 
 young by their parents to become his chelas, or come of 
 their own accord and enlist as his disciples, or are some- 
 times purchased by him (as in the case of the Boklahar 
 Mohant in Champaran). On being received as disciples, 
 their heads are shaved. This forms the initiatory step, 
 and is commonly called ^^ ^^T'lT " MuJir Murdna," which 
 therefore is equivalent to becoming a disciple. When 
 the Mohant wants to appoint a successor, he chooses from 
 among his disciples the one whom he thinks capable of 
 conducting the duties appertaining to the mat. The most 
 senior disciple (usually the son of a Brahman or any other 
 respectable caste), if capable and otherwise qualified, is 
 chosen ; but the Mohant is not bound to appoint him 
 unless he thinks him fit for the post. He has power to 
 choose anp one among his disciples. This is done by inviting 
 on a fixed day the neighbouring well-to-do men, and the 
 principal tenants in the estates attached to the monastery. 
 After worshipping the gods in the math or monastery the
 
 BIHAR PROVERHS. 67 
 
 chosen disciple is made to sit on a TTO«T^ masnad (carpet) 
 with a ^^^ halsi (earthen chatty) of water in front of 
 him. At the appointed hour and before the assenihk'd 
 guests the Mohant wraps a '^'Vc^ pagri or head dress round 
 the disciple's head. After this ceremony is over he pro- 
 ceeds to apply a fcT^cjj tilak or forehead mark, and then 
 salutes him as the new Mohant. This being done, as a 
 final ceremony he covers him with a shawl and takes his 
 seat alongside of him. Then the guests offer presents 
 and also cover him with shawls or sheets. This com- 
 pletes the ceremony, and the disciple is henceforth the 
 Mohant elect and the recognized heir to the old Mohant, 
 and succeeds him in due course in the gaddi or manage- 
 ment seat of the monastery and the property attached to 
 the math. 
 
 157. Bamboos make the clump. 
 
 Bam giine bansaur 
 Chaiiidr gune ndhaur. 
 The (value of the) bamboo clump depends on the quality 
 of the bamboos, just as the quality of the hide depends on 
 the (skill of the) tanner. 
 
 158. Beating is pleasant, all but the consequences. 
 
 HaJisi hami mdrln kukur 
 Roi roi pherikln guh. 
 All smiles when killing the dog, but all tears when 
 having to throw out the dirt ! 
 
 The idea is taken from killing a dog or a cat, which 
 usually makes a mess on being chevied, and so the dirt
 
 68 BIHAR PROVEllBS. 
 
 has to be cleaned or removed afterwards. It means, so 
 long as you are winning or enjoying it is all very pleasant, 
 but the time comes when the consequences are far from 
 pleasant and make you weep. 
 
 Said as a warning to those who oppress; that a time 
 may come when the tables may be turned upon them. 
 
 159. Bound to do it. 
 
 E, gur hhdyen, kdn chheddyen. 
 You must eat this sugar, and must have your ears bored I 
 Refers to the practice of giving a little sugar to a child 
 whose ears are to be bored : while she is eating it the 
 operation is performed. Said when one has under any 
 circumstance to perform a thing, nolens volens, when there 
 is no possibility of escape and he must do it. 
 
 IGO. Constant repetition not conducive to conviction. 
 S^O ^T^ ^T ^T ft^W WT^T 
 
 Gdi gdl ha hol<hah hdur 
 Bhiisa kutale niksi cltdur ? 
 
 Why are you making yourself mad by singing (over 
 and over the same thing) ? Can rice be got by pounding 
 husk? 
 
 ^T^T " Bail)','" mad, that is, why repeat the same thing 
 over and over again and behave like a mad man ? You 
 can't convince him, no good can be served : no more 
 than rice can be got by pounding husk. 
 
 Said to one who cannot bring conviction to another by 
 constant repetition, and is therefore advised not to waste 
 his breath.
 
 BIHAR PR0VER15S. 69 
 
 161. Can meat be kept on trust with a jackal? 
 
 Gld(i)' rahJie mans lie tlidti. 
 
 Would you keep meat on trust with a jackal ? i.e. Can 
 the jackal ever be trusted to keep meat safely in his 
 charge ? 
 
 ^rrffl" " Thau,'' or ^^ " TJultJu," a trust charge. 
 
 Said when any one altogether untrustworthy is expected 
 to keep faith. 
 
 162. Drowning the miller. 
 
 De ddl men j)dni 
 
 Paiga hah chale chulJidni. 
 
 Pour water into the dull (so much so) that the whole 
 village of Paiga may be washed into the cooking place. 
 
 Said when the dall (brose) is very watery. 
 
 The following story is said to account for this saying : 
 
 Once a very large number of people came with a 
 marriage procession to the village of Paiga. As the dall 
 cooked was not sufficient, water was freely added to make 
 up the quantity, upon which it was sarcastically said : 
 ^cR^ ^^^T xrr^ %^ ^Z^T Jehtr sa/n'ira pdni, aehu 
 ghatala, i.e. can a thing fall short which can be increased 
 by adding water! (lit. the chief support of which is water). 
 
 163. Diamond cut diamond. 
 
 ^ %'^ ^cl% ^T^ ^T^ fTfT% ^ITi:^ '^T^T 
 
 Jatne Gdngu kliii., tafne sohdik cJidkar. 
 Gdugu is as long as So/idik is broad ! i.e. One equals 
 the other in craftiness. 
 
 if{^ " Gungii" and^fTl[^ "Sohdik" were two notorious
 
 70 BIHAR PROVEHJJS. 
 
 knaves in the fable who vied with each other in artful 
 dodges and in deceiving people. When any one attempts 
 to out-do another in cunning (and both are equal), this 
 saying is used : in a case of "diamond cut diamond." 
 
 164. Dear at its native place and cheap at the market. 
 
 Tdl niuhanga, hat m^ta. 
 
 Costly at the place where it is produced, and cheap at 
 the market ! Another version of the proverb is got by 
 substituting the word ZT^ for ffTTif. 
 
 ^TRT tiil means "a stack, a I'ick " : "dear at the stack, 
 but cheap in the market." 
 
 fTRT " TdV^ is lit. a field in the outskirts of a village; 
 hence the place of production. Another meaning of Tal 
 is a pond, or lake, a deep collection of water also called 
 ^nr " Manr 
 
 Said when a thing commands a higher price at the 
 place where it ought naturally to be cheap. 
 
 Hiijljjur, for instance, is famous for its excellent mangoes, 
 but if any one goes to buy its best mangoes there, he 
 invariably finds that these command a higher price in 
 Hajipur itself than in Patna city, where they are im- 
 ported by wholesale dealers. The reason is, of course, 
 that the crop is alwaj's sold beforehand, and what remains 
 is usually kej)t for private use. Knowing this fact, the 
 owners ask exorbitant rates. 
 
 In such a case this proverb may be used when the order 
 is reversed. 
 
 165. Do in Rome as Rome does. 
 
 Jaisan dcs, taiaan bhes.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 71 
 
 Suit your behaviour (lit. appearance) to tlie country. 
 3^^ '^ Bhes" assumed likeness, disguise, mask, hence 
 behaviour. 
 
 166. Do what he may, he is still a beggar. 
 
 ^%% f{V^ ^T^% T<V^ 'itT ^t^ 
 
 MCitho niunraule (jarlh ylr ndofi. 
 
 Although he has had his head shaved, yet they name 
 him Garlbcjlr. 
 
 Hefers to the story of the poor man who thought he 
 would be well off by joining a convent of faqlis ; but on 
 being shaved (the usual preparatory step), and renamed, 
 he found to his disappointment that he was still called 
 '^f^^ ^ft"^ " Garlbglry" i.e. the poor Faqir. 
 
 Said when poverty does not forsake one whatever he 
 may do. 
 
 167. Prescription for keeping health. 
 
 S^^ 'IT i ^ff> ^^^ ^^ ^Tf ^ t^ ^^T^^ Wt^ 
 
 Kha ke muti, suti bdon, 
 KCihe ke Laid basdicah gdoti ? 
 If after eating you (make it a practice to) pass water 
 and always sleep on your left side, there is no use of 
 having a physician in your village {lit. getting a physician 
 to settle in your village), i.e. you will not fall ill (if you 
 take to this habit) and need the service of a physician. 
 
 Extent of one^s power. 
 
 168. The Paras (tree) has but three leaves. 
 
 Pards men tine put. 
 The Pards tree has but three leaves to each branch. 
 '^\J^ " Pards " [Butea frondosa) is trifoliate.
 
 rz HIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 Said derisively of one the extent of whose powers is 
 limited. " He can go to this extent and no further ! " 
 
 169. However strong the grain, it cannot break the 
 cooking-pot. 
 
 Ket)ion buiii hariydr hoi, hlinmdr ndFi p//dri,^ 
 
 However hard the grain may l?e, it cannot burst the 
 parching house. 
 
 i.e. The utmost strength one can exert may fall far 
 short of another's ordinary power. 
 
 HT^TT " Bhansdr^' is the fireplace in the parching 
 house where grain is parched. 
 
 There is usually one general fireplace where all the 
 village women bring their grain to be parched. The 
 parching is usually done by the " Kdnclu" women, who 
 receive their w^ages in grain. It is strange that while 
 the Hindu is so scrupulous about the cooking of his food, 
 and will not eat what has not been cooked by his own 
 or higher castes, he does not object to his grain being 
 parched by a Kandu or a Kahiir, and in the earthen pot 
 in which the grain of all the castes of the village is 
 parched. The excuse of course is that water, which 
 is the contaminating medium, is absent from parching. 
 
 170. Follows the rich and feeds on the poor. 
 
 Dliani ke hdt sioil/i, ganb kc hlidt Ixhdln. 
 
 He hears the rich {i.e. he acts according to their wish), 
 but feeds on the poor. 
 
 Cast at him who fawns and flatters the wealthy, but 
 has to rely on the poor and insignificant (whom he 
 despises) for his support. A sycophant, a parasite.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 73 
 
 171. Fate and self-help equally shape our destiii}'. 
 
 Karam bausdo ddhe dclh. 
 Fate and self-exertion are half-and-half in power. 
 i.e. AVe must not solely depend on fortune for our 
 success, because all our actions owe half their success to 
 self-help. In other words self-help and confidence in 
 our good fortune must go hand in hand. The meaning 
 is, that they are both equally powerful in shaping our 
 destiny. 
 
 HighJij Improbable. 
 
 172. Can a dead horse eat grass ? 
 
 Mualo ghora gJidhs khdla ? 
 Does a dead horse ever eat grass ? 
 Said when one tries to do an impossibility. 
 
 173. Can a frog catch cold ? 
 
 Menrhak ko bhi zokdm ? 
 ( Yd) Bengo ke sardi ? 
 A frog with a cold or cough {i.e. Is it possible for a 
 frog to catch cold or get a cough ?) 
 
 A derisive way of expressing " unlikelihood " or " im- 
 probability " : when any one who is used to anything 
 pretends that he cannot stand it. 
 
 174. Can a goat eat nine maunds of flour? 
 
 S^B ^T ^# ^-^ ^^T T m^ '^^ f{^ ^ZT ^£li<Y ^T^ 
 Ka kahun kuchh kaha na jay., 
 Nao man dnta bakari khdy ?
 
 7-i BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 TVhat am I to say ? I am dumb, is it possible for a 
 goat to eat nine maunds of flour P 
 
 175. He who holds the ladle commands everybody. 
 
 Jekra Jidth vien doi 
 Telo'a hCdh mcTi sah hoi. 
 He who holds the ladle commands everybody. 
 ^t^ ''Doi,'" a wooden ladle, to stir the cooking, also to 
 help out food with. 
 
 176. He who has suffered can sympathize with those 
 in pain. 
 
 «1^^ ^T^^ =Tt^T t^^^T t?-?: ^i^T ^VJTJ 
 
 JaneU chiJam jinka jmr charhvla angdra. 
 
 The fire bowl (of the hubble-bubble), which holds the 
 burning embers, knows (the pain of burning) ! 
 
 ^^?T " Chllam " is the bowl of a ^^ " huqqa," 
 which contains the tobacco and fire. i.e. He who has 
 never experienced the pain of burning can afford to 
 laugh at it, but let him ask the chllam what it feels with 
 a live coal inside it. 
 
 177. He thatches his roof whose house leaks. 
 
 Jekra par chiicln sehi nun chhdwela. 
 He whose house leaks thatches his roof. i.e. He who 
 suffers tries to find a remedy. 
 
 178. How money may be got rid of. 
 
 Bipra tahalua, chlk dkan, au betin ke bdrh 
 E hti ae dhan iia ghatc, kari baran se rdr.
 
 15IHAR PROVERBS. 75 
 
 If you cannot get rid of your wealth by having a 
 Brahman servant, keeping possession of money received 
 from a butcher, or from excess of daughters, you will do 
 it by fighting with bigger men (Grierson). 
 
 i.e. A Brahman servant being of superior caste cannot 
 be checked in his reckless expenditure as one of an inferior 
 caste can ; it is considered very unlucky to receive money 
 from butchers, it will even take away what one has ; and 
 the extravagant expenditure a Hindu incurs at his 
 daughter's wedding is proverbial. It is ruin for a Hindu 
 to possess several daughters. 
 
 This proverb is meant as an admonition to those who 
 engage in a quarrel with the great. If one is determined 
 to get rid of his money the best way he can do it is to 
 pick up a quarrel with a great man : he will then be 
 more certain to do it than from any of the causes 
 enumerated above. 
 
 179. Happy medium. 
 
 Na ati balda, na ati c/iup 
 JVa ati barklta, na ati dhiip. 
 
 Neither too much talk nor too great a silence, neither 
 continuous rain nor continuous sun, is desirable. 
 
 180. Indifference to loss. 
 
 Genrialr ke katek gor tuti. 
 How many feet can you break of the earth-worm ? 
 ^ll'^T " Geiirudr" or ^^g^^"^ " Ganrgodr" is a 
 worm which has like the centipede many feet. It
 
 /b lUHAR PROVEllHS. 
 
 probablj^ takes its name from ij^"^ gcnruvi (a round 
 twisted pad, usually made of grass, for supporting water- 
 pots, etc., on a woman's head) from the fact that this 
 worm when touched coils up like a fjenruri. 
 
 The meaning is that the genrudr has many feet and 
 can therefore suffer the loss of a few without much harm 
 coming to it. 
 
 Said of a rich man who can afford to lose some of his 
 riches without feeling the loss. 
 
 181. "Ifs"and"Ans." 
 
 ^^'^ TTT^^wf ffr ^T ^T fr^ 
 
 Marfe na/du to ghar hhar hote. 
 If they did not die, they would fill the house. 
 Certainly they would, but the "if" comes between. 
 Said when one makes everj'thing conditional on im- 
 possibilities. 
 
 E.E. If " ifs " and " ans " were pots and pans. 
 There would be no work for tinker's hands. 
 
 182. "Ifs" and "Ans." 
 
 Hamra he Ixchu na mare to ham sansdr he mar din. 
 If there was no one to oppose me, I could beat the world. 
 Said to deride an excessivel}' ambitious man, who, but 
 for the restrictions imposed, would domineer everybody. 
 
 183. In the friendship of asses look out for kicks. 
 
 Gadalian he ydri, Idtan ke sansandhat. 
 In the friendship of the ass expect (nothing else but) a 
 shower of kicks (or constant kicks).
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 77 
 
 ^•T^»!Tf Z " Sansanuhat " is tingling, whizzing : it 
 moans the whizzing sound caused by swiftly flying kicks 
 without pause ; also refers to the tingling pain. A 
 variation of this (in Shiihabad) is ^f)T!^«T % ^TTI" ^^TT ^ 
 ^•!^«!Tf Z Laundan he yCiri dhelan ke saitsaitd/iaL " In 
 the friendship of boys expect nothing else but a shower 
 of clods." 
 
 184. In a treeless country the castor-oil plant is a 
 big tree. 
 
 Hiikh na binchchh ialidii renr pardlidn. 
 
 Where there are no trees the castor-oil plant is looked 
 upon as a big tree. 
 
 i.e. In a place where there is no one of particular dis- 
 tinction a man who is a little elevated above his fellows 
 is considered a great man, just as a small hillock is raised 
 to the dignity of a mountain in a level country. 
 
 185. If a woman of ill fame gets angry with you, so 
 much the better. 
 
 Besya riisal, dharmen hdnchal. 
 
 If the woman of ill fame gets angry with you, so much 
 the better : your virtue is saved, i.e. By her getting 
 angry and stopping intercourse with you, you are pre- 
 vented from committing further sin which might have 
 ruined you morally. 
 
 ^^T " Be^ya " or ^^j " heswa " is a prostitute. 
 
 Said derisively when the anger of any one is rather a 
 blessing than a loss to us, affects us rather for good than 
 injuriously.
 
 78 BIIIAll PR0VEKJ5S. 
 
 1 86. It is a sarJidri dog : do not oppose : let it do as 
 it likes. 
 
 I pilli myhdrl Jia, laur jan lah 
 
 TiiJiur tuhir tdkat raha, 
 
 CJiuUi horatiya ta l-ore dah. 
 This bitch belongs to the landlord : do not lift a stick 
 (to beat it). If it is digging up the cooking jDlace, put on 
 a good face over it {lit. stare only). 
 
 ^T^'O " SarMri" is belonging to the Government. 
 Here a public servant or a servant of the great or of some 
 one in authority is meant. Even if he should encroach 
 a little on your rights, it is the best policy to remain 
 quiet. 
 
 187. If benighted, go where the dog barks and not 
 where the light is seen. 
 
 e|TZ\0 f ^T ^^ ^^ ^^T ^^ 'it 
 Kukur hhukejdln, diija lauke ndn. 
 If benighted, go where the dog is barking and not where 
 the light is shining. 
 
 This is a warning to benighted travellers not to be led 
 astray by the ignis fatuus, or as popularly called Jack-with- 
 the-Lantern, the spontaneous phosphoric exhalation so 
 often seen in marshy lands ; a dog's bark is more certain 
 to lead to a village. 
 
 188. Kill the snake as well as save the stick. 
 
 0(0^ ^xfr TTTTf ^1"rr wr^i-Rf 
 
 Sdmpo mdrah lauro jogdicnh. 
 Kill the snake as well as save your stick.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 4\) 
 
 In attempting to kill a snake one is apt to break his 
 stick. The aim therefore should be to preserve your stick 
 as well as kill the snake. Said metaphorically when one 
 has to effect his purpose and see that no harm ma}' come 
 by it. 
 
 E.E. "Kill two birds with one stone." 
 
 189. Like to like. 
 
 Jaisan he taisan siiMhi he haigan. 
 
 One to his deserts ; just as brinjal suits a curry of 
 dried fish. 
 
 i.e. One deserves to be treated according to his deserts 
 or merits, just as brinjal is the proper vegetable to be 
 served with dried fish. 
 
 This is a piece of worldly wisdom greatly appreciated 
 by natives of all classes, to treat each one according to 
 his social position. 
 
 190. Like to like. 
 
 Jaisan pas unisan ghds. 
 As the animal, so the grass, i.e. Suited to it : according 
 to his deserts. 
 
 <T^ ^^T ^Tf^ W^ ^fTT Tas pfija chahi, jas deota. 
 
 As the deity, so the worship, i.e. according to his merit. 
 
 191. Little things are great to little men. 
 
 Chiunti ka munte pairdo ? 
 A little water (urine) is sufficient for the ant to swim 
 in. Said when a little is sufficient for any purpose.
 
 80 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 192. Laddus (sweetmeat) in both hands. 
 
 <^aR f^'Tt iT^ W ^f 
 
 Duno hath men laddu. 
 
 Sweets in both his hands. 
 
 Said when one is so circumstanced that he profits either 
 way he turns : any course he takes he gains, like a saw 
 that cuts both ways. 
 
 193. Leading an unhappy life. 
 
 Naktajiye biiri haicdl. 
 
 The noseless man lives, but such a life ! i.e. His life is 
 a misery, being always laughed at. 
 
 Said of one who exists, but under very unhappy 
 circumstances. 
 
 194. Let's see on what side the camel sits. 
 
 Kauna licire to unt haithela. 
 
 Let's see on what side the camel sits. 
 
 The story is that once a himjra (a greengrocer) and a 
 htmhdr (a potter) jointly hired a camel ; and each filled 
 one side of the pannier with his goods. The camel as 
 he went along the road every now and again, when he 
 had a chance, took a mouthful from the greengrocer's 
 bag of vegetables. This provoked a laugh from the 
 potter, who thought he had the best of the bargain. 
 But the time came for the camel to sit, and he naturally 
 sat on the heavier side, bearing down on the pots, and 
 also to have his mouth free to operate on the bag of 
 greens. This caused the pots to break in the bag, and 
 then the greengrocer had all the laugh to himself.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS, 81 
 
 Hence the saying, " Let's see on wliat side the camel 
 sits," means 
 
 E.E. " He laughs best who laughs last." 
 
 Might is Right. 
 
 195. The strong can strike in the inost vulnerable part. 
 
 Bariydr he lathi mdJih hapdr. 
 
 The cudgel of the strong (always falls) on the middle 
 of the forehead. 
 
 i.e. The powerful man can always deal a blow at the 
 most vulnerable part and with effect. He has you iu 
 his power, 
 
 196. The strong not only strike, but prevent you from 
 complaining. 
 
 Bariyar ka ware rohii/i nan de. 
 
 The powerful man strikes and does not even let you 
 cry out. 
 
 i.e. The powerful man not only strikes but prevents your 
 complaining. 
 
 197. The strong, even if he should be in the wrong, 
 strikes you. 
 
 «ie^ ITf^^ ITT ^f W ?n^ 
 
 Hakim hare mitJih men nidre. 
 If the powerful man loses even, he still strikes you in 
 the face. 
 
 Similar proverb to above, 
 
 198. Hight or wrong the mighty bully. 
 
 Hdroii to liuron jlton to thUron. 
 
 6
 
 82 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 If I lose I shall strike ; if I win I shall crush ! 
 
 ^^^ " Eurah" is to thrust, •g'?:^ " Tkurab " is to 
 pound. 
 
 i.e. Under any circumstances the powerful man punishes 
 you, whether he wins or loses. 
 
 199. Necessity has no law. 
 
 <^eQ %1 'T ^T% -^^ WTfT ^TI -T 5IT^ W^J i^TrT 
 
 TZTT^ ^ ^T% ^^T "mz f^^ ^ in% f^^lT 'iTZ 
 
 JVch nnjdne ochhi jctt ; hhukh na jane jutlia hhdt ; 
 Pyds najCine murcla ghat ; nind najdne jhikuiga khdt. 
 Love knows no lowly caste; Hunger minds not stale 
 repast ; Thirst knows not the " ghat " where the dead are 
 burned ; Sleep objects not to a broken cot. 
 
 f^^^n '' JhiJdnga" means "loose," broken, with the 
 ropes hanging loose and broken " baggy." 
 
 200. No good to be got out of him. 
 
 ROO TJf <Tt^T%^ 'ff 
 
 Ell tmn tel ndn. 
 
 This linseed has no oil ! 
 
 i.e. Will not yield what is wanted, will not answer the 
 purpose. Usually applied to a miser out of whom nothing 
 can be got. 
 
 201. Not the sugar that flies will take to. 
 
 U gur null ki malikJii khdy. 
 
 It is not that sugar that flies will take to ! 
 
 He is not such a one as you can get anything out of. 
 
 Said when no encouragement is met with ; where one 
 expects encouragement, but is disappointed : where one 
 has tried and failed.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 83 
 
 Out of Place, Incongnioua, nial apropos, etc. 
 
 202. The wedding of the sickle and song of the hoe ! 
 
 Hmima he hlyCih hhmya he git. 
 
 It is the wedding of the sickle and all the song is for 
 the hoe ! 
 
 ^¥^ ^' Hatisuo,''^ sickle. 
 
 T^xTT " Khurpa,^^ a kind of hoe for weeding. 
 
 In the wedding of the hamua, the song (praise) should 
 be for the hansua and not for the klinrpa. Said to mark 
 the inappropriateness of an act or speech (mal-apropos). 
 This proverb appears somewhat quaint to us, but in the 
 mouths of people, whose chief pursuits ai'e agricultural, 
 the allusion to implements of agriculture is but natural. 
 
 203. Same thing right or wrong according to situation. 
 
 Thdon gune Iid/ar kuthdou guiie kdrikh. 
 
 In the right place they count it coUyrium, in the wrong 
 place soot. 
 
 i.e. The same thing may be right or wrong accoi'ding to 
 situation or differing conditions. 
 
 E.E. "A place for everything and everything in its 
 proper place." 
 
 204. Munj stitches on velvet. 
 
 Makhmal par nnoij ke bakJiiya. 
 
 Stitch of muuj on velvet (ground). 
 
 ^^ Mduj is a kind of long grass used for making string 
 and mats. Its stitches on velvet would be coarse work 
 to say the least of it and out of place. 
 
 Evidently said to mark incongruity or want of harmony.
 
 84 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 205. Pestle has notliing to do with curd. 
 
 (^T) ^T^ HTr! "jf ^Z ^ Z¥^ 
 
 Bald men mfimr 
 
 (Y(() dal hhdt men unt ke thehun. 
 The pestle in the tyre ! 
 
 or The knee of a camel in pease-porridge and rice. 
 These proverbs put in a striking though quaint way the 
 incongruity of things. 
 
 The IR^"^ musar or pestle for pounding rice has nothing 
 on earth to do with tyre, nor the knee of a camel with 
 pease-porridge and rice. 
 
 206. A cummin seed in the mouth of a camel. 
 
 Unt ka mirnh men jlra. 
 A cummin seed in the mouth of a camel ! 
 E,E. " A drop in the ocean." 
 
 207. Can the bark of one tree fit another ? 
 
 An kdth ke hokia, an kdth men kahuh satela. 
 
 Can the bark of one wood ever be made to fit another ? 
 
 i.e. Can anything that does not naturally come to one 
 ever be fitly adopted by him ? It will always appear out 
 of place and far from natural. 
 
 Once Bit Twice Shtj. 
 
 208. Will the bald head again go under the hel tree ? 
 
 Pliir munr/o hel tar. 
 Will the bald head {/it. the woman with a shaved head) 
 again go under the bel tree (never !) ?
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 85 
 
 The %^ "heV fruit, or wood apple, is said to have an 
 especial attraction for the shaven head. She who has 
 once had a hel drop on her shaven head will, you may be 
 certain, never again venture under a hcl tree. " " in 
 imtnrlo marks the feminine gender. 
 
 E.E. " Once bit twice shy." 
 
 Burnt Child Dreads the Fire. 
 
 209. " A scalded cat dreads cold water." 
 
 Diidh ke dahal matha phuk plhlh. 
 
 One scalded by (hot) milk drinks (cold) buttermilk 
 even after blowing into it. 
 
 tjjgfi is blowing in order to cool anything. 
 
 Those who have suffered severely in any way are apt to 
 have unreasonable apprehensions of suffering the like 
 again. 
 
 " He that has been stung by a serpent is afraid of a 
 rope." 
 
 E.E. " A burnt child dreads the fire." 
 
 210. A dog once struck with a firebrand dreads even 
 the sight of lightning. 
 
 Ludth he mdral kukur lauka dekh par ay. 
 A dog which has been once beaten with a firebrand 
 will flee even at the sight of lightning. 
 Ludth or ludthi, a stake burnt at one end. 
 
 211. On the horns of a dilemma (the snake and the 
 musk rat). 
 
 BJiai yati sdiip chhuchhundar keri. 
 Circumstanced as the snake and the musk rat.
 
 86 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 i.e. IHs situation is similar to that of the snake and 
 the musk rat in the fable. The popular idea is that a 
 snake places himself in a fix when he lays hold of a musk 
 rat. If he should swallow it he is sure to suffer from 
 blood poisoning (become a leper), if he should let it go 
 he is certain to become blind. 
 
 Said of one who is in a quandary or on the horns of a 
 dilemma. 
 
 Note. "This is a line from the Tulsi Krit Riiraayan. 
 It is in the Ayodhya Katid. Chaupiii 54, in Piiim Jasan's 
 Edition." — Grierson. 
 
 212. One man's meat is another man's poison. 
 
 Kekro hhanta hairi kekro hhanta panth. 
 
 To some the brinjal is a poison (enemy) : to others it is 
 a regimen. 
 
 i.e. What is one man's meat is another man's poison. 
 
 Brinjal, or egg-plant, is considered especially hurtful 
 in certain ailments, while in others it is prescribed as a 
 special diet. Panth is regimen prescribed for the sick. 
 Also the first light meal a patient is allowed to make 
 when he is convalescent. It is usual for patients to fast 
 for days. The idea is that by starving the patient the 
 disease is starved out. 
 
 213. One never reveals his defeats and the beating he 
 has received from his wife. 
 
 ^«^^ ^q^ ITT^ ^ITt ^ 'TTT^ ^^ ^f^T 
 
 Apan hdral mehri he mdral heha kaliala. 
 Who ever speaks of his own defeat, or the beating he 
 has received from his wife ? i.e. one's defeat, like the 
 beating one receives from his wife, is kept a dead secret.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 87 
 
 214. A full belly makes a heavy head. ^i 
 
 Pet blidri se nidhtli hJidri. 
 
 Wlien the belly is full, the head is heavy ! * 
 
 Also said figuratively, when one has no wants, he 
 usually becomes proud. It is also literally true. Too 
 full a stomach gives a heavy head. 
 
 ?fp2f ^T'^C^ "J/«//fA b/nlri," a heavy head, is used to- 
 wards one who carries his head high : opposed to " light- 
 headed." 
 
 215. Out of all reckoning. 
 
 Tin men na terah men sufri lie girah men. 
 
 Neither in the three, nor in the thirteen, but in the 
 knot of the string. 
 
 i.e. Out of all reckoning. The "three" are the three 
 highest 7[X^ gofras, or clans, of Brahmans. They are — 
 1 Gdrg, 2 Gautam, and 3 Shdndilija. 
 
 And the " thirteen " are the next in order of merit, 
 namely, 1 Paydsi, 2 Samadari, 3 Chauri, 4 Bri/iadgrdm, 
 5 Dhanna, 6 Kanchani, 7 Mdia, 8 Supdla, 9 Triphala, 10 
 Pindi, 11 Itiga, 12 Itdri, and 13 Rdrlii. 
 
 He is neither among the three nor among the thirteen 
 Brahmans that are recognized ; the account of the rest 
 (being so numerous) is kept by tying knots to a 
 string. 
 
 Said contemptuously of one who arrogates to himself a 
 high position, but is so insignificant as not to be reckoned 
 in the regular order. Out of reckoning. 
 
 "Out of the runniu":."
 
 88 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 216. One with a wax nose is easily led. 
 
 Mom he ndnk jene naicdin tene naive. 
 A wax nose : whichever side you bend it, it bends. 
 i.e. One easily led, one who has no will of his own, but 
 is a tool in the hands of others. 
 •T^TIIW naicaeh, " to bend." 
 
 217. One good turn deserves another. 
 
 Ndnch parosin mora ta mam nachhun tora. 
 
 Neighbour, if you dance at my house, I shall dance at 
 yours. 
 
 E.E. One good turn deserves another. 
 
 " If you scratch my back I shall scratch yours." 
 
 •rf'^' Nduch refers to the custom of dancing the j'hiimar 
 dance at wedding feasts. It is gone through by the 
 lower classes only. 
 
 218. Plain speakers not favourites. 
 
 ^^^ ^T'g ^Tff ^^WW ^f ^^ % t^<! t ^rlT^ Tf 
 
 Sdnch bat mdullah Imhe, sab ke chit se utral rahe. 
 Because Sadullah speaks the truth he is disliked by 
 all {lit. is "out of favour" with all). 
 
 219. Truth at times parts the best of friends. 
 
 Sdnch hahle satig bicUmdy. 
 
 If you speak the truth, even your friend gets angry 
 with you. 
 
 i.e. Plain speaking causes a breach between the best 
 of friends.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 89 
 
 220. Puin preferable to remedy in some cases. 
 
 Phutal sahdia, dnjan na sahdye. 
 
 Rather bear the pain than the remedy! (Me can bear 
 the j)ain but not the remedy.) 
 
 ■PiZ^ '^ Phtdal,'" lit. cracked, refers to the eye being 
 bliml. 
 
 ■^ff5T«T "Af//an " is coUyrium or an application to the 
 eyelids when inflamed or to improve them. Antimony is 
 also used. Another proverb of similar import is 
 
 Ahkliiye phiiti ta diyan ka lagdih. 
 If the eye is blind, what is the use of applying 
 coll3^rium ? 
 
 221. Purchasing troubles. 
 
 Dhehua de he diikh hesdhln. 
 
 To give money and purchase pain ! 
 
 i.e. To be out of pocket and at the same time not to get 
 any return ; to pay as well as suffer. Lit. to " buy 
 troubles." 
 
 ^^■^ "Dhehua" is one pice in the language of the 
 common people. 
 
 222. Right question, wrong answer. 
 
 5^^^ ^T^x; ^ ^^ ^w 'if W^ ^^"^^ 
 
 Chdnr ke hlido piichhe gehiin ehliao pa^eri. 
 He is asked the price of rice, but he answers " wheat is 
 sold at 10 paseri ! " 
 
 Said to laugh at a funny mistake, as for example when
 
 90 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 a wrong answer is given that has nothing whatever to do 
 with the question. 
 
 223. Riches count for virtue. 
 
 Jekar cliiin fflivfr pi'ni. 
 
 He who possesses grain (to give away in alms) is 
 reckoned the virtuous man. 
 
 i.e. He who can afford to give alms is considered a 
 virtuous man. 
 
 ^•T "Chun" is the corrupted form for '^OT chiirna, 
 "broken grain." Alms are usually given in grain or kind, 
 hence c/iiin stands for the means of giving alms. It is 
 a sarcastic reference to the fact that riches covereth a 
 multitude of sins. 
 
 224. Requiring constant service with adequate return. 
 ^^8 ^T^^T T 'qT^ ^5ff ¥T^ ^H^RWr 
 
 Dana na glids diinoh sCinjh duntkaja. 
 
 No grain or grass and the bearing- reins on morning 
 and evening ! 
 
 ^*TcR"51T Dninkaja (from dum, tail, and qaiza, corruption 
 of the Persian Ij^ ij/.UJ ^j or simply U^ ijjli as in the 
 expression lJ;i ijj Ij ^jj.;^5, means to tighten the bearing- 
 reins). Bearing-reins tightened, i.e. the state in which 
 we often see the horses of native gentlemen led out. A 
 string is tied to the reins and passed round under the tail 
 and tightened in order to cause the horse to arch his neck 
 and appear showy. Said when one is required to keep up 
 to the mark, or do his utmost, and suffer a constant strain 
 without being adequately remunerated.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 91 
 
 225. Splendour but short-lived. 
 
 ^^M ^T^ t^^ ^ ^5^5ft ft?i^ ^v;iTft TTfl 
 
 Clidr din ki chdndni pliir amlhdri rat. 
 
 Four days of moonshine, and then comes again dark 
 night ! 
 
 One who makes too great a boast of or is too much 
 elated by his short-lived success, may appropriately be 
 reminded of the darkness that will follow apace. 
 
 226. Straightforwardness not always expedient. 
 
 Sojhe angiirln ghlu nikla hai. 
 
 Can you take ghi out with a straight finger? 
 
 In order to get anything good in this world, the proverb 
 implies one must be a little crooked. 
 
 The meaning is, if you are quite straight and good, j'ou 
 cannot get on very well in this world, just as you cannot 
 get much clarified butter out of a bottle by dipping your 
 straight finger : you must bend it slightly. 
 
 Some amenable to kicks onhj. 
 
 227. Some amenable to kicks only. 
 
 Led he ddnii bat se na mane. 
 
 One who is used to kicks will never listen to reason 
 •(words). 
 
 i.e. The man who is used to receiving kicks in order to 
 make him do his work will never be influenced by mere 
 words. 
 
 228. Give him betel and he won't offer you meal even, 
 but give him kicks and he will give you sweets.
 
 92 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 Pd)i dole mtu uc'ui, punhi dele ima. 
 
 If you give him betel leaves, you will not even get 
 meal out of him ; but if you give him a shoe beating, he 
 will be ready to supf)ly you with cakes ! 
 
 XIT«T "Pa«" is betel leaves, and q^T ''■ r>un " a kind of 
 cake made of flour, ghi, and sugar. To give pan is to 
 treat one with civility and kindness. 
 
 ^TrT " Sc'itu" is parched grain reduced to meal. It is a 
 common food of the poor. 
 
 Said of the low caste people who will not give you any- 
 thing good unless they are beaten. It points to the 
 prevalent idea among the people of the treatment the 
 lower class ought to be subjected to in order to get any- 
 thing good out of them. 
 
 229. Call him "father," and he will not give you oil 
 even ; but abuse him and he will offer you clarified butter. 
 
 ^'^e mm ^?% ^ ^f ^^T ^w% ^^ 
 
 Baha kaJile tel ndri, sasur kah/e ghlu. 
 
 Call him " father," he will not give you oil (even) ; but 
 call him "father-in-law" {i.e. abuse him), and he will offer 
 you (jhi (clarified butter). To call one "father-in-law" 
 is a serious abuse. 
 
 Same remark applies to this Proverb as to No. 228. 
 
 230. Straight as a sickle ! 
 
 Bar sojli ta /tafrsKa nlar. 
 If he is very straight, he is still like the sickle ! 
 i.e. Even when he is in his best behaviour he is still 
 " crooked." Said in sarcasm of a man who is by nature
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 93 
 
 "crooked" in liis dealings; one who cannot possibly be 
 straightforward ; evilly disposed. 
 
 The shape of a |^^T hanma is a curve. The metaphors, 
 it will be noted, are invariably drawn from agricultural 
 implements by a people whose chief avocation is tending 
 the soil. 
 
 231. Sing his praise who gives you food. 
 
 ^^^ ^^T ^rt"^ ^^T ITt" 
 
 Jchar khdin tekar gam. 
 Sing his praise who gives you to eat ! 
 i.e. It ought to be your policy to side him or speak in 
 his favour who gives you to eat. 
 
 232. Slay your enemy without scruple. 
 
 Hane ho hnniye, dokli imp na ganiye. 
 Spare him not {lit. kill or slay him) who tries to harm 
 you, and do not feel any scruple that you are committing a 
 sinful act. Lex taUonis is regarded as perfectly justifiable. 
 
 233. Too many cooks spoil the broth. 
 
 R^^ ^TTW ^T ^Tf 'nt % ^^T^ t^l ^f ^Tt 
 
 Bdrah dom terah ndl ; se hajdije sing sahndi. 
 
 Even twelve donni and thirteen barbers : can these play 
 on the sing or sahndi? 
 
 i.e. Twelve doms and thirteen barbers may attempt it, but 
 can they possibly play on the sing or sahndi ? 
 
 f^^ "Sing" and ^f^nt^ "sahndi" are musical pipes; 
 a kind of flute. 
 
 The doma and barbers are never employed to play on 
 instruments in marriage processions, but chamdrs and 
 sweepers; therefore the meaning seems to be that although
 
 94 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 SO many as twelve donia and thirteen barbers xnay be as- 
 sembled to play on these musical instruments, yet they, 
 whose occupation it is not, will only produce discord. 
 When men attempt to do anything that is not their busi- 
 ness, the result is always a failure, be they ever so many 
 who engage in it. 
 
 234. The blusterer lords it over all. 
 
 NCmclie, kiide, tilre tan, tckar duniydn rdkhe wan. 
 
 The blustering man is always thought a great deal of 
 in this world. 
 
 Lit. The man who dances, jumps, and makes a noise is 
 respected much. 
 
 rT^ fn«T " Tiire tan,'" lit. is to bring the note to a close 
 or fall in right time. (It is a musical term.) 
 
 235. The weevil gets crushed with the wheat. 
 
 Jau he sdthe ghuno plsdle. 
 Along with the wheat the weevil is also ground down, 
 i.e. Along with the great (people from whom they derive 
 
 their support, the patrons) their hangers on are crushed 
 
 although they may be innocent. 
 
 236. The grass suffers in the fight of the tiger and 
 buffalo. 
 
 Bdgh bhaisa he /ardi men ; nal khagra ke viaut. 
 
 In the fight between the tiger and the buffalo the long 
 grass and weeds perish (by being crushed). 
 
 i.e. When two great men quarrel and fight, the " small 
 fry " about them suffer.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 95 
 
 237. The sweet ones he swallows, the bitter he rejects. 
 
 ^^^ ^z^ *ftTr ^^ ^^m ^^^r ^ 
 
 Mltha mitha gab, karua karua thu. 
 
 All the sweet ones he swallows ; the bitter ones he 
 spits out. 
 
 Said when one selfishly picks out the good things and 
 rejects all the bad ones, i.e. does not take his share of bad 
 things. 
 
 238. Tongue — source of honour and shame. 
 
 R^c WIT ^1 qi'I ffft ^1 q^fT 
 
 Jehi muhen pan, telii mulieh panhi. 
 
 The very same tongue brings us honour {pan) or shame 
 [Ut. gets us a " shoe beating"). 
 
 A variation is hhdt "rice," and Idt "kicks," instead of 
 "pan" and "shoe beating." 
 
 tTTT "Pan" is betel leaf ; to give pan is to honour one. 
 It is offered only to equals and superiors. It is therefore 
 a special mark of regard shown to guests and friends. 
 
 tl«!fV " Panhi" shoes ; " to give one a shoe beating " is 
 to disgrace him. 
 
 The meaning is that if one is guarded and careful in 
 his speech and says the right thing in the right place, he 
 will meet with success and favour ; if, on the other hand, 
 he does not control his tongue, " that restless thing of 
 shame and mischief fatal spring," he is sure to meet with 
 disgrace. 
 
 Another saying, illustrating that one may either get an 
 elephant as a reward, or meet with his death, owing to 
 his tongue, is the following play on the word q^ paiyCin, 
 "you will get," or qf^joao/?, "feet."
 
 96 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 Bdten hdthi pdiydn, hdten hdthi pdon. 
 
 i.e. "Words will secure you an elephant, and words will 
 also bring you to the feet of an elephant. 
 
 The meaning is that you will be trampled to death by 
 an elephant. One of the many cruel ways of torturing a 
 guilty irian to death under the Mahomedan Government 
 was to tie him to the leg of an elephant and thus get him 
 trampled. 
 
 There are many proverbs in English recommending due 
 control of the tongue. 
 
 1. "Confine your tongue, lest it confine you." 
 
 2. " Keep your purse string and tongue close." 
 
 3. "Better to slip with the foot than the tongue." 
 
 239. A needy troupe of dancers. 
 
 Garju kirtaniijdn apne tele ndnche. 
 
 The needy dancing people use their own oil. 
 
 f^'^fff'f^lf ^^ Kirtaniijuh,''^ are a troupe of dancers who 
 usually perform by torchlight, the oil for which is sup- 
 plied by those who engage them to dance ; therefore the 
 meaning is, that one who is in need will go out of his way 
 to get his object. 
 
 240. The meanest can harm. 
 
 ThUxvio se {jf/ani p//ufe/a. 
 
 The ghara can be cracked by a small piece of potsherd 
 even ; i.e. the meanest thing can sometimes do you harm. 
 
 ^TST " Ghara," is an earthen vessel used for holding 
 water.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 97 
 
 241. The less the grain to be parched the more noise 
 it makes. 
 
 Tho)' bJiiuiJii/d, haliut hharhlmrhat. 
 
 The less the quantity of grain to be parched the more 
 noise it makes in parching. 
 
 ^f^I^T " Blnuijiija " is parched grain. It is usually 
 parched with an admixture of sand to equalise the heat 
 and roasting. The sand is then separated by winnowing 
 or in a sifting basket. When grain is parched without 
 sand it is called ^^TIl^ " TJlaeh." '^'^vc^•^ " Bliar- 
 hhnrhnt" is the crackling noise the grain makes in being 
 parched. 
 
 E.E. Empty vessels make the most sound. 
 
 242. Things to be always guarded against. 
 
 ^*rT ^T^ ^T^ TFT 
 
 Ooenra ke kheti, sir/ran he sdup 
 Maihha kdran bddi hap. 
 
 The field nearest the village, the snake at the head of 
 the bed, and the father who is against you on account 
 of a step-mother (are all to be feared or guarded against 
 as leading to danger). 
 
 if^^T ^ %fft '^ Goenm he hlieti" is the belt of land 
 near the homestead, which is better manured, more care- 
 fully cultivated and adapted for a superior kind of crop. 
 — (Grierson). 
 
 It is the most frequent source of contention among 
 villagers. Being nearest the village any stray cattle or 
 goat easily finds its way into it, and sows the seed of a 
 quarrel, which often ends in litigation and riot. 
 
 7
 
 98 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 f^'^^f % ^xq " Sine an he sd^ip." By "the snake where 
 your head rests," is meant, figurativel}'^, your close relative 
 or one on whom you repose confidence, but who is really 
 your enemy ; a secret foe, a pretended friend, a wolf in 
 sheep's clothing. 
 
 flHT "Maibha" is a step- mother. A father, who 
 marries a second time, usually takes the part of his new 
 wife, and ill uses the children by his former marriage. 
 
 243. Things we ought to pray to be saved from. 
 
 C/tait Ice Jar ; rclr ke boll. 
 
 Bikham kahdr ; chhotke cloli. 
 
 BdmesJuvar asin ke gJidm 
 
 I mati kahhuTi, mhdicah rdm. 
 O Ram ! Never make me suffer (says Rameshwar) from 
 the heat of the month of A>iin (September-October), from 
 the cold of the month of Chait (March- April), from the 
 hard words (reviling) of the low caste, from an uneven 
 set of palki bearers {i.e. of unequal lieight), and from 
 a small doli (litter) {i.e. in which I can't fit). 
 
 244. Taking a pleasant view of everything. 
 
 Sdon ke dhdhar ka, hariyare siijliela. 
 
 The man who becomes blind in the month of Sawan 
 (July-August), fancies that he sees everything fresh and 
 green. 
 
 Said of one who always takes a pleasant and one-sided
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 99 
 
 view of things ; who is so biassed that it is a foregone 
 conclusion he will take a particular view of a question. 
 Also said of one who has a tendency to take a rosy view 
 of everything. The allusion is to the popular idea that 
 one who becomes blind when nature is green always 
 fancies that he sees everything fresh and green, 
 
 245. The staves of ten men make the load of one. 
 
 Das ha lathi ek ka bojh. 
 The staves of ten are equal to the weight of one man ! 
 i.e. Equal distribution of work or labour is not felt as 
 a burden. 
 
 246. The word of a man, like the tusk of an elephant, 
 can never be withdrawn. 
 
 Hard ke hat hathi ke ddnt ; je niklal, se nik/al. 
 
 The word of a man, like the tusk of an elephant, when 
 once out, it is always so, i.e. he does not " eat it." 
 
 The tusk of an elephant in Proverb No. 3 has been made 
 use of to illustrate the opposite character, namely, of dis- 
 sembling or hypocrisy. 
 
 Unconcern or Indifference . 
 
 247. If the hel fruit is ripe, it matters little to the crow. 
 
 Bel pakal kaua ke hap la ka. 
 What is it to the crow {lit. to the crow's father) if the 
 bel (fruit) is ripe ? 
 
 The crow, which usually pecks at all (ripe) fruits, finds
 
 100 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 the hel (wood-apple), with its hard shell, too tough for its 
 beak ; therefore it is of very little concern, interest, or 
 profit to the crow whether the hel is ripe or not. 
 
 ^tj "Bap" is the "intensive" form with the common 
 people, as you are naturally supposed to look after the 
 interest of your father, who is taken for granted to be 
 greater than the son — the inference being that if anything 
 does not concern the father, it ought not the more to con- 
 cern the son. Said when one can afford to regard anything 
 with perfect indifference. 
 
 248. If she disappoints, the bed only will remain empty. 
 
 Ai to di, nahln to khdli chdrpdi. 
 
 If she comes (well and good), otherwise the bed will 
 remain unoccupied. 
 
 Expressing indifference or unconcern at one's coming 
 or not coming. (Said usually in reference to a female.) 
 
 249. "Without restraint. 
 
 Aya ndth na pdchJia pagha 
 Jaise dhur men lote gadha. 
 
 Neither has he the nose string nor the heel rope (tether- 
 ing rope) : like an ass that rolls about in the dust {i.e. 
 without any check or restraint, uncared for like an ass). 
 
 ■^^^T " Pngha " is the rope generally used for tether- 
 ing cattle. The ^J^ ndth and pagha are used for the 
 better class of cattle : never for the ass, who is usually 
 hobbled.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 101 
 
 250. What is in a name ? 
 
 (zao/l nikatitja, mahton jlijan 
 Jyouji/on uJdln, tyoii tyon turn. 
 
 The village is called sikatiya and its mahton fiyan, but 
 the more you rake up the more you come by pleasant 
 things {lit. savoury curry), i.e. which repays search. 
 
 fil^fZ^T " Sikatiya" lit. means a bit of potsherd, stands 
 for a mean name (there is a village of this name in 
 Champaran). 
 
 ^^*T '^ Jiyan" is a very common name among natives 
 of the lower class : it is used hei'e to denote an insignifi- 
 cant name. 
 
 Said when any one discovers good things where he 
 least expected them. (Both the village and its MaJitou, 
 or headman, have unpretending names, still the village 
 has some good things in it.) Compare also the following 
 saying : 
 
 phuchti, i.e. the village has twenty hamlets, but its name 
 is ^' Phuchti \" (a common meaningless name of a village 
 in the Hajipur subdivision). Hidiculing an unpretend- 
 ing name, esj)ecially when it belongs to one who is of 
 substance. 
 
 Warnings against Naturally Defective and Certain other 
 Classes of Men. 
 
 251. The cunning of the dwarf, the squint-eyed, and 
 the one-eyed compared.
 
 102 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 5^4 «^ ^T^ ^e ^ZT % ^^ ^W> ^>H ^^^'T 
 
 Sdth kos nata ke daur, assi kos hahukdn 
 Wa ke ant na paiye, jo ek dnkh ke kdn. 
 
 Sixty kos is the depth {lit. run = tether) of the dwarf 
 and eighty of the squint-eyed ; but one who is blind of 
 one eye can never be fathomed. "Ant," end, bottom. 
 The kos or distance is simply used by way of comparison. 
 It is the common measure of distance in India — usually 
 taken to be two miles, but it varies immensely in different 
 parts of India. For example in Chutia Nagpur it is the 
 distance a branch could be carried green. A traveller, 
 when starting on a foot journey, broke a branch from the 
 nearest tree and reckoned the number of koses he went 
 by renewing the branch when it withered. A " Gdu kos " 
 (so called in the north of Bihar) is the distance at which the 
 lowing of a cow can be heard. It means " a small kos." 
 
 In the above proverb the palm for deep cunning is 
 given to one blind of one eye, who would seem to be 
 especially obnoxious. Another proverb says of him : 
 
 f^T;% ^T Wl ^"5T TT'T^ Birle kdn hhae hital mdnukJi, i.e. 
 Rarely do you meet with a one-eyed man who is a gentle- 
 man (a good man). 
 
 Compare also the following Urdu saying on the same 
 subject, where a foi'ced pun is made on the Arabic word 
 ^l^ = "is." 
 
 Kdne ki hadzdtiydn hain mere c/il men yaqln, 
 Aya hai Quran meri, kdn, min alkdfrln.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 103 
 
 "Of the wickedness of the one-eyed I am thoroughly 
 convinced, because even in the Koriin it is said that ' the 
 one-eyed is among the unbelievers ! ' " 
 
 Also compare the following warning against a bastard : 
 
 Sat hath gliora se dariye, eJiaudah hath inatudl 
 Hath anganit wa se dariye, jekar jdt phetwdl. 
 
 i.e. Keep seven cubits away from a horse and fourteen 
 from a drunkard, but ever so far (literally, " innumerable 
 hands ") from a bastard (literally, " a mixture ") ! 
 
 The following story is related of the acuteness of a one- 
 eyed man : He laid a wager with a man who had both 
 his eyes, that he, with his one eye, could see more 
 than his friend with two eyes, and proved it thus : he, 
 with his one eye, saw his friend's tico eyes, whereas his 
 friend with his two eyes could only see his one ! This 
 specious reasoning is a good illustration of what the 
 logicians call the fallacy of division. The fallacy turns 
 on the word " more.'^ 
 
 252. Beware of grey eyes. 
 
 San men pliuli, sahasr men kdiidn 
 Saica /dkh men aineha tdndn, 
 Aihvlia tdndh kaJie imkdr, 
 Kauma se rahiyo hoshidr. 
 
 The man with a cataract in his eye is one in a hundred
 
 104 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 (for rascality), the one-eyed is one in a thousand, the 
 squint-eyed is one in a lakh and twenty-five thousand ; 
 but the squint-eyed man proclaims to all the world, 
 " beware of the grey-eyed man." 
 
 (Meaning that there is one even more wicked than 
 himself.) 
 
 253. Warnings against men with certain peculiarities. 
 
 Kotah gardan, kalla dardj, uakhundn nalti kahutar-hdj, 
 Kariya Brahman gor chamdr, hdnar kdn ut/f hltuinhdr, 
 I)ika sang na ufrln par, b/iore bisre gota mdr. 
 
 J^ever go on a journey with any of the following {lit. 
 never cross a I'iver, meant figuratively for never associate 
 or travel in company of the following) : — One with a 
 short neck, one with a wide mouth (or one who has a long 
 tongue), one who has a cataract in his eye, a pigeon 
 fancier, a black Brdhnum, a fair Chamdr, a monkey, a 
 one-eyed man, a camel, and aJBhainZ/dr Bdhhan : otherwise 
 you will be duped before you are aware and come to 
 grief (lit. any slip, mistake, or forgetfulness on your part 
 will be taken advantage of by them and you will find 
 yourself floundering (diving) in water). 
 
 A black Brdhman and a fair Chamdr are proverbially 
 untrustworthy. 
 
 There is a story about a camel and a monkey crossing 
 in a boat. The monkey frightened the camel by attempt- 
 ing to get on to his neck and in moving about in his fright 
 he sank the boat.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 105 
 
 254, When there is a will there is a way (mind com- 
 pared to a blacksmith). 
 
 ^'TTf ^ITT ^> ^^ T^ ^T 
 
 MaincCin lolidr jo jiian he dhare, 
 Dhedhar pit he chokha knre, 
 Mann an lohdr jo man man kare, 
 Chokho men kucJth dhokha kare. 
 
 If the blacksmith called "Mind" makes up his mind, 
 he can hammer very inferior iron and improve it; but the 
 same blacksmith, if unwilling-, will spoil the best of iron. 
 
 E.E. Where there is a will there is a way. 
 
 This is a play on the word TI»T "Man," mind or will. 
 "^"^X and '^i^T " Bkcdhar and C/iokha" are inferior and 
 superior iron respectively. The former is unmalleable : 
 the latter malleable. 
 
 Tf«T ^-T ^^ "Man man kare" is to hesitate, to be un- 
 willing, to falter, to be lukewarm and half-hearted over 
 a matter. The metaphor is taken from the oil lamp, 
 which, when the oil is nearly burnt, flickers with a 
 murmuring' sound before going' out, "uncertain whether 
 it should burn on or go out." 
 
 255. What houses are on the certain road to ruin (ac- 
 cording to GJidgh the poet). 
 
 f ^^ ^fT ^rr^ ^ff ^'^ 
 
 ^^ ^^ xii^ ^\ %^
 
 106 BIHAR provp:rbs. 
 
 Bamyak data tliahiirah Jnn, 
 B aid all a put hi/ddli nahin clilnh, 
 Bhdtak cliup chup hemvak mail 
 Kalini GJidijIi pfuieJio ghar (jail. 
 A generous haniija, a mean landlord, a son of a phy- 
 sician ignorant of the diagnosis of disease, a silent hlidt, 
 and an unclean courtezan, are all live, according to 
 Ghagh, on the road to ruin [i.e. not up to their calling) ! 
 ^ "/iT" marks the possessive case, e.g. (lit.) the generosity 
 of a haniya, the meanness of a landlord, etc. '^tl ^ 
 '^ Chup chup" means speaking in a hesitating manner, 
 not outspoken, ^Vt "Ilin" is here little, the opposite 
 of generous as all landlords ought to be. 
 
 i.e. It does not do for the niggardly haniya, whose sole 
 object in life is to hoard money by disgraceful self-denials, 
 to be generous. If a landlord, who, on the contrary, 
 ought to be generous and noble-minded, takes to petty 
 ways, he undoubtedly disgraces his position, or in other 
 words a haniya cannot save money and at the same time be 
 generous, nor can a landlord be niggardly and keep up 
 his reputation of being generous. A son of a physician, 
 if anything, ought to be able to recognize diseases. A 
 hhdt or extempore bard lives by his wit and ready tongue; 
 if he is therefore hesitating and not ready of speech, he is 
 sure to fail in obtaining a livelihood. The courtezan, if 
 unclean, will not be sought after.
 
 107 
 
 CLASS III. 
 
 Proverbs Relating to Peculiarities and Traits, 
 Characteristic of Certain Castes and Classes. 
 
 Ahlrs or Godlds (inilkttien). 
 256. An A/ilr knows only how to sing his Lorik ballad. 
 
 Ketnon ahira hohm seydna, 
 Lorik chhdri nn gdicahindna. 
 
 An Ahlr (milkman), however clever, will sing nothing 
 else but his Lorik. 
 
 ^"^ Lori is a deified Ahlr hero, in whose praise the 
 Ahirs always sing. It is their one tribal song. When an 
 Ahlr is asked to sing, he invariably sings nothing else but 
 the Lorik ballad. 
 
 Lorik, according to a legend told by Mr. J. C. Nesfield 
 in a recent number of the Calcutta Review (quoted in 
 the Pioneer of the 13th March, 1888), was an Ahir hero 
 or prince, who held the fort of Gaura, his native city. It 
 was the stronghold of the Ahlrs. His adventures and his 
 fight with the Cheru warrior King Makara, who had his 
 fort in Pipri, are related at length by Mr. Nesfield. Lorik 
 was subsequently killed by Beoni, one of the surviving 
 sons of Makara, and the founder of the Musahar tribe, 
 also called after him, Deosiya or children of Deosi. There
 
 108 inilAR PROVERBS. 
 
 is, therefore, a traditional enmity between the Ahirs and 
 the Doosiyas or Musahars, as shown by the following 
 proverb still current among both tribes : 
 " Jah tali jiwe Deosii/a 
 Alilr na chJulje gdi." 
 i.o. " As long as a Deosiya is alive the Alrit' will get no 
 good out of his cows." 
 
 The story of Lorik is also given at length in vol. viii. 
 of the Reports of the Arcligeological Survey of India. 
 
 257. Receipt given by the cunning Kdeth to the burly 
 Ahir. 
 
 Kachahrl he laid ban he asul, 
 Lathi ka hdthe rant hehdk. 
 
 "What was due to the office (of the Zemindar) was 
 recovered in the wood. Tlie Rdut, who is armed with 
 a club, is granted this receipt in full. 
 
 This was the ambiguous receipt given by the clever 
 Kdeth (or man of the caste of scribes), who w^as Avaylaid 
 by a burlj^ Tf^fT lldtd or Godia in the jungle, and 
 threatened with a thrashing if he did not grant him a 
 receipt in full at once on the spot for any rent due from 
 him, under the impression that he was thus over-reaching 
 the wily Fat/rdri (accountant). But the Kdeth proved 
 more cunning tlian the Rdut, and gave him the above 
 receipt, which could be read between the lines. The 
 Rdut, satisfied that he had got what he wanted, let 
 the Kdeth go. The next day, to his great surprise, he 
 found he had to pay in court more tlian all his due. 
 
 Rdut is the social title of a milkman.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS, 109 
 
 KacJia}'i:=co\xrt. It is the office of the landlord of a 
 village where rent is paid in. by the tenants and receipt 
 granted by the Pafirdri. 
 
 Said when one has to give up under compulsion. 
 
 258. The young barber practises on the A/nr's head. 
 
 Kate alilr ka Hikhe beta nam ka. 
 
 The barber's son learns to shave on the A/ilr's head, 
 which he cuts freely (/IL the A/ilr's head is, but the 
 barber's son learns !). 
 
 When the barber wants to teach his son his art he 
 usually chooses the foolish milkman to practise on. 
 
 Said to exemplify the stupidity of the A/nr, who is 
 usually credited with little sense, also when one profits at 
 the expense of another. 
 
 Brdlimans. 
 
 259. Hair splitting about difference of castes. 
 
 Tin Kanaujiija terah clnilha. 
 
 Three Kanaajii/as (a tribe of Briihraans) and thirteen 
 cooking places [i.e. for separate cooking) ! 
 
 The ^«T^f5l^T Kanaujiya Briihmans are the proverbial 
 sticklers about caste differences : with them a hundred 
 obstacles have to be overcome and shades of restrictino' 
 gofra rules have to be examined before two Kanaiijii/as 
 can eat from the same pot. It is therefore an exaggerated 
 way of putting the differences which very often split up 
 a small community. Another way of saying the same 
 proverb in an accentuated form is Tin Kanaujiya teurCik 
 chiilha, i.e. when three Kanaujiyas come together, adieu
 
 110 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 to all eating {Jit. "thou cooking place shalt be set aside, 
 because there will be so much altercation about caste 
 differences that there will be no cooking "). 
 
 260. The Pdnre does not practise what he preaches. 
 
 An he 2)dui'e sihJncnn dcs^ dp dhunilii/a k}id>i. 
 
 The Pdnre (teacher) would teach others ; but he him- 
 self stumbles {lit. staggers and falls, trips). 
 
 nf^ " PdJire" is a sect of BnThmans : here for one who 
 sets himself up as a teacher. 
 
 fsfTfW"^ DhimiUya or dhammunyan khds is staggers 
 and falls, reels, stumbles. 
 
 The meaning is that he pretends to instruct and show 
 the road, while he himself is stumbling. Cast at one who 
 does not practise what he preaches. 
 
 261. A Kdeth wants payment, a Brahman feeding, and 
 paddy and betel watering, but low castes only kicks to 
 make them do their work. 
 
 R^S ^IJ^ f^f %W^ t^^ ^TTf ^'I fW^W 
 
 VT^ m^ xrf^^W ^T TT^ ^TffT ^fTI^W 
 Kdeth kichhu Men delen, Bardhman klnauJen, 
 Dhdn 2)dn paniaulen, aur rdr jdti latiauleti. 
 A Kdeth does what you want on payment, a Biiihraan 
 on being fed, paddy and betel on being watered, but a low 
 caste man on being kicked. 
 
 T;T^ ^f^ " Rdr jdti" are the low caste. — (Grierson.) 
 A variation of this is (in Shahiibad) : 
 
 w:^^ % ^^ i% ^% ^^l^ % f^^^% 
 -^oi^ % ^>^ ^^y3^ ^T'I ^ff!'?i^% 
 
 Kdyath he huchU lele dele, bdinJian ke khilaole, 
 Rajput ke bodh bddh, ndiih latiaole.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. Ill 
 
 Barber. 
 
 262. A barber's weddinf^. 
 
 Nana ke bari//df, sab thkure tJtdkur. 
 
 In the marriage procession of a barber every one is a 
 thdkur ; i.e. the raarriage procession of a barber consists 
 of people who style themselves " lords and masters " only. 
 
 ^TcRT " Thdliur," — In common parlance a barber is styled 
 thdkur, which literally means "a lord," "a master." 
 
 Said In joke when each one in a company thinks him- 
 self the leading spirit or master. Barbers and boat- 
 men are credited with being more helpful to their fellow 
 caste men than the high caste people, who are only good 
 for empty talk ; they never help one another. 
 
 ^m "^^Z =^'f WTfT ^^T ^>T i f%^^ ^TrT 
 
 Nauwa kenicat chlnhe jdt, harka log ke chikkan bdt. 
 
 The barber and boatmen are the only people who 
 recognize their caste fellows [i.e. who help them). The 
 high caste are only good at fine talk ! 
 
 In the polite language of the people each profession 
 has its civil style of address, e.g. a barber and also a 
 blacksmith are styled thdkur, a washerman is baretha ; 
 a carpenter is mistri (perhaps a corruption of ' m agister,^ 
 through the Portuguese) ; a tailor is khalifa ; a sweeper is 
 mihtar and alsojamaddr, etc. 
 
 (The word thdkur in the proverb Is used with a certain 
 amount of sneer.) 
 
 Baniya (shopman). 
 
 263. The owed baniya gives further tick. 
 
 \%^ ^Z^T ^f^^T €r^T ^T 
 
 Antka baniydn sauda kare.
 
 112 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 The owed haniya deals \villin<jly {i.e. gives further tick) I 
 
 The meaning is, that the ^f^^T haniija, whom you 
 
 owe money, will be very willing that you should not 
 
 break with him, but continue dealing ; and hence he will 
 
 be ready to give you further loans or things on credit. 
 
 Bdbhan ("bastard" Brahmans). 
 
 264. A Bahhan, a dog, and a hJu'it are always at variance 
 with their own castes. 
 
 ^^8 ^T^fT ^^T ^TZ ^TffV ^Tcft ^f^ 
 
 Bamhan kuhur hJiunf,jdtijdti hhdrit. 
 BdhJians, dogs, and bards are always at variance with 
 their own caste (kind). 
 A variation is 
 
 ^TTf'ST gj^iT f T^ W\'^ ^Tfft '^l^ 
 
 Bamhan kiilur hdtld,jdtijdti khdflii. 
 
 Bdhhanfs, dogs, and elephants can never agree with their 
 own kind. 
 
 " Kltdht " in the first proverb means crooked, not 
 coinciding or agreeing ; hence quarrelsome. 
 
 265. A Bdbhan never to be believed. 
 
 XJ^^ f -^vr^T mTT ^Tf TffT^T 
 
 8ll sut harihans lai, blch gang ke dJidr, 
 Etek lai hahJina fau)ia karah itihdr. 
 If a Bdbhan swears by the ammonite, his son, the 
 Haribans, and in the midst of the Ganges, don't believe 
 him. — (Grierson.) 
 
 The reader is referred to an excellent note on the 
 various forms of oaths prevailing in the Province of Bihar
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 113 
 
 in Mr. Grierson's "Bihiir Peasant Life" [ride para. 1451, 
 page 401 of the " Bihar Peasant Life "). 
 
 266. One BhuiuJidr Bdhhan is equal to seven Chamdvu. 
 
 8dt cJidntdr, eh hJminhdr. 
 One BhuiJihar Bdhhan is equal (in meanness) to seven 
 Chumdrs (leather- workers). 
 A variation is 
 
 8dt chamdr na ek bhuihlidr, sat bhuihhdr na ek nonidr. 
 i.e. Seven Chamdrs are not equal to one BIminhdr Bdhhan, 
 and seven Bhuinhdr Bdhhaiis are not equal to one Noiiidr 
 Baniya (a tribe of shopkeepers), who is said to beat them 
 all in meanness, parsimony, and the disgraceful self- 
 denials by which they save money. 
 
 Barluti [Car^ienter). 
 
 267. A pretentious harhai or carpenter. 
 
 ^^O tt ^t^^f^ ^hT "N-T^T ^g^T 'TT ^'^T^ 
 
 Ihe harhaiyu gdoti kainaiuhen jinka basula na rukhdn. 
 
 This carpenter would serve the village when he has 
 neither chisel nor adze. 
 
 Said of one who undertakes to do a thing without posr 
 sessing the means. — (Grierson.) 
 
 Chamdrs {Shoemahers and Cobblers). 
 
 268. When shoemakers quarrel, the king's saddle suffers. 
 \^^ ?fr^ ^¥t ^^t ft^ ^t TT^T % Wt^ 
 
 Monchi monchi lardi hoe, pJidte rdja kejln. 
 In the fight of the saddlers (shoemakers) the saddle of 
 
 8
 
 114 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 the Raja gets torn, i.e. in contending who should have 
 the work. 
 
 E.E. "Too many cooks spoil the broth." 
 
 The sad result to the object of dispute when two of the 
 same trade fight over it, was once actually illustrated, 
 though somewhat tragically, in Benares, the sacred place 
 of pilgrimage, where previous to the ceremony each 
 pilgrim has to be shaved. Two barbers fought hard for 
 the possession of a poor pilgrim's head. At last one got 
 hold of it, and, not to lose time, at once commenced opera- 
 tions, when his foiled brother also began shaving from the 
 opposite side. In the scuffle which ensued, the unfortu- 
 nate pilgrim received a deep gash, and had to be carried 
 away to the hospital. 
 
 269. A shoemaker's daughter with an aristocratic name! 
 
 Chamar he beti ndoh Rajraniydn. 
 
 The daughter of a shoemaker, and her name is Rdja- 
 rdni {i.e. the Queen of a King) ! 
 
 Said in ridicule of low-caste people, who have affected 
 names, after the manner of their superiors. A low-caste 
 man {e.g. a Chamdr) will behave, it is said, after his low- 
 bred fashion, no matter with whom he has to deal, because 
 it is not in his nature to appreciate respectability. See, 
 for instance, the treatment which the Chamdr accords to 
 the revered sandal wood and the use to which he puts it. 
 
 ^■^^ Tq^ '^flTT ^T f^rl ^f^ ^t 'qi^ 
 
 Chandan para chamdr ghar, nit uthi hide chdm, 
 Chandan bechdra ha hare ? para rdr se hdm. 
 It fell to the lot of the sandal wood to be in a Chamdr' s
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 115 
 
 house. He used it daily for pounding leather. What 
 could the helpless sandal wood do, having to deal with 
 a low-caste man (this treatment was inevitable) ? 
 
 Dnrjl {Tailor). 
 
 270. Sticking to his last. 
 
 R^O :^^ ^ ^TT ^^ cT^ ^fTT cT^ rT^ ^r!T 
 Darji ke pidjah takjlfa tab tak slta. 
 The son of a tailor ; he will sew as long as he lives. 
 Said to express attachment to one's profession or to 
 express in a sneering way that one will never rise above 
 his low (class) habits. 
 
 DJiohi ( Wmlierman). 
 
 271. The Dhohi and his ass. 
 
 IT I^WT ^ f;^T -^^x 
 
 Na dhohia ke dusar Jandwar, 
 
 Na gadha ke dusar mandr. 
 There is no other animal suited to a Dliobi's use (besides 
 the donkey), nor is there another master who needs the 
 use of the donkey (besides the Dhobi). 
 
 i.e. Each suits the other. No caste will keep an ass. 
 In the social scale the Dhobi or washerman ranks the 
 lowest, in one respect, because he washes the soiled 
 clothes of women in childbed, w^ho are ceremonially 
 unclean. A Dam even (who is really of the lowest 
 caste) will not eat food from a Dhobi' s hand. One 
 of his (Dom's) common oaths is to swear that if he 
 does so and so, may he eat out of a Dhobi's hand. 
 ^*r ofiT ^*lB ^^ •f\'^ Doiii ka jante dhobi nich, " To a
 
 IIG BIHAR PR0VEK15S. 
 
 Dom a Dliohi is low," i.e. in the estimation of a Bom a Bhohi 
 is lower than himself. But the Acjhori fakir (who eats 
 out of everybody's hand, and is the filthiest living man) 
 even beats the Bom. Compare, e.g. the saying ^?? ^^ 
 ■^^■^ % Bom hare agJiori se. A Bom is defeated by an 
 AgJiori only. A story is told of an over-credulous B/iobi 
 (or washerman), who was childless, and was constantly 
 upbraided for this misfortune by his scolding wife. This 
 preyed upon his mind very much, and was a permanent 
 cause of unhappiness to the couple. One day, in the course 
 of his work, he went to the house of the town Kdzi (or 
 magistrate). He heard the Kdzi reproaching one of his 
 pupils in this wise : " Not long ago you were a jackass ; I 
 made a man of you," etc. The Bhohi did not wait to hear the 
 rest. He hastened home with all speed and told his wife 
 that he had made a discovery which they were to lose no 
 time in utilizing. "The Kdzi, my dear," said the Bhohi, 
 " can make a man of a donkey. Why should we fret any 
 longer for a child ? let us take our donkey to him and 
 beg of him to transform him." The Bhohi and his 
 wife, with their donke}^ were shortly after this con- 
 versation on their way to the Kdzi. Their mission 
 being explained, with many supplications, the Kdzi, 
 quick-sighted, and with an eye to business, accepted 
 the charge, and promised to efiect the metamorphosis in 
 a year. The Bhohi on his part promised to give his 
 services free for that period. A year passed in waiting 
 and in happy hopes. On the appointed day the Bhohi and 
 his companion presented themselves before the Kdzi. The 
 Kdzi took them aside and pointed out a strong young man 
 among his pupils. " There," he whispered to the Bhohi, 
 "is your donkey. You see the change: now persuade
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 117 
 
 him and take him home." The DJtohi and his wife flew 
 to their newly-created son, and with many endearing 
 terms prepared to embrace him and made other affection- 
 ate advances. Amazed at this unaccountable conduct of 
 these low people, the lad resisted at first, but as they 
 persisted he grew furious. After receiving many a cuff 
 from the lad, a happy idea struck the Dhobi's wife : turn- 
 ing to her husband she said, " Go you and fetch his peg, 
 rope, and grain bag ; perhaps they may remind him 
 of what he was once." The Dhohi in hot haste went 
 home and fetched them. But it seemed to make 
 matters worse. The Dhohi held up each of these 
 articles to the young man's view, and said, in the 
 most persuasive tone he could command, " Come 
 home, my son, do you forget the day you were my 
 donkey ; this was the peg to which I would tether 
 you, this your tether rope, and this your food bag, come 
 to your home!" By this time a jeering crowd had 
 gathered round the young man, and this so infuriated 
 him, that he turned to and gave the Dhohi the soundest 
 thrashing he had ever received in his life. The poor 
 dupe of a Dhohi (the story says) went home thoroughly 
 convinced that it was far better to have a childless home, 
 than one witk such a child ; and also convinced that 
 what fate had ordained it was useless to fight against, 
 looking upon his punishment as a just return for his 
 presumption. 
 
 272. Washermen wash best under competition. 
 
 Dhohi par dhohi hase, tab hapra par &dbiin pare. 
 No soap ever touches clothes unless many washermen
 
 118 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 live together (when, owing to competition, tliey wash 
 well) . — Grierson. 
 
 273. The washerman never tears his father's clothes. 
 
 R^^ ^^^ m^ % "N^ 'rff xfiT^ 
 
 D/iobilc help her Idchliu nahm phdt. 
 
 Nothing belonging to a washerman's father is ever torn 
 by him. 
 
 i.e. Those are the only clothes about which he is careful. 
 A washerman's donkey is a bye-word, as in the proverb : 
 
 i^f T ^ ^ ^"^^T 'frt^f ^f^^T ^ ^ ^^T T?fr?^ 
 
 Gadha ke na dosar gosaiyCui, dhohiya ];e na dosar jjaroha)}. 
 
 An ass has only one master (a washerman), and the 
 washerman has only one steed (a donkey). This is a 
 variation of Proverb No. 271. No other caste, except the 
 D/wbi, will own the ass, as it is considered derogatory. 
 
 274. The d/wbi, the tailor, and the barber are always 
 careless. 
 
 D/iobi ndu darji, i tinu algarji. 
 
 There are three careless people, the washerman, the 
 tailor, and the barber. — (Grierson.) 
 
 ^^Tj"^^ ^' Algarji^' means without care or concern; 
 here it means that they are inclined to be independent. 
 (It is a fact that these three workmen take everything as 
 it comes in the most cool manner. They do not seem to 
 trouble themselves much about j)leasiug their customers ; 
 it would seem to be all the same to them whether thej^ 
 get work or not. They never try to raise themselves 
 above immediate want or provide for the future. Of im-
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 119 
 
 provident workers these three are no doubt the most 
 improvident. It cannot be said that they do not work 
 hard, but this they do fitfully, as necessity pinches them.) 
 
 275. A dhobi is likely to starve in the village of the 
 nude. 
 
 J^^M 3IT % ^?f ^ ^^ ^"1 cH % rift ^ TT^ 
 
 J a kejahdn na gun lake td he tahan na tJu'ion, 
 Dhohi has ke ka kare digambar ke gaon. 
 Where one cannot find a market for his talents, it is 
 useless for him to stay (///. his place is not there) : for 
 example, what occupation will a dhobi find in a village 
 of people who possess no clothes ? 
 
 f^^^"^ " Digambar," see note to Proverb No. 94. 
 Said sarcasticallj^ when an artisan or labourer does not 
 find work, or his skill is not appreciated. 
 
 Kayath. 
 
 276. A Kayath, essentially a man of figures. 
 
 Lekhe jokhe thdhe, larika bitrlan kdhe. 
 
 The depth was calculated and an average struck : why 
 then was the child drowned ? i.e. if the stream was found 
 to be fordable, after sounding and calculating, how came 
 the child to be drowned ? 
 
 %^ Wt'^T '^ Lekha jokha," arithmetic (lit. lekha is 
 account and Jokha is weighing). 
 
 There is a story connected with this saying illustrating 
 that the Kdyath is essentially a man of figures. 
 
 Once a Kdyath, with his son, was going on a journey.
 
 120 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 He came to a stream. As he was uncertain of its depth, 
 he proceeded to sound it ; and having discovered the 
 depth to be variable, he struck an average. The average 
 depth being what his son could ford, he ordered him, 
 unhesitatingly, to walk through the stream, with the sad 
 consequence that the boy was drowned. 
 
 Said sarcastically when great and elaborate efforts are 
 put forth or great show is made with a barren or sad 
 result. 
 
 277. Sinning in good company. 
 
 Sat pdnch hdyath ek santohh, 
 Gadha lihaine ncihin dok/i. 
 
 Among several (sinning) Kayaths, if there happens to 
 be one devout (contented) man, even if they should eat 
 donkey's meat, it is no sacrilege. 
 
 There is a story told that once on a time the landlord 
 of a village, chiefly inhabited by Kdyaths, had a tame 
 deer, which his neighbours regarded with greedy eyes. 
 The village took fire and every house in it was burnt 
 to ashes. Amonar the ashes was found a roasted carcass, 
 which all concluded to be that of the deer, as it was 
 always, for safety's sake, kept tethered. Those who had 
 so long had their eyes on the poor deer set to and had 
 a good feast on it. But not long after, to their great 
 surprise, the deer (which had broken loose) turned up. 
 On subsequent inquiry it was found that what they had. 
 feasted on was not the deer, but an unfortunate jackass. 
 Among the people who had so indulged there happened 
 to be a Bhagat (a very religious man), so one of the
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 121 
 
 Kuijaths, quite equal to the occasion, explained that even 
 eating donkey's meat was no sin, provided it was done 
 in good company : hence the above saying. 
 
 It is a chaff against the Kdijatlm ; also said sarcastically 
 when any one argues that sinning in good company is 
 no sin. 
 
 278. A. Kdyath is helpless without pen and paper. 
 
 Kdyath ka kdgaje men mjhela. 
 
 The Kdyath can only see in his paper. 
 
 The ^T^ET^ Kdyath, who is a boi'n quill-driver, utterly 
 fails in action. Said in chaff of a Kdyath or of any one 
 who is nothing without his papers ; useless in action. 
 
 279. Kdyaths, crows, and sweepings gather their own 
 kinds. 
 
 R^e WRI^ f T^^ ^"l"^! fft^ ^TcT ^^'I'^T 
 
 Kdyath kurkut kauica tinon jdt posauwa. 
 Kdyaths, sweepings, and crows are the three who stick 
 (keep) to one another (iTt^^T "Posauwa,'^ i.e. who help 
 and support one another). A variation is 
 
 Kdyath kaitwa ror jdti jdt hator. 
 Kdyaths, crows, and jackals collect their own kind; i.e. 
 wherever they are, they collect and support their own 
 kind, are always to be found in numbers. 
 
 280. A Kdyath, when paying cash, is the very devil. 
 ^^0 ^m^ qRT^^ WT ^^TT Wf"?!^ ^^tflT 
 
 Nagad kdyath hhut udhdr kdyatli deota. 
 A Kdyath, when paying cash, is the verj^ devil (in ex-
 
 122 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 acting a bargain) ; but when indebted he is as meek 
 as an angel. This is an especial characteristic of the 
 Kay at h. 
 
 281. A Kd>/afh gains when fools quarrel. 
 
 RC<^ ^|- ^t fu^ IJT ^T^^ %^ ^ ^^ ^T 
 
 Laddu lare jhiUijJiare kCiyath hechdre kn pet hhare. 
 When Laddun come in contact (fight), bits drop out ; 
 the poor Kdyath thus gets his living. 
 
 ^^ '■^ Laddu " is a sweetmeat made of sugar and cream 
 
 . ^^ 
 
 in the shape of a ball, which is a conglomeration of the 
 
 f^^ jJdIU, or drops of cream and sugar, which united 
 together form the laddu. Figuratively said of a "fool" 
 or " simj)leton." 
 
 The Kdyath, like a lawyer, finds his living when two 
 rich men fight. Their loss is his gain. A Kdyath' s 
 pickings are proverbial. 
 
 E.E. " When rogues full out, honest men come by 
 their own." 
 
 282. Wherever three Kdyaths gather together, a 
 thunderbolt will fall. 
 
 Bajar pare hahtcdn tin lxdyathjahicd7i. 
 AVherever three Kdyath^ gather together, a thunderbolt 
 is sure to fall, i.e. some mischief is sure to result. The 
 Kdyaths are notoriously people who instigate quarrels, 
 especially lawsuits. 
 
 283. Comparison of castes. 
 
 Kdyath se dhohi bhala, thag se bhala soiidr, 
 Deota se kutta hhala, pandit se bhala siydr.
 
 BIHAU PROVERBS. 123 
 
 A DJiohi is better than a Kdyath, a goldsmitli better 
 than a clieat, a dog better thaa a deity, and a jackal 
 better than a Pandit. 
 
 Because a Dhohi can keep a reckoning of the clothes 
 he has brought to wash in his head, and from memory 
 can recognize the clothes of each when returning them ; 
 whereas a Kdyath cannot do anything without writing, 
 i.e. without his pen, ink, and paper (see Proverb No. 278). 
 A goldsmith is better than a cheat, because he cheats you 
 more cleverly under the cover of his art, and is not 
 known as a cheat at all. A dog is contented with what- 
 ever you give him and is always faithful ; whereas a god 
 always expects you to oflPer him of the best you have, and 
 any remissness in your devotion brings down on you his 
 wrath. A Pandit cannot foretell, unless he has his books 
 and holy writs by him to consult, but a jackal (if you 
 know how to interpret the omens) always foretells with 
 certainty whether an undertaking will be successful or not. 
 
 Another proverb speaks of his {Kdyath^s) sharp prac- 
 tices, and ranks him, for shrewdness, just below an 
 " adulterer," who must be sharp to elude detection. 
 
 ^^ ^ itTT m^if Tfrt ^i^m % ^g^ ^T^^ 
 
 Khatri se gora pdndu rogi, Kdyath se chatur parbhogi. 
 
 An Albino only is fairer than a Khatri ; and an 
 adulterer only is sharper than a Kdyath. 
 
 T^"^ "Khafris" are usually very fair. (It is com- 
 monly said that this caste originated in a liaison between 
 a Brdhnan woman and a Kdyath.) Parbhogi is lit. one 
 who eats or enjoys another's property. 
 
 284. The three people who dance in other's houses. 
 Par ghar ndchen tin jane Kdyath, baid, daldl.
 
 124 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 The throe people who dance in other's houses are the 
 Kui/ath, the Physician, and the Broker. 
 
 i.e. The three classes of men who profit by the mis- 
 fortune of others (in other words who "loot" them) are 
 the Kdijath, the Physician, and the Broker. 
 
 " To dance in another's house " is, figuratively, " to live 
 on their earnings," " to enjoy at their expense." 
 
 Kurmi. 
 285. A Kurmi always untrustworthy. 
 
 Pathal par jo jd)ne glnirmi, 
 Tabnhun nan djyan hokhe kurmi. 
 It is sooner possible for the tender creeper ghurmi to 
 take root on a rock than for the Kurmi to be your own, 
 i.e. to be one whom you can trust. 
 
 The ^"^ift " Kurmis " (a caste supposed to be allied to 
 the Kahdrs, but ethnologically, perhaps, quite different. 
 Some say the Kurmis are an aboriginal race) are pro- 
 verbially untrustworthy and selfish. It is commonly sup- 
 posed that no amount of favour shown to a Kurmi will 
 ever make him a reliable friend or grateful to you. Re- 
 garding their deep-rooted litigiousness and obstinacy, an 
 experienced Indigo Planter in Tirhut told the writer 
 that he would rather have any other caste than the 
 Kurmi to fight against in a lawsuit ; for a Kurmi was so 
 obstinate that he would fight to the last pice he possessed. 
 He had, in his varied experience of the difierent Bihar 
 districts, known instances where Kurmis had maintained 
 an unequal lawsuit until reduced to beggary ; and even 
 then they would not rest quiet, but instigated others to
 
 BIHAR PR0VERI5S. 125 
 
 fight. They are very spiteful. They are spread all over 
 Bihiir, but are found in great numbers in Patna, where 
 they follow all manner of professions. They are great 
 sticklers about caste, and pretend to be very strict 
 Hindus. But they are looked down on by the higher 
 castes and treated by them as a menial class. 
 
 KiimJidr {Potter). 
 
 286. A Kumlidr sleeps secure. 
 
 Nichint sute kumhra matiya na lejdye cJior. 
 
 The potter sleeps secure, for no one will steal clay. 
 
 He who has nothing to lose does not fear thieves. — 
 (Grierson.) 
 
 A variation of this proverb is, 
 
 Gofj (name of a man who had no one in this world) 
 sleeps secure, as he has no children or family to cause 
 him anxiety. 
 
 Musalmdn. 
 
 287. A Mnsahndn, a parrot, and a hare are never 
 grateful. 
 
 R^^ g^^ -cTtfTT '^ '^T'frH 
 
 Tunik tota au khargos, 
 I tinon ndn nidne pos. 
 A Musalmdn, a parrot, and a hare, these three are 
 never grateful. 
 
 A Mohamedan is still called a Turuk by the Hindus, 
 no doubt from the fact of the early Mohamedans being 
 Turks, just as the Europeans are still called Ferangis by 
 the Indians from the early French (Franks).
 
 126 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 288. To a JFurnhnan give toddy, to a bullock hhcmari. 
 
 v=--^ ^^^ m"<\ t^ %^T^ 
 
 Turuk tdri, hail kJiemdri. 
 To a Miisalmdn (give) toddy, and to an ox Khemdri, 
 i.e. each, to his taste. 
 
 The following is quoted from Mr. Grierson's book on 
 " Bihar Peasant Life." 
 
 ^^^■O " K/ienmri" {Lathynts satira), a kind of pea. 
 It is unwholesome for human beings, but bullocks eat it 
 greedily, e.g. in the saying : 
 
 Turuk tdri hail khemdri Bdman dm Kdyath kdm. 
 
 Toddy is necessary for a Musalman's happiness, kheh- 
 sari for a bullock's, mangoes for a Brahman's, and employ- 
 ment for a Kd//aih's. 
 
 The Mlijdnji (or Family Tutor). 
 
 289. When the Mlydhji is at the door, it is a bad look 
 out for the dog. 
 
 Jekra cludr par mlydri ji, 
 
 Tekra ghare kukur ke juth phenkal jdy. 
 
 Is there ever any food thrown to the dogs in the house 
 of one at whose door sits the family tutor ? / e. the family 
 tutor eats up all the leavings, and there is nothing left for 
 the poor dog. 
 
 ^■^jt ^ " Miydfi Ji" is a typical character in the Bihilr 
 family circle. He is usually a poor Musalman struggling 
 for existence. Having acquired a smattering of Persian, he 
 considers himself above manual labour ; while on the other
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 127 
 
 hand he is not sufficiently educated for any respectable 
 intellectual employment. He therefore finds work as a 
 teacher of children with some well-to-do family on a mere 
 pittance and board. His place is at the door, where he 
 instructs the children of the family in the rudiments. He 
 is but tolerated and treated with scant courtesy. His 
 share of food (for which he has often to wait very long) 
 is doled out daily from the Zanana ; and he is not above 
 accepting any remnants of food that may be added to his 
 scanty meals. He is usually blessed with a good appetite, 
 and no edibles need be thrown away when a Mlydnji is at 
 the door. It is therefore a bad look out for the dogs of 
 the house if they happen to have such a voracious rival 
 as a Mlydnji. 
 
 This proverb is used sarcastically when anything need 
 not be wasted owing to there being some one, who would, 
 probably from poverty, be glad to accept it. 
 
 290. The Mlydnji loses his beard in praise. 
 
 Mlydn ke ddrhi udh wdhe men gail. 
 
 The beard of the Mlydnji disappears in praising it ! 
 i.e. each student who wanted to pay him off laid hold 
 of his beard and said, " What a fine beard, sir! " and gave 
 it a tug, and thus every hair in the beard of the poor 
 Mlydnji was plucked ! JSaid when anything disappears in 
 simply tasting samples of it and praising it, or when 
 anything is wasted. 
 
 The following story is told of a Mlydnji, who was simi- 
 larly served by one of his puj)ils whom he had left in charge 
 of his dinner. A fowl had been cooked, but the pupil, in- 
 stead of guarding the dish, went out to play, when a cat
 
 128 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 walked off with a leg of the fowl. The MlijdTiji, on missing 
 the piece, was greatly enraged, but the pupil maintained 
 that the fowl had only one leg. Notwithstanding this, he 
 got a severe whipping for stealing. Next day, while the 
 MiijCmJi was comfortably taking his midday siesta, he was 
 rudely awakened by his aggrieved pupil, who came rush- 
 ing to inform him that he could prove that some fowls 
 had one leg only as he had said. The already enraged 
 tutor soon proved to his pupil, by throwing a stone at 
 the cock, which was resting on one of its legs (as fowls 
 are wont to do), that it had both. Upon which the poor 
 pupil got another sound beating. He remembered the 
 circumstance. Another day the same kind of accident hap- 
 pened, and the pupil discovered, before his master sat to his 
 meal, that a leg of the fowl cooked had again disappeared. 
 But this time he had got the secret of producing the lost 
 leg of a fowl. When his master turned angrily that 
 evening to him to demand what had become of the leg 
 again, the pupil, who had provided himself with a brick- 
 bat, threw it violently at the dish, saying, " There is the 
 other leg," expecting that the lost leg would be at once 
 forthcoming in the same way as the cock had produced 
 his under the stone of the MiijCuiJi. But the stone broke 
 the dishes and stunned the Mujdnji, and taught him to 
 respect the opinions of his pupils. 
 
 291. A Mlydnji\^ run is up to the mosque only. 
 
 Mlijdu kc daur maltjid le. 
 
 The Mli/diiji's run is as far as the mosque only, that 
 is the length he can go and no further ; the extent of 
 one's reach ; a Mlydnji is a tutor, who, when not engaged
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 129 
 
 in his work, is usually to be found in the TT^rf^f^ Mas/id. 
 lie has no other place to go to. A Mu/atiji is always at 
 the door : if he goes out at all, it is to the mosque. 
 
 Said to mock one's effort: as much as saying, "That is 
 all he can do ! " 
 
 Nonii/a. 
 
 292. A Noniija^s daughter is born to labour. 
 
 Noniydn ke heti ka na naijihare sukh na sasure sukJi. 
 
 The daughter of a Noniya has neither ease in her 
 father's house nor in her father-in-law's house. 
 
 •ffHT^n "Noniya." The Noniyas are a labouring class 
 who find employment chiefly by extracting saltpetre, 
 hence their name. 
 
 " They are a poor and hardy race, and are the best 
 labourers, and especially sought after for digging " 
 (Hunter). The daughter of a Noniya would thus be 
 " born to labour." Their name is connected with non 
 salt. One usually enjoys more comfort in a father-in- 
 law's house than at home, so the expression " to be at 
 one's father-in-law's " means to be idle, to take things 
 easy and do no work. Hence if one is lazily inclined, 
 he is asked, " Do you fancy you are at your father- 
 in-law's?" 
 
 Rajput. 
 
 293. Thick-headed. 
 
 Sate RajpUt uthe ajgiit. 
 
 When asleep, he is a Rajput ; when awake, he is a fool 
 (literally, as if in wonderland), i.e. his senses are wool- 
 
 9
 
 130 
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 gathering, even when awake. Said of Rajputs, who are 
 proverbially thick-headed. 
 
 Suthrd faldrs. 
 294. Selfishness in Suthrd fakhs. 
 
 ^Q8 %¥ w[i w wtn ^^TT ^^ ^cn^T ^T?: 
 
 KeJm mue kehujle Suthra gJior batdsa pie. 
 
 Any one may live or die, the Suthra sdhi fakir must 
 have his drink of batdsa and water. 
 
 The ^^IJ ^^ Suthra sdhis are a sect of fakirs, the 
 followers of ^^"^T Suthra, who, it is said, was a disciple 
 of •TT'l'^ in^ Ndnak Shah. They sing and play on 
 wooden batons and are very persistent in begging. 
 Whatever may happen, they insist on their drink of 
 ll^r[ sharhat before allowing the dead to be taken out of 
 the house. 
 
 Said when any one selfishly insists on his object being 
 served, regardless of circumstances. 
 
 The following story is told of Suthra. He was a favourite 
 disciple of Nanak Shah, and very popular with his fellow- 
 disciples. He was always witty and si^irited, and often 
 indulged in practical jokes. On one occasion he paid 
 dearly for his pranks by being ordered out of the 
 monastery by his spiritual guide. After roaming about 
 for some time, he appeared one evening before the 
 monastery gate in the guise of a pedlar, with a pack- 
 bullock, feigning he had come from a great distance with 
 articles for sale, as well as offerings to the great Nanak. 
 The gate-keeper was somewhat reluctant to announce him 
 at that late hour, but was prevailed on by being promised 
 half of what he would receive. On entering the presence 
 of his patron, instead of saluting him, he thrice went
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 131 
 
 round his bullock and made a low obeisance to it, and 
 opened tlie panniers, when out fell a lot of bricks and 
 debris with which he had filled them. Then, turning 
 round to Nanak Shiih, he saluted him, and said it was to 
 these bricks that he owed the honour of coming again 
 into the presence of his revered patron ; therefore his 
 first salutation was due to them. Enraged at this fresh 
 insult, Niinak ordered him a hundred stripes. Upon 
 which the cunning disciple said, "Half of it goes to the 
 gate-keeper according to my promise." His clever trick 
 80 amused Nanak, that he pardoned Suthra and reinstated 
 him in his former favour. 
 
 Sonar (Goldsmith). 
 
 295. Hundred (strokes) of the goldsmith will not equal 
 one of the blacksmith. 
 
 Sua sonar ke na ek lohar ke. 
 
 A hundred (strokes) of the goldsmith are not equal to 
 one of the blacksmith's. 
 
 The goldsmith uses a tiny hammer : a hundred strokes 
 from which would hardly equal one stroke from the 
 ponderous sledge hammer that the blacksmith wields. 
 
 i.e. One bold strong effort is better than a hundred 
 feeble ones ! 
 
 Said to laugh at a feeble effort ; or when one gains 
 success at the first trial where another's repeated efforts 
 have failed. 
 
 Teli (Oilman). 
 
 296. A Teli, though possessed of lakhs, cannot equal 
 Raja Bhoj (in magnanimity or nobleness).
 
 132 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 ^e^ ^ff TT^ ^^ ^IT ^^W "^^ 
 
 Kalian Rclja Bhoj kaJuui Laldma teli. 
 
 An oilman, however rich, can never be compared to 
 E-aja Bhoj. 
 
 TTWT *ft^ ''Raja Bhoj" was a king of Bhojpur, from 
 whom it has taken its name. 
 
 ^^^ ^^ "■ Laliliua TcJi" was a rich oilman, who 
 amassed a large fortune, said to be several liikhs. 
 
 i.e. There can be no comparison between Rjija Bhoj 
 and a Teli (who is a low-caste man and proverbially mean), 
 tliough he may be possessed of liikhs. One is after all a 
 nobleman, and the other a shopkeeper. 
 
 Jolha (Wearer). 
 
 297. The weaver bearing the sins of others. 
 
 ^Q^ %fT ^T^ I^IT f^\^ 5|T^ Wt^lT 
 
 Khet Tihay gadha mar al jay jolha. 
 The ass eats the crop, but the weaver is beaten for it. 
 The Wt^^T ./oZ/ca " weaver" is the proverbial scapegoat 
 of Indian society. A veritable " lodging-house cat " ! 
 
 298. The weaver as a cultivator. 
 
 Pdwa har ka humna hheti harha ah. 
 
 I have found the rear peg of a plough, now I will at 
 once take to farming. 
 
 ^^•!T " Iluinna " " is the peg which passes through the 
 shaft at the end of the plough" (Grierson). Meant for 
 the smallest part of a plough. This saying is ascribed 
 to a Mohamedan weaver (^^i|T jolha) who by accident 
 found a " hunuia." He is the jjroverbial fool of Indian 
 stories.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 133 
 
 299. The weaver penny wise and pound foolisli. 
 
 Sarbas hdron gaj hluir na p/idrofi. 
 
 I will lose all, but still I shall not tear out a yard of 
 cloth (or rather lose all than tear a yard of cloth). He is 
 supposed here to be haggling for a yard of cloth which 
 the customer wants, but which he under no circumstances 
 will give. 
 
 This is another of the many proverbs aimed at the 
 obstinacy of the Mohamedan weaver. 
 
 E.E. " Penny wise and pound foolish." 
 
 300. A whip does not make an equestrian. 
 
 ^00 TTf T mm ^fit^T ^T^ TIT ^^ ^^ ^TTfl ^"t^T 
 
 Peon iMija kora, bdki raha thora, jln lagdm ghora. 
 
 I have come by a whip accidentally : the rest is easy (to 
 find), namely, a saddle, bridle, and a horse ! 
 
 Similar proverb to No. 298. 
 
 Applied to those who having just made a beginning, or 
 having got the least bit of anything, are so confident 
 as to make light of the trouble required in attaining 
 the rest. 
 
 301. A weaver's daughter aping her betters. 
 
 Joldhin he heti ka buhu ke sddh. 
 
 The daughter of a weaver has a longing to call her 
 sister " bubu " (in imitation of her betters). 
 
 ^^^ " Bubu" is the familiar term by which elder sisters 
 are called in respectable Mohamedan families. 
 
 Said when one tries to ape the ways of higher people.
 
 134 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 302. A weaver proud as a king with a gagra full of 
 rice only. 
 
 Gagrlii anaj hhail jolhan raj hhnil. 
 
 As soon as a weaver gathers a vessel full of grain, he 
 becomes as proud as a king, i.e. a weaver has only to get 
 a vessel full of grain, when he feels as proud as a king. 
 
 Also cast at those who show pride on possessing very 
 little. 
 
 303. The avaricious weaver. 
 
 Jolha hatore nari nari khoda miyan les eke heri. 
 
 The Jolha (weaver) gathers laboriously very small quan- 
 tities at a time, but God sweeps away all (his gatherings) 
 at once. (Compare Proverb No. 12.) 
 
 •T^l" "JVari" is the small tube inside the shuttle with 
 the thread wound round it. Aimed at those who take 
 great pains to collect money, but lose it all at once. 
 Mohamedan weavers are proverbially misers as well as 
 everything nasty. 
 
 By " God " is meant Fate rather than God, Said 
 sarcastically, but with an air of earnestness. 
 
 A variation of this proverb is : 
 
 Wt^lT ^TT^^ •T''C^ •!"^ " Jolha chomicas nari nari." 
 ^^ ^TT'^^ ^^ " Khoda chordicas imla." 
 
 i.e. the Jolha steals little cotton at a time, but God takes 
 away bales. 
 
 30-i. The weaver asks to be let off fasting, but gets 
 saddled with prayers.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 135 
 
 Jolha gaile roja bakadwe nimdj paral gave. 
 
 The weaver went to have his fasting pardoned, but 
 became burdened with prayers {lit. prayers fell on his 
 neck). 
 
 The jolha went to his spiritual guide to beg that he 
 may be let off keeping fast, but, on the contrary, he was 
 saddled with prayers, i.e. he was directed, in addition to 
 fasting, to pray five times a day according to the 
 Mohamedan religion. 
 
 Said when one prays to be let off, but in answer gets 
 burdened with additional penalty or trouble. 
 
 305. The weaver suffers on leaving his loom. 
 
 Karigah chhor tamdshajdy, ndnhak chotjoldha k/idi/. 
 
 The weaver leaves his loom to see the fun, and for no 
 reason gets hurt. Alludes to the story of a Jolha who got a 
 thrashing on his going to see a ram fight, i.e. he is such 
 a stupid that he never can step out of his house without 
 getting into trouble. The "Jolha " feels nowhere at home 
 except at his loom. 
 
 306. Id without weavers ! 
 
 Bindn Joldhe Id. 
 
 Id without weavers ! i.e. can there be t;^^ Id without 
 ^'^^ Jolhas (weavers)? 
 
 Thejolhas and other low Mohamedans take the occasion 
 of the Id to indulge in uproarious merriment by drinking 
 toddy. The Id is a solemn festival in which good
 
 136 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 Mohamedans never drink. Said when any one is indis- 
 pensable on a festive occasion. Same application as 
 Proverb 104. 
 
 ^ ifift % ^TT -S^ GaTtgo he jlmmar. 
 
 307. A weaver makes a sad hash when required to reap 
 a field. 
 
 Jolha jdnathi jao kdte. 
 
 Does a weaver know how to cut barley ? 
 
 " Refers to a story that a weaver unable to pay his debt 
 was set to cut barley by his creditor, who thought to repay 
 himself in this way. But instead of reaping, the stupid 
 fellow kept trying to untwist the tangled barley stems " 
 (Grierson). 
 
 Another story told of the weaver as an agriculturist is 
 that he, jointly with another man, sowed sugar-cane. 
 When the crop was ripe, on being asked whether he 
 would have the top or the stem, said, " Of course the 
 top." When reproached by his wife for his stupidity, 
 he said he would never again make such a mistake. The 
 next crop they sowed was Indian corn. When the time 
 for gathering came round, he told his friend that he was 
 not to be made a fool of this time, and would have the 
 lower part. His friend gave him what he wanted. 
 
 308. The weaver going to cut grass at sunset. 
 
 Kauwa chalal bds he jolha chalal ghas he. 
 The weaver went to cut grass (at sunset), when even the 
 crows were going home (Grierson).
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 137 
 
 309. The weaver tries to swim in a linseed field. 
 
 Jolha hhutiaile tlsi khet. 
 
 The weaver lost his way in a linseed field. 
 
 The allusion is to the following comical exploit of certain 
 joUias (weavers). Once seven of them started on a moon- 
 light journey. They had not gone very far from their 
 home when they lost the road. After trying to find their 
 way, they came to a linseed field, which they took to be a 
 river as the field was in flower, and they fancied the blue 
 colour of the flower to be that of water. They stripped 
 themselves and began swimming. After hard labour they 
 got across. To make certain that no one was drowned, 
 they took the precaution of counting themselves before 
 resuming their journey, but they discovered that one of 
 them was missing as each counter forgot to count himself. 
 Grieved at the loss of one of their company, they had not 
 the heart to pursue their journey, but returned home ! 
 The following quotation from C. Kingsley's "The Roman 
 and the Teuton" (1864), p. 184, shows how these stories 
 travel over the world : " A madness from God came over 
 the Herules (the Heruli were a tribe of Huns), and 
 when they came to a field of flax, they took the blue 
 flowers for water and spread out their arms to swim 
 through, and were all slaughtered defencelessly." 
 
 310. The weaver's wife. 
 
 Bahsali jolhini hdpak darlii noche. 
 
 The wilful weaver's wife will pull her own father's 
 beard.
 
 138 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 To pull the beard is to offer the greatest insult to a 
 Mohamedan (Grierson). 
 
 311. Weavers' and shoemakers' promises never to be 
 relied on. 
 
 JoUm ke di jxli chamrCi lic bihdn. 
 
 When a weaver says the cloth will be soon ready, as he 
 is now brushing it, don't believe him, any more than you 
 believe a shoemaker who says the boots will be ready 
 to-morrow. 
 
 "W^ ^tI^ " Ai pdi" means the brushing and the other 
 preparations to which the weaver subjects the thread with 
 which he is going to weave the cloth (Grierson). 
 
 312. A weaver as an impressed labourer. 
 
 ^=1^ t^w^ rr: zfif ^ff ct: ^^ ^ft^ iT^f^T ftUrT 
 
 Tanghah ta tdngah nah'ni ta natt narlk harkati Jwet. 
 
 If you must load me, load me quickly, otherwise the 
 time of nine shuttles will be wasted. 
 
 " A weaver estimates his work by the number of nari 
 shuttle-spools which he uses up, as in this proverb, in 
 which he is supposed to address a man who has seized 
 him to carry a load" (Grierson). 
 
 313. A fight between a frog and a weaver. 
 
 xiff^ f{\x %^ ^»r^ 35frr tit ^rn ^Ir^? ^^t HHW'n 
 im ^^%^-^\m\ ^^TTT % ^f|^ ifrfw '^'i^ 'htt 
 
 f!T^T rn: 'TTt % ^TTT "^Wt ^If? '^^^^^ ^T'lT
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 139 
 
 ^5^'Y ZWKt ^^W{ TtT fTT ^ 'HT ^XT"^ ^ ^T 
 ^^ mX. ^^ ^fT>i!T ^^t ^ft W['^ 
 
 ^^ fit ^^^" W^i ^t^ ^^ t1 ht ^t^ 
 
 JoIhajCit ndon lie dlilra, raste cJialat heng se bhira. 
 Pahil mar beJig thengak thenga, tar bhae jolali upar bhae beuga 
 Tab jolhen darbdr pukdra, ai, sdheb molii betigan mdra. 
 Tana tar nari le bhdga, ulte mohi dabdban Idga 
 Roi rol puchhe jolah hi joe, kaisa manus bengaicha hoe 
 Lambi tangri bakula thor, tar ke mare upar kejor 
 Suno hhdi suno bhatljay suno meri may 
 Ab to challlh beng laraiya,jlu rahe bhajdij. 
 
 Now I am going to the battle of the frogs : it is to be 
 seen Avhether I am alive or dead ! 
 
 This saying is ascribed to the following melodramatic 
 lines, where the jolha (weaver), the usual butt, is repre- 
 sented as waging an unsuccessful combat with a frog, 
 and then recounting his sad experience to his wondering 
 wife. The serio-comic description is of course intended 
 to ridicule the weavers, in the style so common in native 
 literature. " The jolha class are brave (steady) only in 
 name. Once being on a journey, he met a frog on the 
 road. The first to strike was the frog with repeated 
 blows. The jolha fell below and the frog was on top 
 of him (i.e. the frog won the fight). Thus defeated, he 
 appeared in court and cried, ' 0, Sir ! the frog has beaten 
 me. He broke my weaving frame and ran away with my 
 shuttle, and in addition gave me a thrashing.' The wife of 
 the weaver, with tears in her eyes, began to inquire, * What
 
 140 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 kind of a being is a froggy ? ' ' He has long legs, my 
 dear, and a beak like that of a crane : he hits from above 
 as well as below ' [lit. he hits from above and presses 
 from below), said the weaver, and added: 'Now hear 
 brother, hear my nephew, and hear my mother dear, I 
 am now off to do battle with the frogs, whether I live 
 or die ! ' "
 
 141 
 
 CLASS lY. 
 
 Proverbs relating to Social and Moral Subjects, 
 Religious Customs and Popular Superstitions. 
 
 314. Angel of death to be feared. 
 
 Biirh he marie na derdln, jam he parikle derdlri. 
 
 The death of the old is not to be feared, but lest the 
 Angel of Death should get used {i.e. habituated to making 
 constant attacks). 
 
 gUT " Jam " is the Angel of Death. 
 
 The idea is that the old are fit victims of the Angel of 
 Death ; but when he gets once used to making incursions 
 and seizing the old, he may also begin to prey on the 
 young ; therefore his getting habituated to dealing out 
 death is more to be dreaded than the occasional death of 
 an old person, (Applied to deprecate the growth of a 
 pernicious habit.) 
 
 315. As the Dehi, so the offering. 
 
 ^=m t€^ ^TTt t^ ^^ ^^ ^ "^W^ 
 
 Jaisan hdri dehi waimn liodo he achchJiat. 
 As the Goddess, so the offering of Kodo ! 
 ■^"^fT ''AcJichhat " is an offering made of rice to the deity. 
 ^^ Kodo, which is a very inferior millet, is never used
 
 142 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 for this purpose. Said disparagingly when one has to 
 be treated according to his deserts ; i.e. who, though in a 
 superior position, is not deserving of the consideration 
 befitting his position. But it is also a fact that each 
 deity has its peculiar manner of being worshipped, e.rj. a 
 she-demon ( TJchchhist ChandCilni) is worshipped with ofi'er- 
 ings of refuse and leavings of food. 
 
 316. A weak Behi and a strong he-goat for sacrifice. 
 
 Ahhar dehi, Jahhar hahra. 
 
 A weak goddess and a strong he-goat (as victim or 
 offering). 
 
 ^^ " Dehi " is a goddess to whom he-goats are sacri- 
 ficed as offerings. Said when one who ought to be 
 weaker in the regular order of things is really stronger 
 than another, e.g. when a strong subordinate really rules 
 his weak superior. 
 
 317. A saddening reflection. 
 
 Ndnch hachli aUe moriva, gonca deJxJiijhawcdy. 
 
 The peacock having danced (in all its pride) becomes 
 crest-fallen on seeing its ugly legs ! 
 
 The popular idea ascribes to the peacock great conceit, 
 but it is said that in its ostentatious dance it comes to 
 a dead stop, and becomes crest-fallen on seeing its ugly 
 legs. Applied to one who, though outwardly jolly, has 
 some secret cause of unbappiness that acts on him as 
 a drag. 
 
 ''A skeleton in the cupboard."
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 143 
 
 318. A fast woman blames otliers when she elopes. 
 
 ^<\^ ^tiTT ^T^ ^^^X ^^^ ^1 ^ Tf^ 
 
 Apna karte urhar, lagaili log he dos. 
 
 She was eloped with on account of her own viciousness, 
 but the people are blamed. 
 
 ^^■^^ " Urharab" (lit.) is to cause one to fly or elope 
 (transitive form). '^^"^^ " JJrhdrah " is to fly or elope 
 (intransitive form) ; from this is derived ■'a^T^ " Urhri," 
 a kept woman, a concubine, lit. one w^ho has been made 
 to fly or elope. 
 
 Thrown sarcastically at a woman who has made a false 
 step, but blames others for it. As if one would say in 
 irony, "Of course she is not to blame, but some one else." 
 
 319. A meddlesome woman. 
 
 Tell ke bail la, kumhaini satti. 
 
 For the sake of the oilman's ox, the potter's wife has 
 become suttee, i.e. she interests herself in other people's 
 afiairs (Grierson). 
 
 The meaning of this proverb is not quite clear. Perhaps 
 it means " To the oilman's ox the potter's wife is as good 
 as a suttee {i.e. perfection)," because she does not harass 
 him, as the oilman's wife does. 
 
 320. A disgraced cat is as humble as a wife of the rat. 
 
 Kanauri hilli cliuJton kijoy. 
 The disgraced cat is (as humble) as a wife of the rat, 
 ^•fl^ " Jyanauri.'' This word seems to have two 
 meanings. In Shahabad it means " disgraced, ashamed,"
 
 144 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 and applied to one who has made a false step. In 
 Maggah it seems to have the meaning of " obligated," 
 and is applied to one who has receiv^ a favour from 
 another, and is therefore under an obligation to him. 
 The same idea is expressed in the proverb 
 
 '^'^^ f^^Ttr 'T^ ^T^T " Pcchdh bildri miise haiir," 
 i.e. the trampled eat {Jit. one in a fix or " pressed ") is 
 maddened by rats even, i.e. she is so weak and heartless 
 that even the rats drive her mad, or is considered stupid 
 by rats even. The meaning is that a disgraced superior 
 is not respected. 
 
 321. A forward woman. 
 
 ^^=1 ^T^t ^it TT^ ^Tt ^f¥ % ^T %t% 
 
 LCijo Idje maras, dliltJw licihnsje dare deraile. 
 
 The modest woman is dying from shame, but the 
 impudent saj^s she is frightened ! 
 
 The forward or over-confident laughed at. Said when 
 any one puts a wrong construction on an act. (The final 
 "o" in "/fl;o" and " dintho" marks the feminine gender.) 
 
 322. Born to labour. 
 
 Nailiarja, hlia msur jd, jcuigra cliala ke liatliun khd. 
 
 Whether you go to your father's or your father-in-law's 
 house, you must labour in order to get your living. 
 
 ^i[TJ " Jctngra" means thighs. 
 
 ^^■^T ^^ ^ " Jangra cliala /.-e" is I'd. to use one's 
 thighs, i.e. to go about and labour. Cast at one who can- 
 not afford to sit at ease, but is born to work for her living 
 wherever she is.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 145 
 
 323. Bad lineage. 
 
 CJnndn ha bans men sapid jcunle mdrha. 
 
 In the house of Clilndh if an excellent son is born, it is 
 only Marha. 
 
 '^•TT Chmdn [Panicmn frumentosum) is one of the 
 smaller millets ; when boiled and parched, it is called 
 My%\ mdrha. 
 
 The meaning is that the best of a bad family will after 
 all turn out only a very second-rate fellow. Just as the 
 best thing that can be got from chlndn is mdrha, which 
 after all makes a very indifferent kind of food. Chindti 
 is despised as a poor man's food. 
 
 E.E. Little things are great to little men. 
 
 Brother and Shter-in-law. 
 
 324. A weak elder brother-in-law is not respected. 
 
 ^^8 ^^^ H%T t^T ^TT^T 
 
 Latal hhainsur deirar hardhar. 
 
 A weak elder brother-in-law is like a younger brother- 
 in-law (with whom you may take liberties). 
 
 Cast at a weak man who cannot command respect or 
 assert his dignity. 
 
 ^%X! " BJudnsur " (in relation to the wife) is the elder 
 brother of the husband; ^^X^ ^Uleicar" is the younger 
 brother. 
 
 A wife is always supposed to pay great respect to her 
 husband's elder brother, whom she must never look full in 
 the face or speak to if possible. If such a necessity sliould 
 arise, she must sjDeak to him with downcast eyes and in the 
 most abject tone. On the other hand, the elder brother- 
 
 10
 
 146 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 in-law is enjoined by custom never "to cast eyes " on the 
 wife of his younger brother. The younger brother, on the 
 contrary, is allowed by social etiquette to joke with the 
 wife of his elder brother to any extent. 
 
 325. A sister-in-law has a sister-in-law to annoy her. 
 
 Nanndo he nanad liola. 
 A sister-in-law has a sister-in-law too ! (to tyrannize 
 over her). This speech is supposed to be made by the 
 wife, between whom and her sister-in-law (husband's 
 sister) a constant jealousy exists. They can never agree, 
 and are always having " hits at each other," hence the 
 phrase •H^ ^^ " nanad ddh,^^ which means the spite 
 or envy peculiar to the sister-in-law. Here the wife is 
 saying in a sort of self-consoling way, "If she is ill-treating 
 me now, she will also in her turn be ill-treated by her 
 sister-in-law ; for she too must have one." 
 
 Said by one who is ill-treated, with some satisfaction 
 that his oppressor has also some one to annoy him. 
 
 E.E. " Little fleas have lesser fleas upon their backs to 
 bite 'em. 
 And these again have smaller ones, and so ad 
 infinitum." 
 
 Bride and Bridegroom. 
 
 326. The bride cannot get rice gruel even, and others 
 get sweets. 
 
 Kaneydh he mdnr nan, loMin ke hundiya. 
 The bride cannot get rice gruel even, while her servant- 
 maid gets hundiya.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 147 
 
 ^f^^ " Biuidiya is a small round sweetmeat made of 
 gram (%^«T hesan) fried in ghi or oil and covered with 
 sugar " (Grierson). It is dropt into the oil ; hence its 
 name, which literally means ** drops," or "small drops." 
 Said when favour is shown to the undeserving, while the 
 deserving are left out in the cold. 
 
 327. A foolish bride gets no presents. 
 
 Burbak kaneydn ke nao dndn khoinchha. 
 
 It is a foolish bride, that only gets nine annas in her 
 pocket (for wedding presents) (Grierson). 
 
 ^K^T " Klwinchha " is the pocket formed in front by 
 loosening the part of the cloth tied round the waist 
 (Grierson). Sometimes villages are given away as wedding 
 presents by X[T5IT rdjas and rich landed proprietors ; and 
 then these villages are known as T§t^^T ^ TT^ khoinchha 
 ke gdon. The way that this is usually done is, the title- 
 deeds transferring the property are put into the front 
 pocket of the bride (khoinchha). 
 
 328. The face money to the bride. 
 
 Mitnh niyar munh na, riipaia munh dekhauni. 
 
 She is nothing to look at, yet " face money " has to be 
 given on seeing her ! {lit. she has not a face worth 
 looking at). 
 
 ^^ ^'^l^ " Mnlih dekhauni" is the money usually 
 given on seeing for the first time the face of the daughter- 
 in-law or of a child. " A bridal present." 
 
 Said when one undeserving wants you to do him a favour.
 
 148 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 329. Crocodile tears of a bride. 
 
 Dhlija sdsurjdli, ki mane mane gajeli. 
 
 Is the daughter going to her father-in-law's, or is she 
 rejoicing ? {lit. laughing inwardly). 
 
 A daughter-in-law is expected to weep when going to 
 her father-in-law's house, at least in appearance, if not in 
 reality. That is the native etiquette. That she does not 
 always do it in earnest is shown by the proverb. If one 
 outwardly shows a reluctance or pretends to be sorry, 
 while in reality he or she inwardly rejoices, this saying 
 is used. (Also cast at one whose behaviour is unsuited to 
 the occasion.) 
 
 Blind and Deaf. 
 
 330. Blind master, deaf pupil. 
 
 Andhar guru hahir chela, matige harre dela hhcla {ba/'iera). 
 
 A blind master and a deaf pupil : he asks for harre and 
 is handed hahera. 
 
 ^"^ " Harre " is black myrobalans. 
 
 ^f"?^! ^' Baltera " is belleric myrobalans. 
 
 This describes in a comic way the laugh caused by the 
 mistakes made by the deaf and the blind. Said when two 
 persons misunderstand each other with a ludicrous result. 
 The following story told of a deaf man illustrates this 
 proverb : A deaf Brahman was once engaged in his 
 homestead garden in breaking brinjals. Some passers-by 
 asked him, "How are you, TTITTT^ Mahdrdj?" "I am 
 breaking brinjals " answered the Brahman. " How are 
 your children ? " "I am going to make hharta of them
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 149 
 
 all ! " (that is, make a masb. of tliem, meaning the brinjals 
 of course). 
 
 331. Backbiter. 
 
 Miinh par toke gdji, pith plchlie ke pdji. 
 
 He who blames one to his face is a hero, but he who 
 backbites is a coward. Pdji is a low, mean fellow ; a 
 sneak. 
 
 ^TT^ Gdji, brave, bold. 
 
 332. Charity (sharing the last crust). 
 
 ^^'l ^^ W H^^ ^ <ft^ ^^ ^fT % 
 
 Bhlk men hhlk de tlnon lokjlt le. 
 
 He who gives away in alms what he has himself received 
 in charity conquers the three worlds. 
 
 ^Ht ^^ Tlnon M; "The three worlds:" they are 
 (1) ^X1 01" ^^"ni Swarg or Akdsh, the Heaven ; (2) TTcIT^ 
 Patdl, or the lower regions ; and (3) Jm H^*! Mritu 
 Bhuan, or the earth of mortals. 
 
 i.e. The man who being himself in want is unselfish 
 enough to give away what he has himself received in 
 charity, may be said to have overcome all the three 
 worlds : to have risen above the desires of the three 
 worlds ; or, in other words, to have achieved a success 
 which may be envied by the inhabitants of all the three 
 worlds. 
 
 333. Dying in Benares is going to Heaven. 
 
 Jaun kablr Kdshi hoy mare, Rdmen kaun nihora. 
 If the faqlr has to go to Kdshi (Benares) to die, what
 
 150 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 is the use of supplicating RCun then ? because dying in 
 Benares is in itself sufficient to take one to Heaven. The 
 intercession of Rdm, then, is only necessary if one does 
 not die there. The meaning is, if one has to get anything 
 by self-exertion, what is the use of a favour? the obtaining 
 of it then cannot be called a favour. 
 
 Dang liter. 
 
 334. Beware of overpraising your daughter. 
 
 Sardhal hahuriya dom ghar jay. 
 
 The daughter-in-law, so much praised (for her chastity) , 
 goes at last to the dom's house (i.e. sinks so low as to elope 
 with a dom, who is the lowest of the low). 
 
 A caution enjoined on those who boast of and praise too 
 much a daughter-in-law or any other relative, — a hint that 
 what is too much valued and lauded might after all turn 
 out bad. Too lavish a praise of even one's nearest and 
 dearest is apt to recoil on one's self in the shape of shame. 
 This proverb shows the common idea that a daughter-in- 
 law is always to be watched and never to be altogether 
 trusted. 
 
 335. A bad daughter ruins a son-in-law. 
 
 I dhlya mor damdo naslan. 
 
 The daughter is (so bad) that she has even disgraced 
 the son-in-law. The son-in-law is the one usually found 
 fault with by the mother-in-law, and not the daughter ; 
 therefore, if the daughter is such a one as would disgrace 
 a son-in-law, she must be very bad indeed.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 151 
 
 Said in joke (as if from tlie mother), for example, by the 
 husband when playfully blaming his wife. 
 
 336. A daughter has three names in succession during 
 her lifetime. 
 
 £lce bitiyawa awe, hahui hahuriya dewanji kahdwe. 
 
 The same daughter is successively known by three 
 different names: babui, baJiunya, and dewanji. 
 
 In her father's house, and while still unmarried, she is 
 called ^^1^ babui (an affectionate name given to young 
 girls) ; in her father-in-law's house she is cf^f^TTT bahuriya 
 {i.e. daughter-in-law) ; and when she has a son, and he 
 married, she is addressed by the people of her son's 
 father-in-law as ^^^T^ deicdnji {i.e. a general manager). 
 
 The meaning is, that the same thing has different names 
 under different conditions. 
 
 Dependent. 
 
 337. A dependent knows no happiness. 
 
 Parbas banda siikh kajdne. 
 
 He is dependent on another, what does he know of 
 comfort ? 
 
 ^^ " Bas " is power, authority. 
 
 i.e. He who is in the power of another (not independent) 
 can never know what true comfort or joy is. 
 
 Dancing. 
 
 338. Making absurd conditions for dancing. 
 
 Na nao man kdjar hoiheii, na Rddha nachihcn.
 
 152 
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 Neither will there be nine maunds of collyrium, nor will 
 Radha (ever dance). 
 
 ^^X Kajar (see note to Proverb 127), a very little of 
 this is necessary. Therefore, when a person makes the 
 doing of a certain act conditional on an impossibility, this 
 saying is aptly applied. 
 
 E.E. "I will pay you on the Greek Kalends." 
 
 339. False modesty in dancers. 
 
 Nachhn ta ghughut ka. 
 
 She who dances has no need to veil her face ! 
 
 The dancing women have no character ; therefore sbe 
 wbo dances publicly lias no need to draw a veil over her 
 face from modesty, as ij^T parda women do. 
 
 Said of those who aifect to be modest when they have 
 no need to be so, or are really the opposite. 
 
 The following is from Mr. Grierson's " Behar Peasant 
 Life " : " In ManhodJis Harihans, whei'e the wife of 
 Akrur, although very modest, still wanted to look at 
 Krishna when he came into the house. 
 
 Bar gliuhghnt iiunn taklo chaliia. 
 " Though always modestly accustomed to hide her face, 
 ^he still tried to peep at him." 
 
 E.E. " Swallowing a camel and straining at a gnat." 
 
 JEspecial haunts or resorts. 
 
 340. The blind man's lodging (or resting-place) is at 
 the turner's. 
 
 Andhra ke dera kharddi ghar.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 153 
 
 The blind man's quarters are at the turner's, i.e. where 
 he can find just the employment suited to him in turning 
 the turner's lathe. 
 
 Said sarcastically of the favourite haunt of any one. 
 
 341. A loose horse is sure to stand near the chaflp-house. 
 
 Chhutal ghori hhusahule tJidrh. 
 A horse when loose is sure to stand near the chafi'-house. 
 Also said in reference to one's haunt, where he is certain to 
 go when he gets an opportunity. 
 
 342. Faith makes god of a stone, 
 
 Man to deo na to iMtthar. 
 If you believe, it is a deity ; otherwise a stone, i.e. if you 
 have faith, you can believe a common piece of stone to be 
 a god, otherwise it is nothing but a stone. 
 
 Fooh. 
 
 343. A fool's property the prey of all. 
 
 Burhak ke hhaim lagal, saume gdon tahra le ke daural. 
 
 "When a fool's buffalo is in milk, every one in the village 
 runs (to him) with milk pails. 
 
 A fool's property is always enjoyed by others. This is 
 explained by the next proverb. 
 
 344. A fool's property the prey of all. 
 
 Burbak ke dlian hoy, i^lmliimmi mar khdy. 
 A fool's property is enjoyed by the cunning.
 
 154 
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 345. A fool thinks of his belly only. 
 
 ^8M ^^ »TT^ T ^-R ^Z ^X % ^T^ 
 
 BhoTidii bhclo najdne, pet hhare se ham. 
 The silly (man) knows nothing of etiquette (civility) : 
 his chief business is to fill his belly. 
 
 'V{{^ " Bhdo" is "rate," "rule," here, rule of society. 
 
 346. A fool worries himself with the concern of others. 
 
 ^a$ ^^^^ '^Tm f^\jW w^ 
 
 Burbalc marla hirdtien phikire. 
 A fool worries himself (kills himself) with other's 
 concern. 
 
 347. A fool went to fish, but lost his fishing basket. 
 
 Burhah gela mdhchhar mare, tap ailan ganicdy. 
 
 A fool went to fish, but lost his bamboo basket for 
 catching fish. 
 
 •jjxj " Tdp " is a conical bamboo basket for catching 
 fish in shallow water. 
 
 i.e. Lost the essential or most material thing. 
 
 348. A fool's wife the jest of all. 
 
 ^gt; ^^^^ (^ ^^TJ) % ^^ ^^ ^ H^^^tI: 
 
 Burhak {ya abra) kejoru sab ke bhaujdi. 
 A fool's wife is like an (elder) sister-in-law to everybody, 
 that is, the butt of all. 
 
 *^^Tt^ " Bhaujdi" is the elder brother's wife, with whom 
 all the younger brothers can joke, while on the other 
 hand the wife of a younger brother is always to be 
 respected by the elder brother (see note to Proverb 324).
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 155 
 
 349. A fool unable to distinguish the trunk from the 
 tail of an elephant. 
 
 ^8Q IT^ % ^'n VJWl ^% '^fT ^^ 
 
 Hdthi ke dga pachlia, hiijhaibe na kare. 
 
 A fool : unable to make out the front from the hind part 
 of an elephant ! 
 
 Said of a fool who cannot make " head or tail " of any- 
 thing ; like the villager who, it is said, on seeing an 
 elephant for the first time, exclaimed, " It has tails on 
 both ends." 
 
 350. A simpleton is " cheeked " by a dog even. 
 
 Sojh ke miinh kukur chdte. 
 
 The mouth (face) of the simpleton is licked by a dog, 
 i.e. even dogs take a liberty with one who is simple 
 [lit. straight). 
 
 351. Who are fools according to Ghdgh the poet. 
 ^MS f^'T ^1<V ^^Tlft WRT ^f^ -^TJ^ Wfl ^VSi 
 
 Bin melin sasurdrijdij, sdnjh jjardte sattu khdy, 
 Jeth mas je penhe paua, kahe ghdg I tino kauica, 
 Kdj pare sasurdrijdy, hliukh mnratte sattu khdy, 
 Bhagta hoy se penhe paua, kahen hahuhdh Ghdghe kauica. 
 
 He who goes to his father-in-law's house without his 
 wife ; he who eats sattu morning and evening [i.e. at both
 
 156 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 his meals) ; and he who wears sandals in the month of Jeth 
 — are all pronounced fools {lit. crows) by GJidgh. 
 
 T^^ " Paua," sandals ; Wt^ " kaua," the crow, 
 meaning a stupid fool. 
 
 The meaning is, that he who ventures to pay a visit to 
 his father-in-law's house without his wife, is sure not to 
 be welcome ; he who eats tettT sattii (or gram meal) at all 
 his meals is certain to fall ill ; and he who w^ears sandals 
 (which are meant for wet weather) in the hot month of 
 Jeth (May- June) is sure to be looked upon as wanting in 
 sense. 
 
 The above saying is ascribed to the local poet or bard 
 of Shiihabad called ^^ Ghdgh, who, it appears, had an 
 equally clever daughter-in-law, sharp at repartees, and 
 who used often to engage with her father-in-law in 
 wordy wars. The following, for instance, is her reply to 
 the above dictum : " If there is necessity, a man may go 
 to his father-in-law's (without his wife) : if a man is 
 dying of hunger, it is better he should eat sattu : and if 
 a man is a devotee, he can wear sandals always. On 
 these occasions the daughter-in-law says that Ghdcjh him- 
 self is a fool (crow) ! " 
 
 ^T^ " Ghagh " lit. means sly, shrewd, wily, old, aged. 
 
 352. "Who are the three greatest fools in this world ? 
 
 ^rrcft y^ ^^^ ^T ^ni W ^T^^ <fN 
 
 Ghar gliora imidal chale, dchhat kdrhe rin, 
 Thdti dhare damdd ghar, jag men biirbak tin. 
 
 He who keeps a horse at home and yet goes about on 
 foot ; he who is wealthy and yet borrows ; and he who
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 157 
 
 keeps anything on trust with a son-in-law — are the three 
 greatest fools in the whole world. 
 
 The above are not uncommon practices. The horse is 
 often kept for show, and men well off do take loans, either 
 to make people believe that they are poor or from a false 
 idea that their hoarded wealth if once touched will fly 
 away. The son-in-law according to native etiquette always 
 thinks he has a perfect right to get as much as he possibly 
 can out of his father-in-law's property, and never loses an 
 opportunity to appropriate anything he can get hold of. 
 For this reason a father-in-law (when his son-in-law is 
 on a visit to him) often secretes his valuable belongings; 
 for if the son-in-law gets hold of them, he can't very well 
 ask him to give them up. 
 
 Guests and hosts. 
 353. Unwelcome guests. 
 
 ^M^ <ft^ ^"^WT^ ^Tf ^% ^^"^ ^nc ^"^ ft ft 
 
 ^TI''C^T% ^T 1% ^T % llt'^I^ff 
 
 Tin holdye terah dye dekho ghar ki rit, 
 Bdharwdle kha gaije ghar ke gdweh git. 
 
 Three are invited, thirteen intrude : see their manners 
 {Jit. the rule of their house). The outsiders (guests) eat 
 up everything, while the home people (the hosts) have 
 "to whistle" {lit. to sing, to content themselves with 
 singing). 
 
 Said when (as usually happens) a host of uninvited 
 guests pounce down (with the invited) upon the host, 
 being generally the friends and relatives of the invited 
 guests. In marriage ceremonies the larger the number 
 of people the bridegroom can bring with him, the more
 
 158 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 it counts to his credit ; though this intrusion can hardly 
 be said to be appreciated by the bride's people, who have 
 to provide for all, on the pain of being thought mean. 
 This rivalry of bringing the largest number of followers 
 the bridegroom can muster, and of entertaining them 
 sumptuously by the bride's father, is the cause of the 
 ruin of many rich houses in Bihar. 
 
 The same idea is in the following saying : f^T ^^^ 
 ^■^^ ^T% W{^ "W^^ Bin hoh'iye larke hale sdth dye (" Un- 
 invited the whole family have turned up "). 
 
 7n%^^fT " Gciwen git." To sing is irony for remaining 
 hungry, as in the expression 'Z!^\ IT'TT " tappar gdna " 
 is to starve. 
 
 354. Guests but in name. 
 
 Mans hlidt gharaita kJmy, 
 Hatya lele pahunjdy. 
 
 The hosts (people of the house) eat meat and rice, while the 
 guests have to return home with the sin on their shoulders, 
 i.e. the sin of having had the goat killed for their sake, 
 in name only, while others have really enjoyed the feast. 
 Said when any one has to bear the blame without profiting 
 in the least. 
 
 355. Assuming the hostess. 
 
 ^qq »iTfT ^T^ %^Tt ^T^^ ^3^T ^w^ 
 
 Blidt ddl kekro, parose haithlan Mangro. 
 The feast {lit. dall and rice) is given by another ; but 
 Mangaro (unasked) does the hostess !
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 159 
 
 XT^I^^ " Parosah " is to serve up dinner, to place food 
 before guests. 
 
 ^T'Ct " Mangaro " is an assumed name. 
 
 Said of one who officiously puts herself forward. 
 
 356. Assuming a leading part in a marriage ceremony. 
 
 Beta beti kekro, guvhatlie haithlan Mangro. 
 
 The son and daughter of others (are being married), but 
 31(1)1 gro, a stranger, (officiously) comes forward to perform 
 the ceremony of Gurhathe. 
 
 ^T^T^ " Mangro " is the feminine of Mangar ; also 
 " Mangri." The terminal "o," besides denoting the 
 feminine gender, implies a familiarity or regard for the 
 person. 
 
 The ceremony of ^t;1^ Giirhathi is thus described by 
 Mr. Grierson in his book of "Bihar Peasant Life": — "In 
 this ceremony the elder brother of the bridegroom (or in 
 default of him some elder of the bridegroom's family) 
 offers sweetmeats, molasses (^"^ gur) and ornaments to 
 the bride. He then takes some betel-leaves and tyre in 
 his right hand, and presses it against the bride's forehead, 
 at the same time pressing his left hand against the back 
 of her head. These two ceremonies are together called 
 ^ii^y\handan, ^J^"^ gurhatthi or 5[T^?ZI«T gnrhatthan, and 
 signify that he has touched her once for all, and that if 
 he touches her again, he will be guilty of a sin." 
 
 357. The host and he to get broken bits of cake. 
 
 ^M^ t^^ ^"^51 ^^^ ?§f^T ^TTT 
 
 Jekre hhoj tekre kJtdJira bdra. 
 It is his feast, and he gets broken bits of cake !
 
 160 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 *f1^ "Bhof is food, feast. ^\^ " Bara" or ^TTT " ^«''«" 
 cakes of " Uriel " pulse fried in ghi or oil. 
 
 islMT " Khdnra " is broken, a corruption of TfT^ 
 " k/uind((," a piece. 
 
 Said when a man who has a right to receive or who 
 ought to receive the best (of things) gets inferior things 
 instead. 
 
 358. Grandfather's funeral ceremony. 
 
 Haliidi ke dukdn, ddilaji ke phateha. 
 
 A confectioner's shop : it is easy to say, " I give the 
 whole of it away in my grandfather's funeral feast ! " 
 
 "tR^lT " Phateha " or x^^fT phdteha is a feast in 
 honour of the dead at which sweetmeats, etc., are first 
 offered to the saints, and then given away for nothing. 
 It is a Persian word. 
 
 Said when one makes free with another's things to which 
 he has no right, just as the man who has not paid for the 
 sweets (but wants to make a show of observing his 
 ancestors' death ceremonies) can easily say, " Here is a 
 whole shop : I give it away in honour of my dead 
 ancestors' funeral feast." Also said when one wastes 
 recklessly another man's things or makes a vain boast. 
 
 Sabit, Second Nature and Unchangeable. The Leopard 
 cannot change his sjwts. 
 
 359. Notwithstanding all charms and incantations, the 
 boy will not change his habit. 
 
 Ket)io karahjoga tondh, hahua haithihen iihe kondn.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 161 
 
 You may practise as many spells and charms as you 
 like, the dear boy will still sit in the same corner ! i.e. will 
 never leave his way. 
 
 A man who, in spite of all persuasions and urgings, still 
 adopts the same course as a force of habit, may be said to 
 go to his usual corner " charm they never so wisely." 
 
 A satirical way of condemning a reprehensible force of 
 habit. 
 
 360. The rope burns, but not the twist. 
 
 ^^0 %^t; ^^^t ^%t ^t ^t 
 
 JeJmar jarela ainthan najare. 
 
 The rope will burn, but not the twist. 
 
 This is a fact : the rope will, burn into loose ashes where 
 it has not a twist; but where there is one, the impression of 
 it will remain even in the ashes. 
 
 Said in reference to an inveterate habit which always 
 sticks to one. 
 
 361. A dog's tail can never be straightened. 
 
 ^^=1 ^f T: ^ qtl^ ^TTI ^f^^ IT^T rl^ ^ t? ^ %? 
 
 Kiikur ke ponchh hdrah baris gCinn, tab hu terh ke terh. 
 
 The dog's tail, even if buried for twelve years, will remain 
 as crooked as ever. 
 
 Same application as the last proverb (360). 
 
 1362. Half dead, but still he shakes his head. 
 
 Sagre dhar siydran k/tdil, 
 Munri ke jhdnial kat hun na gail. 
 
 11
 
 162 
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 His whole body has been devoured by jackals, still he 
 will not leave off shaking his head. 
 
 An exaggerated, way of saying that one will not give 
 up his vicious habits though reduced to the last extremities. 
 
 363. Can the crow become white by eating camphor ? 
 
 Kana Iiaju'ir kliaile iijar hola ? 
 Can the crow' become white by eating camphor ? 
 E.E. "Can the leopard change its spots?" 
 
 364. Heart's dearest wish — what does a blind man want 
 but his two eyes ? 
 
 Andhra chdhe du cinkh. 
 What does a blind man want but his two eyes ? 
 Used to express the greatest wish of one's heart. 
 
 Hushand and Wife. 
 
 365. The husband claiming unmerited service from 
 the wife. 
 
 •► Kis hirte par tatta jjdnln. 
 
 For what action (do you expect your feet to be washed 
 in) lukewarm water ? 
 
 On the return home of the husband, the wife is expected 
 to wash his feet in lukewarm water : if he has returned 
 empty-handed, with nothing to show for his absence, his 
 wife might satirically ask, " for what service or token of 
 love do you expect this warm reception?" Said to an 
 undeserving man who expects a favour, or to one who has 
 no errounds or no claims for asking a favour.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 163 
 
 The origin of this saying is ascribed to the following 
 lines, where it comes out with telling effect : 
 
 ^tt: ^t^ ^t f^^ 'TtT ^xr ^% ^^^T ^51 T^^■\^l 
 %^i xr^ ^ ^^f ^"t ^T^z ^T ^ Tl iTl ^ 
 
 HtT ^TJ ^W f^Tf^'T ^T'T cTTrT^ ^^ft ^fl^ ^^ 
 
 Bdrah baras par jnu mor de, unche niahlan sej hichhde. 
 Lendn ek na dendn do, liarxcat plier ke rah gae so. 
 Bhor hhae jah pirtam jdge, tdtal pdni mdiigan Idge, 
 Mukh anchal de tinya muskdni, kaun hirte jmr tatta pdni. 
 
 After twelve long years the husband returned home; but 
 (forgetful of his wife) he placed his couch on the top-storey. 
 He neither took anything {lit. one thing) nor gave any- 
 thing {lit. two things), but turned off to sleep. In the 
 morning, when he awoke, lie wanted warm water for 
 ablution. Upon which the wife coquettishly smiled and 
 asked, " For what service done is this warm water re- 
 quired ? " 
 
 366. The diffidence of the husband in making presents 
 to his wife in his father's house. 
 
 ^%% %^f ^ ^^'T ^^T % ^fw 'fTT ^ff ^ W'^'lf T ^f^ 
 
 Saiydh ke arjan hhahja ke ndon chura pdhir main sdsurjdon. 
 
 The wife decked in the anklets bought out of the earnings 
 of the husband, but put down to the brother, goes to her 
 father-in-law's. That is to say, she goes to her father-in- 
 law's house decked in the ornaments purchased from 
 the husband's hard earnings ; but she pretends that 
 it has been given to her by her brother. This speech 
 is aimed at the wife by some one of the father-in-
 
 164 
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 law's house (probably the sister-in-kiw, who is always at 
 daggers drawn with her brother's wife) with the object 
 of running her down for making a boast of her brother's 
 generosity, when it is real!}'- to the husband that her thanks 
 are due. It is usual for the father and brother to make 
 presents to the bride when she is returning to her 
 husband's home. The shaft is therefore really aimed at 
 their poverty in being unable to make her a present 
 when returning ; while she, to conceal this fact, puts 
 on the ornaments given to her by her husband, so that 
 it may be concluded that she has received them at her 
 father's house. 
 
 Among respectable natives of Bihar a husband, out of re- 
 spect, avoids giving presents to his wife in his father's house 
 or in his presence, as behaviour likely to hurt his father's 
 feelings by showing his independence. While in his father's 
 house, he still maintains the appearance of being dependent 
 on him ; and therefore leaves the support and care of his 
 wife to his parents. If he should make any present to his 
 wife, he does so stealthily, so as not to injure the feeling 
 of dependence. In a well-regulated family this feeling of 
 filial reverence is carried so far that it is considered highly 
 disrespectful for a son even to speak to his wife in the 
 presence of his father. A respectable native gentleman, 
 in Government service, told the writer that during his 
 father's lifetime, he never attempted to send anything 
 directly to his family, who were living in his father's 
 house. All or the greater part of his earnings he would 
 remit regularly to his father, and even looked to him 
 for his winter clothes, which he rarely bought himself. 
 One year the cold weather clothes were late in reaching 
 him, but still he never bought any himself : lest he should
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 165 
 
 give his old father an idea that he was becoming less 
 dutiful. 
 
 Another explanation of this proverb is : — The anklets 
 have been purchased from the earnings of her lover {i.e. 
 she pretends they are a present to her from her brother). 
 She wears them and goes to her father-in-law's house ! 
 
 This is a taunting speech made by some enemy of the 
 wife, charging her with infidelity. The meaning is, that 
 the anklets she has got on have been really given to her 
 by her paramour while she was on a visit to her father's 
 house (%fC naihar). But she has given out that they 
 are a present to her from her brother ; and decked in 
 these she now goes back shamelessly (with this price of 
 her unchastity) to her father-in-law's house, i.e. to her 
 husband ! Said when the credit for anything is given to 
 one who does not deserve it. 
 
 367. When the cat is away, the mice do play. 
 
 ^^^ TT^ ^1% ^'Z'^ T\^ ^^^T WZ^ 
 
 liCija gaile ahtak rdnln paulan chhatak. 
 
 When the king is away, the queen is free to act as 
 she likes ! 
 
 WZ^^ " Chhatlxob " is to get free from restraint ; to dart 
 off, to rebound, to be scattered, and antah is lit. " to get 
 entangled or to get captured." 
 
 E.E. "When the cat is away, the mice will play." 
 
 368. Husband unsuited to the wife. 
 
 Ham Uman u nah, bhaisur taisaii didiya nah. 
 He is not suited to me, and my sister-in-law is not suited 
 to my (elder) brother-in-law.
 
 166 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 " U" "he," is the husband. It is never the custom 
 in Indian domestic life for the wife to call her husband 
 by his name, or even to repeat his name to another person. 
 He is always spoken of as " he," or, if he is a father, he 
 is spoken of as " the father of so and so." The same rule 
 is also observed by the husband when speaking of his wife. 
 
 ^^■?;; " Bhaisur " is the elder brother-in-law and 
 f^f^'^ " clicUya " is his wife ; the elder sister is ad- 
 dressed as '' didiya.'' '^7[^ " Gotni" are sisters-in-law. 
 
 This proverb is supposed to be said by the younger 
 sister-in-law in self-praise. The meaning is, that my 
 husband is not suited to me [i.e. is not so good as I am) ; 
 while my sister-in-law is not suited to my elder brother- 
 in-law, i.e. he deserves a better wife. Said sarcastically 
 when people think they are wrongly " mated." 
 
 369. A greedy wife. 
 
 ^^e %^T 'tW ^g^ ^^T ^T HT^ 
 ^f fT t Iff ^T ^^"^T % ^T »I^ 
 
 Jekar maugi dantuU, okar bar hhdg, 
 Ddnt se hanriya hhakJtor ke kha gall, 
 Basiya ke kaun kdm (or Basiya kahdn se do). 
 
 Whoever has a wife with her front teeth protruding is 
 very lucky, for with them she can scrape up the cooking 
 pot (of all its contents) : as for anything being left, that 
 is out of the question ! This is of course said in irony. 
 
 A husband is lucky to jDossess such a wife, who will 
 allow nothing to be wasted, not even the scrapings !
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 167 
 
 370, The paragon of a wife gives a pommelling to her 
 husband. 
 
 ^^0 ff% % WiT^ TTfTT^Tfn ^^T %^^ HTrlT 
 
 Hihs he hanli patibarta musar k/iailan hharta. 
 
 From a desire to imitate another she pretended to 
 become a paragon of a wife : but the end of it was that 
 her poor husband got a pommelling. 
 
 X}f?f^-^f|T ''Patibarta" is a wife devoted to her husband, 
 i.e. a dutiful and faithful wife, who is entirely subservient 
 to her husband's commands. 
 
 This proverb is ascribed to the following story : A wife, 
 by her constant dutiful conduct towards her husband, had 
 attained that perfection which devoted and dutiful wives 
 are said to attain, namely, superhuman powers. On one 
 occasion a friend (who was the reverse of dutiful), being 
 on a visit to her, observed that this pattern of a wife, on 
 being called by her husband, had left the pestle, with 
 which she was engaged at the time in pounding rice, as 
 she had lifted it in the act of pounding, lest delay might 
 occur in bringing it down to the mortar ; but, strange 
 to say, the pestle, instead of coming down, remained 
 suspended in mid-air. When she returned, her astonished 
 friend asked her how she was able to perform such a 
 miracle. " My friend," said the good wife, " this is the 
 result of being dutiful and obedient to your husband." 
 The scold of a wife, who had a henpecked husband, re- 
 solved to try the experiment. Thinking that she had 
 at last attained the perfection she had observed in her 
 friend, she wanted to make a display of it, and invited 
 a few neighbours. The friends came according to invita- 
 tion, and the pounding of rice went on ; but the unfortunate 
 husband, who took little interest in the experiment, had
 
 168 
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 gone to sleep inside the house, and failed to call out to 
 his wife at the right moment, as had been previously 
 arranged. At last, tired of waiting for her husband's 
 call, she threw the pestle up ; but, instead of its hanging 
 in mid-air, as she had expected, it came down on her, to 
 the great amusement of her visitors, not to say anything 
 of the hurt she received. Enraged at her failure, wliich 
 she ascribed to her husband, she rushed in and belaboured 
 him with the pestle. 
 
 871. Hard won prize. 
 
 ^^<^ f^ff^ ^"^^ q T^fT^ fin 
 Dihin khocla pai rakti luiga. 
 God has given, but after the greatest hardship. 
 This proverb is in the language peculiar to the Mo- 
 hamedan weavers. 
 
 Said when one obtains anything after the greatest 
 trouble — after he is made to sweat for it. 
 
 S^elpiessness. 
 372. He only joins bread who can't make them. 
 
 Pahival roti sejuriydicejekra apna hele nan dice. 
 
 He joins hand-made bread (cooked by another) who 
 cannot make them himself. 
 
 ^r<^TUW '^ Juriydeb" is to join hand-made bread in 
 couples as they are cooked, and fold them two by two 
 (the usual way they are served up). ^^•TT " Belna " 
 is a wooden rolling-pin with which the dough is rolled out 
 into thin circular sheets. 
 
 i.e. He who can make bread himself will not need the 
 help of another to arrange them.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 169 
 
 It is only those who do not know the art of making 
 hand-bread, who employ themselves in the ornamental 
 duty of putting them two by two (as is the practice) 
 when they are made by another. Those who know it 
 will of course take a more active and useful part. It 
 means that he who can do anything himself will never 
 wait for the help of another to finish up. To the same 
 effect is the saying xjeR^^ "^^ WtfT'^n^ ^f;^^ " Pahcal 
 roti joriaice ailan.'' He has come to arrange bread already 
 cooked by another, i.e. after the real hard work has been 
 done by others, he has come to take the credit of it by 
 doing something which is superfluous. 
 
 373. If every one takes to becoming pilgrims, who is to 
 do the worldly work ? 
 
 ^^^ ^^ f^T ^Tlf^ ^f"^ rT ffi^ ^'I'T sf^T 
 
 8ah kukur kCishi jaiJicn ta hdnri haun dhurhihen. 
 If all the dogs will go on a pilgrimage to Benares, who 
 will search the pots and pans (for food) ? i.e. if every one 
 will become pious, who will do the worldly work ? Said 
 when all take to a fancied work, leaving their legitimate 
 calling, e.g. it might be said with reference to the general 
 seeking after Government appointments and high educa- 
 tion, " If everybody will take to the learned professions, 
 who will attend to the agriculture of the country?" 
 
 374. Ignorant villagers. 
 
 Ujra (jruuvcn uht del log halialje dade aihin. 
 If a camel comes to the village of ignorant people, they 
 all declare that their ancestor has risen from the dead ! 
 ^^TT ^rf^ m>'fi gahiven, lit. means in a desolate village,
 
 170 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 in a village whicli has been forsaken by all the better class 
 of people. Hence a village inhabited by low castes only, 
 who are usually ignorant and easy dupes. 
 
 Said in ridicule of the ignorance of the low-class villagers, 
 who are always read}' to worship any strange sight. 
 
 375. Ignorant villager mulcted on going to complain. 
 
 ^^^ ^¥t W^ Wi^ t^ ^T t^ ^^ ^T ^^ 
 
 Ldl bald men nikldyon, teli khalli khi/dis kyoh, 
 Khdis k/ialli Jma sdnrk, hail ka hail ddnr ka ddiir. 
 
 It is thus recorded in the red book (of laws and regula- 
 tions) : " Why did the oilman feed his bullock on oilcakes ? 
 as a consequence the bullock became as unmanageable as a 
 Brahmini bull" (and ceased to work from being over- fed). 
 (The order) " He loses his bullock as well as pays a fine!" 
 
 This proverb illustrates beautifully the fleecing to which 
 an ignorant villager is subjected when he goes to complain. 
 Whatever the nature of his complaint, the tables are turned 
 upon him, and on one plea or another he has to pay. 
 Here a rude ignorant rustic is represented as relating his 
 sad experience to his brother villagers on his return from 
 a more than bootless complaint, probably to the police 
 daroga. He quotes, as he thinks, the chaste Urdu language 
 of the court, quite unmindful that in his attempt he is 
 doing real violence to the language. The story is that a 
 village Teli, or oilman, who has lost his bullock, goes to com- 
 plain to the police, fondly hoping that he will be helped to 
 find it. The "Red Book" (on which he looks as the 
 source of all justice) is brought out. The daroga gravely 
 turns leaf after leaf, and then pronounces judgment in the
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 171 
 
 following words: "Hear you Tell, it is thus found in 
 the Red Book : You are really in fault, why did you feed 
 your bullock on oilcakes ? Of course as a consequence he 
 became unmanageable and ran away. You are therefore 
 clearly to blame, and you have to pay a fine." He has 
 lost his bullock, and, far from getting any help, he has to 
 pay a fine. It is a case of " the wolf and the lamb " ! 
 
 This proverb illustrates the language a rustic {gaonicdr) 
 uses when he attempts to speak Urdu. 
 
 Jewels. 
 
 376. Ornaments as well as means of livelihood. 
 ^ O % ^^ cT % fWT ^^ff % ^f TT 
 
 Sampat ke singdr biped ke ahdr. 
 
 In easy circumstances jewels are ornaments, in adversity 
 they are a means of livelihood, i.e. when in good circum- 
 stances, they act as ornaments, but when want overtakes 
 the wearer, they can be turned into money. 
 
 The heavy ornaments worn as anklets and armlets by 
 the poorer classes are therefore prized more on account 
 of their weight than on account of their appearance. 
 
 377. Job's comforter. 
 
 Bhal hliel miydii ke hdijheh dhail ki bcgdri se bachlan. 
 
 It is just as well that (my) husband has been carried 
 away by a tiger ; for he is saved from much " forced " 
 labour. 
 
 This would be said by a third party (as if coming from 
 the aggrieved) in mock-congratulation for a gain totally 
 inadequate to the loss incurred, or said sarcastically to one
 
 172 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 who foolishly makes a heavy sacrifice and gains a trifling 
 advantage. 
 
 378. Love defies law. • 
 
 ^ oc ^T^ ^'tY tt^ ^t ^^ iT^ ^1 wr^ 
 
 Marda maugi rdji, ka kare gCion ke kdJL 
 (When both) man and woman are willing (satisfied 
 consenting parties), what is the village Kuzi to do ? 
 
 Even the conservative mind of the primitive villagers 
 could see the unreasonableness of parting asunder two 
 hearts that naturally drew towards each other : in such 
 a case, what real power had the village magistrate ? None 
 at all. 
 
 Mischief-makers. 
 
 379. Quarrels between relatives are always made up : 
 mischief-makers return home disappointed. 
 
 Sds putohii/a eke hoihen bJidbha kutan ghar chal jaihen. 
 
 The mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law will after 
 all make up their quarrels {lit will be one), the respective 
 (opposite) mischief-makers will have to return home (dis- 
 comfited). 
 
 The proverbial quarrels and disagreements of the mother- 
 in-law and the daughter-in-law are not confined to Bihar 
 only. Those who interfere are certain not to be thanked 
 for their pains in the end. 
 
 WTT ^Z^T " Bhdbha kutan " are the mischief-makers of 
 the opposite sides. WZ^ '^ Kutan ^' or g5Z«fY "kutni" is 
 a mischief-maker, one who seduces a woman, a procuress, 
 " a go-between." Bhdbha means of the opposite side, 
 respective.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 173 
 
 380. He tells the tliief to steal and the wealthy to keep 
 awake. 
 
 C/ior ke kahe c/iori karah, sdhii ke kahejdgal rahah. 
 
 He tells the thief to steal and the wealthy to keep awake, 
 i e. causes mischief by carrying tales to the opposite 
 sides ; in other words, by informing each rival side the 
 intentions of the other. A mischief-maker. 
 
 The allusion here to 'TT'^^ T'^ " Narad Muni,'" a sage 
 (ris/ii) who took a strange delight in communicating secrets 
 to the opposite sides and bringing about a quarrel. But 
 his object was, they say, to humiliate those who were proud 
 of their strength and certain of success. 
 
 E.E. " Runs with the hare and hunts with the hounds." 
 
 Mother-iu-laiv and Sister-in-Jaw. 
 
 381. The happiness of one who has neither mother-in- 
 law nor sister-in-law. 
 
 Sds na nanand, ghar apne anand. 
 
 Having neither mother-in-law nor sister-in-law (to 
 tyrannize over her), she is happy in her own house. 
 
 The mother-in-law and sister-in-law (husband's sister) 
 are thorns in the side of the wife, who has scarcely any 
 voice in household matters so long as these, her opposers, 
 are present. She cannot assert her authority, and is, in 
 fact, a nonentity during the lifetime of the husband's 
 mother. Therefore a wife who has not these causes of 
 unhappiness by her side may be said to be contented and 
 happy.
 
 174 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 382. Music is charming at a distance. 
 
 Dtir he dhol sohmcan. 
 Distant music is pleasant. 
 ^^ "Bur" is distance. 
 ^^T^»T " Sohdnrni" is pleasant, agreeable. 
 A native's idea of music is usually banging a drum 
 (d/iol). 
 
 One blamed for another's fault, made a scapegoat. 
 383. CJiamru enjoys, while DeyCiI gets whipped for it. 
 
 ^^^ ^^ V^ '^'^^ "^^^ ^^T ^:r^ ^^^ 
 
 Sulxh pun haratli Chaniru kora TihCith Deyal. 
 
 Chamru enjoys ease and comfort (reaps the advantage), 
 while Deyal gets whipjDed, i.e. is made a scapegoat of. 
 Said when one suflFers for the fault of another or is blamed 
 though innocent. Usually said when one has illicit con- 
 nection with another's wife while another man gets blamed 
 for it. 
 
 Hence it is commonly said, "I am a 'Deyal,' " meaning 
 I am a mere tool, or merely the screen. 
 
 384. For the sake of one all are disliked. 
 
 Ek ke tlte tine tit. 
 
 Owing to one being bitter all three are bitter, i.e. disliked. 
 For the sake of one of a company, the others, who are in 
 any way connected, get to be disliked and shunned. 
 E.E. 1. "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." 
 2. " One black sheep affects the whole flock."
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 175 
 
 385, The man with a moustache is blamed for the 
 thieving of the moustacheless. 
 
 Chori hare niinochhiija, lag jay mochbgarha he. 
 
 The stealing is done by the moustacheless, but the man 
 with a moustache is blamed for it. 
 
 Said when one is blamed for the fault of another. The 
 idea is, that the moustache tells a tale when the thieving 
 has been done in the eating line. 
 
 The same idea is expressed in the following proverb 
 common in the Shahabad district : 
 
 Sidhrii/a chdl pare, hhotlava ha hapdre hlte. 
 
 "The small fish do the skipping, but it comes down on 
 the head of the big fish," that is to say, the small fry by 
 jumping about afford a sign where the net ought to be 
 cast ; and thus the big fish are caught while the little 
 ones escape through the meshes. The meaning is that 
 when the time of reckoning comes the " small " men, who 
 have really done the mischief, escape, while the " big " 
 are caught and sufier. 
 
 386. She in tatters is blamed for the one who wears 
 ornaments. 
 
 Kdni hare nathicdli lag jdg chirhutaJil he. 
 
 The mischief is done by the woman wearing the nose- 
 ring, but she in tatters is blamed for it, i.e. the poor 
 woman is blamed for the fault of the well-to-do.
 
 176 BIHAR PROVERBS, 
 
 387. Piiest and musician in one. 
 
 Guru ke guru hajaniydh ke bajaniyan. 
 
 A lioly father as well as a fiddler. 
 
 Said when one man unites in him two opposite functions. 
 
 In the east of Gaya a class of Bruhmans who actually 
 combine the two functions are satirized here. They play 
 on the drum while performing the religious ceremony; and 
 it is said that to ridicule this absurd practice this saying 
 is used. 
 
 388. Physician prescribing according to the patient's wish. 
 ^cr: % -frfT^ ^T m^ %ft t^ ^iT'n^ 
 
 Je rogiya ka hhdve, sehi baida jjhurmdwe. 
 
 "Whatever the patient likes the doctor prescribes, tbat is, 
 a sick man does not usually get what he wants to eat, the 
 doctor prescribes a regimen which is distasteful : so when 
 one finds that things are taking place after his heart, 
 exactly as he wishes, this saying Is used. 
 
 Quarrelsome Women, Firehrands, etc. 
 
 389. Quarrelsome women recommended to quarrel with 
 decency. 
 
 Lar 2)arosin did rakh. 
 
 Quarrel you (women) neighbours, but be not unmindful 
 of shame. 
 
 Those who have any experience of Indian villages 
 will readily and vividly recall the common sight of 
 an altercation between two viragoes, gesticulating and 
 screaming with all their might regardless of shame, and
 
 BIHAR PROVERHS. 177 
 
 bent on pouring out on eacli other without delay the full 
 vials of their wrath. On such an occasion a ready by- 
 stander would, half in derision, half in earnest, recommend 
 them " to keep some breath to cool their porridge." 
 
 ^^ ''Did," literally "eye"— hence shame. 
 
 Fight, but please preserve a little shame in your eyes. 
 
 390. A fire-brand, wherever she goes she sets people 
 by the ears. 
 
 ^0.0 ^% 5t^ %ft TT'Tt ^ % ^i^ ^T ^^^ 
 
 Jene geli khero rani, h le geli dcj pani. 
 
 "Wherever went Queen Grass, she took witb her fire and 
 water. 
 
 Applied usually to "a fire-brand," "a mischief-maker." 
 
 A woman with mischief-making propensities strongly 
 developed would take with her wherever she went her 
 unhappy facility of setting by the ears all her neighbours : 
 she would thus carry with her fire and water — the two 
 elements at war with each other. 
 
 %t; '' Kher" is coarse grass, and easily takes fire when 
 dry. 
 
 391. The misfortunes of a husband who has a scold of 
 a wife. 
 
 Sat ser ke sat pakauluu, chaudah ser ke eke, 
 
 Tun dahyaru sdto khailah, main kulwanti eke. 
 
 I made (cooked) seven cakes of a seer each, and one of 
 
 fourteen seers : You " burnt beard ! " ate ujd all the seven, 
 
 wbile I of high lineage ate the one only ! This is cast at 
 
 a wife who is a scold, but who professes to be innocent 
 
 12
 
 178 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 and content with little, wliile in reality she greedily 
 eats up even her husband's share. It is supposed to be 
 innocently spoken by the wife, while in fact she is be- 
 tra^'ing her own failings in the speech. 
 
 ^ff^''^ "■Bahijaru " is a contraction of ^f^ WTTT " darld 
 jam" i.e. one whose beard has been burnt, a terra of 
 feminine abuse. To burn a man's beard or moustache is 
 to disgrace him by casting a slur on his manhood. This 
 is one of the many quaint abuses peculiar to the women 
 of the low class in Bihiir. They are far from being held 
 in such abject subjection (in domestic matters) as is 
 commonly supposed, and often make it uncommonly "hot" 
 for their husbands with their sharp tongue (if not with 
 their fists), whenever they happen to incur their displeasure. 
 Their slang vocabulary is very copious indeed. Here 
 are a few: — TTf^T^T " Muhjara," one with a burnt face; 
 ^jyf^ ^'Of T " Pagyi jarauna," one with a burnt head- 
 dress ; ^■^•T ^IT " Juan dhaha" one whose youth is 
 on the decline, or, rather may your youth or manhood 
 fail you ; f^f^^T " JS^igora,'' one so unfortunate as not 
 to possess a son [lit. one without legs) ; i^^TTfT " EliaJi- 
 mulian" one whose face is smeared with ashes, hence one 
 disgraced, or one who ought to be ashamed of himself, etc. 
 
 This proverb is a verse (the 2nd) out of the following 
 bitter lampoon styled " The misfortunes of a husband who 
 has a shrew at home." In this lamjDoon is adopted the 
 style so common in Indian sarcasm and pasquinades of 
 putting the ridiculing speech in the mouth of the object 
 to be ridiculed, and thus by irony making him or her 
 appear self-convicted. Here this speech, which really 
 ridicules her, is made to appear as though uttered by 
 the wife, although it is evident that nobody in her
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 179 
 
 senses would make such a confession. The implied 
 meaning is that this is how a scold is supposed to treat 
 her husband. Some guests having casually dropt in, she, 
 instead of taking it in good part, at once turns round 
 and accuses her husband of having invited them, which 
 is not a fact, because their coming was quite accidental, 
 and foretold by the crows (an omen always relied on). 
 Having falsely accused him of being greedy and of 
 inviting these guests, she next taunts him with his 
 poverty ; and in her endeavours to show what a good 
 housewife she is in trying to make both ends meet, she 
 betrays her own niggardliness by the confession that 
 she has poured a lot of water into the rice to increase 
 its quantity. She further adds to her guilt and makes 
 her case very much worse by confessing that she (being 
 really a witch at heart) has caused the death of [lit. has 
 eaten up) her friends and relatives both at her father's 
 and father-in-law's houses, and is now going to supplicate 
 the gods in the most solemn manner for the death of her 
 husband. It shows that the saying, " Every man can 
 tame a shrew, but he that hath her," is universally true. 
 
 W^^ TT^ ^ ^m t^TJT XiT^^ %% fft'iT 
 
 ^^ff^^ xTT¥^ t^^: ^TTT '^m '^^^ ^^
 
 180 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 Tdhi re punilh he ahhdrj, harham jCihi re ghare. 
 Chhappar xtar je kaua haisal, pCihun aile tin 
 Tioi, daJnjaru, pdhun icldah, (jointJui Ido ndJiln bin 
 Sat ser ke sdt prrkauluJi, chaudah ser he ek. 
 Twi, dahijaru, sdto khailak, maih kulwnnti ek. 
 Khudi cJwnm ke bhdt ptakaulun, adahan delun hahut. 
 Bliar kathauta mdnr pasaulwi pla na dahijaru ke put 
 Naihar khailuTi sdsur khailun, hJtailfin hul pariicdr 
 Qanga pain he duchar binicon, hab muiheh bhutdr. 
 
 The misfortunes of. a husband who has a shrew at home. 
 . Although the sitting of the crow upon the roof foretold 
 the coming of the three guests (still the quarrelsome wife 
 reproaches her husband thus :) " It is you ' burnt-beard ! ' 
 who have detained these guests : why don't you go and 
 pick up goihtha?'' {i.e. cowdung fuel, to prepare food for 
 them). 
 
 (Then comes the above proverb, 2nd verse, in the above 
 lampoon.) 
 
 "I cooked rice out of hhudi chuni and put plenty of 
 water in it. I have poured it out in the wooden platter : 
 go and have your * fill,' you son of a burnt-beard ! " 
 
 I have eaten {ie. caused the death of) those at my 
 father's house and those at my father-in-law's, and all 
 my relations, and now I will get into the Gauges and 
 pray for the death of my husband. 
 
 ^T"^T ^'EI^ Kaua baiml, "Augury by crows" {" Augu- 
 rium ex avibus "), is a common mode of ascertaining about 
 the coming of friends and good news. If, on being 
 questioned, it should fly away cawing, it is a certain sign 
 that guests will come, or good news reach the person who 
 asks. In the text it means that the arrival or visit of the 
 guests was signified by a crow alighting on the roof, i.e.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 181 
 
 the husband had nothing to do with inviting them. A 
 crow is supposed to know where anybody is because its 
 cry is thum, thdm, " place, place." 
 
 Different auguries are drawn from the crow alighting 
 on the edge, the middle, or the ridge of a roof of a 
 thatched house, as in a Sanskrit verse of which the 
 following is a translation : if on the edge and it utter 
 a caw and fly away, it means the approach of mis- 
 fortune ; if on the middle of the roof, it signifies the 
 advent of good news, or a meeting with a dear friend; 
 if on the ridge, it forebodes a death in the family, loss of 
 property, or a difference between friends. 
 
 The following minute instructions are given for inter- 
 preting the cawing of a crow. " As soon as you hear a 
 crow, pick up a long straw or grass and measure its 
 shadow by finger-lengths. Add 13 to it. Divide the 
 total by six. The remainder will tell you the news the 
 crow brings. If one, then be sure of gain ; if twOy expect 
 guests ; if three, an immediate quarrel in the house; if /o«r, 
 a death ; lifice, a theft. If there is no remainder, then the 
 crow is simply calling out to its mate" {i.e. the cawing 
 has no meaning). 
 
 '^'€\ ^•ft " Khudi chuni " are grains of rice broken in 
 husking, and used by the poorer class of people : here 
 meant to indicate their poverty and inability to entertain 
 guests. 
 
 ^^^•T ^^ Adahan,''^ is hot water in which rice is boiled. 
 A large quantity of water is put to increase the ntuur or 
 gruel, which is drained off and drunk by the poor. 
 
 ■^f^"^ f^»f^^ " Ai/char biiuvah " means to hold the hem 
 of the sheet to the sun in the act of praying for any 
 wish. To get into the Ganges and supplicate in this
 
 182 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 manner is the most solemn way of jiraying for any wish to 
 be granted. 
 
 392. A shrew strikes terror into a demon even. 
 ^e^ ^ W^^V^IT ^^TTW TT^^ e^t^^ ^^T 
 
 Je jagdlimi nagar njdral, rdkm chhoral plpar. 
 Se jagdipn uicat hdri, hdthe le le mumr. 
 
 That Jagdipa, who desolated the town (and on whose 
 account) the demon even left his habitation of the Pipal, 
 is now coming with a pestle in her hand. 
 
 ^I^m " Jfigdlpa " was a village termagant, who by 
 her constant brawling made it so mipleasant for her fellow- 
 villagers that they finally quitted the village. When 
 there was no one left to quarrel with, she, it is said, used 
 to vent her rage on a jnpal tree. Every morning armed 
 with her broom she would attack the tree and vociferate. 
 A demon, who dwelt on this tree, unable any longer to 
 stand this daily invasion, also left his abode and sought 
 refuge elsewhere. 
 
 This saying is used as an invocation to exorcise evil 
 spirits. Her name is sufficient to make any demon flee. 
 Also said in joke when one noted for her temper is coming 
 to a place. 
 
 Quarrels and Jo];es. 
 
 393. The root of quarrels is practical jokes, as the root 
 of disease is cough. 
 
 Jhagra lie jar Jidnsi, rog kej'ar hhdmi. 
 The root of quarrels is practical jokes, just as the root 
 of all sickness is couuh.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 183 
 
 i.e. Practical jokes invariably lead to quarrels, just as 
 cough, if not taken care of in proper time, leads to other 
 diseases. 
 
 Sinters. 
 
 394. Envious tears of an elder sister. 
 
 CliJiotki he hoy yaicanivdh barki haithal rowe angamcdn. 
 
 The younger sister is being married, the elder sits weeping 
 at home. 
 
 It is seldom that an elder sister is not married before 
 the younger. If this happens, it is probably due to some 
 defect in her, and therefore a cause of grief, 
 
 Ti^wloff " Gawanwdn," is the ceremony of going to the 
 bride and bringing her home to her husband's house for 
 the consummation of the marriage" (Grierson). 
 
 Si/Dnxithij and ivant of it. 
 
 395. Pains of a chapped foot. 
 
 ^dM ^^TT 'frt ^^z t^r^ % ^% ^T^ ^TT^ 
 
 Jclira (jore i^hdte beicdy se jdne darad pardy. 
 A variation is : 
 
 Jdkepdon na phate beicdi, so ka jdne plr pardi. 
 One who has suffered from a chapped foot knows the 
 pain of another (suffering similarly). 
 
 396. Does a barren woman know the pain of childbirth ? 
 
 Bdnjh ki jdne parscmt ki plra. 
 How can a barren woman know the pain of childbirth ? 
 ^flj " Banjli " is a barren woman.
 
 184 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 "RT^^^ " Parsmiti " is a woman after chlldbirtli. 
 T?'?;^ff " Parsut " is the pain attending childbirth. 
 E,E. He jests at scars who never felt a wound. (To 
 express want of sympathy or feeling.) 
 
 397. To cry before a blind man is to waste tears. 
 
 ^e^ ^'ti"?:! % ^5t frtr ^T?^ '^^^ ^iT 
 
 AndJira he age roln, dpan dlda kJwln. 
 
 To cry before a blind man is to injure (lose) your own 
 sight, (because he can't see and feel) ; useless supplication 
 before one who cannot feel and appreciate. 
 
 Cast at oue who does not feel. 
 
 398. Single-handed. 
 
 ^^c x[% T^i ^^ ^T^TT % t^^^ ^^ft ^ ^f TT 
 
 Eke pfita dar darhdr, se haithhn chulhi ke dehdr. 
 
 An only son, he has to attend court as well as to sit 
 before the fire-place, i.e. single-handed he has to perform 
 both domestic and outdoor work. 
 
 Said of one who has nobody to help him. 
 
 Son. 
 
 399. An unworthy son. 
 
 Biiral bans kablr kejab j'conle put kamdi. 
 
 The house (race) of Kcdnr will be extinct now that (a 
 son called) " Perfection " is born. 
 
 ^■^■^ " Kablr, '^ name of a faqlr, great senior. 
 
 ^^T^ '' KamdV (Persian), is a name meaning "Per- 
 fection." 
 
 The meaning is, that a faqlr is always humble, never 
 assuming. If therefore a son is born to him who prides
 
 BIHAR PROVERRS. 
 
 185 
 
 himself on being perfect, who fancies that he excels in 
 worldly matters, then surely the venerable family of the 
 faqlr will no longer continue to be venerated. " Kamdl " 
 in common parlance also means " an acute fellow," " a 
 sharper," "a fop." Kamiil was the son of the famous 
 Kablr, and spent his time inventing proverbs in refutation 
 of those invented by his father. Hence the proverb has 
 two meanings: "Even if your son is named Kamdl (per- 
 fection), if he is a bad son, your race is ruined." 
 
 400. The brave, the sati, and the enterprizing son avoid 
 the beaten track. 
 
 Llk Ilk gdri chale like chale kaput 
 Tin Ilk par na chale surma, sati, saput. 
 
 The unenterprizing (bad) son travels on the beaten road 
 just as a cart moves on the wheel track. But three do not 
 move on the wonted lines, the bold, the safi, and the 
 enterprizing (good) son. 
 
 The meaning is, that those who are not enterprizing 
 follow the same old course (profession) as their forefathers 
 did, just like cart wheels which must move on the wheel- 
 mark. It is only those who are bold, arduous, and enter- 
 prizing, that depart from the beaten track and mark out 
 a course for themselves. These are the ^??T surma " the 
 hero" (or "picked man"), who, leaving the calling of 
 his ancestors, becomes a brave warrior ; the IJtf^ sati, 
 who is so devoted to her husband that at his death she 
 elects to burn on his funeral pyre ; and the iEI'"TrT sapid, 
 the good or worthy son who likes to distinguish himself. 
 The words Kapiit and Sapid are not to be taken too
 
 186 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 literally to mean " bad " and good sons, but rather one 
 who is too " goody, goody," and one who is independent 
 enough to chalk out a new course for himself. 
 
 Singing. 
 
 401, Good singers are apt to be bored. 
 
 NdFi mniaii gitii/a gdib, nan manrwa dhail jdib. 
 
 Neither shall I sing pretty songs, nor will they compel 
 me to sing at the wedding feast, lit. take me by force to 
 the wedding house to sing. 
 
 Those who sing well are usvially asked to entertain the 
 guests at the marriage house (^^^T manrwa). 
 
 Therefore any one who is bored on account of displaying 
 her talents in this way may make a resolution never to 
 give indication of it, so as to avoid being asked in future 
 to perform. Would be said by one who felt bored on being 
 repeatedly asked, to lend her services gratuitously in con- 
 sequence of her excelling in anything. 
 
 " Rather keep my light under a bushel, than be asked 
 frequently to lend it gratuitously ! " or it may be cast 
 ironically at a bad singer. 
 
 402. Social aspirant snubbed. 
 
 Chauhe gaile Cliliahe hokhe, Diiheji j)don Idglle. 
 
 The Chauhe Brahman went to become Clthabe {i.e. to get 
 promoted to a higher status) ; but on the road was saluted 
 as Dube {i.e. a lower Brahman). 
 
 ^^ Diibe and Chauhe are sects of Briihmans who take 
 their names from being followers of two or four Yeds. 
 This is simply a play on the words Buhe and Chauhe.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS, 187 
 
 Chhahe is a fictitious title. It uniformly with Chauhe and 
 Duhe means one learned in the six Vedas, which is an 
 impossibility, as there are only four. Really a Chauhe 
 is not a higher Brahman than a Duhe, but occasion is 
 taken of the numeral prefixes two and./o«r to make a joke. 
 Used in ridiculing one who seeks to be socially raised, 
 but meets with a rebuff. 
 
 Troubles increased. 
 
 403. She went to ask for a son, but lost her husband. 
 
 Put mduge gaili, bhatdr dele aili. 
 
 She went to ask for a son, but lost her husband. 
 
 When in the attempt to obtain anything one sacrifices 
 something better, the above saying is quoted. It is a 
 common practice for a childless woman to go and sup- 
 plicate certain gods with votive offerings for a son. 
 
 404. lie prayed that his troubles may be lessened, but 
 they were doubled. 
 
 Deokur gcle duua dukh. 
 
 He went to the gods (to sue that his affliction may be 
 lessened), but got his troubles doubled. 
 
 ^^ofiT " Deokur " is the place w^here a deity is invoked. 
 
 The meaning is, that he went to supplicate the gods that 
 his sufferings might be lessened, but, on the contrary, 
 became burdened with additional troubles. 
 
 Said when one endeavours to get any weight removed, 
 but is burdened with more. There is a town of this 
 name too. Deokur, or Deokund, is the name of a town 
 in Gaya on a bank of a now-deserted bed of the river
 
 188 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 Son. It was here that pilgrims crossed the Son on their 
 way from the north-west provinces to Rajglr. It is a 
 holy place. Deolaind means " well of the gods." 
 
 405. The dead boy had fine eyes. 
 
 Mmla put ke bar bar Coiklt. 
 
 The boy when dead is always said to have had fine (big) 
 eyes, i.e. the dead child is always praised for its beauty 
 by the mother. 
 
 " Big eyes " are considered an especial feature of beauty. 
 
 Said when one praises anything that does not exist 
 any longer. 
 
 Tobacco. 
 
 406. The man who ofiers you tobacco and lime unasked 
 is sure to go to heaven. 
 
 HT^T ^TXT^ ^^^T fft^ ^^ ^T % 
 
 Chun tarndku sdn ke, bin mange je de 
 Surpur, Nat'pur, Ndgpur, tiniih bus kar le. 
 The man who mixes tobacco with lime (for chewing) 
 and offers it without being asked, conquers (by his 
 virtuous action) heaven, earth, and the lower regions 
 (Grierson). A common way of praising one who generously 
 offers another tobacco. 
 
 407. Tobacco is necessary for life. 
 
 BJtor bhae vumus sabh juge, huka, chilam bdjan ICige. 
 At daj' break the people awoke and immediately the 
 hukkas began to gurgle.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 189 
 
 "Tobacco is the subject of many proverbs," saj's Mr. 
 Grierson. 
 
 "A folk-tale about tobacco runs that a villager who went 
 to a distant village to visit his friends found them smoking 
 in the morning before they had said prayers, whereupon 
 he said the above lines. To which one of the smoking 
 party replied : 
 
 Khaini khde, na inyani piije, se nar batdivah hmej'nje. 
 
 'Show me the man who can live without either chewing 
 or smoking tobacco.' This verse has passed into a proverb. 
 
 "Tobacco is often compared to the River Ganges, which 
 has three streams, one of which flows to heaven, another 
 to hell, and the third to the world of mortals. So also 
 tobacco has three branches, viz. snufF, which by being 
 smelt goes upwards ; smoking tobacco, which by being 
 smoked goes downwards ; and chewing tobacco which 
 goes neither up nor down." 
 
 408, The devil even flees from a thrashing. 
 
 Mar he dare hhut hliage. 
 
 Even the devil flees from a thrashing ! i.e. every one is 
 afraid of a beating, even the devil. Hence it is often 
 assumed that what nothing will effect a beating will. 
 
 This is literally believed by the people, though they 
 may not so frequently now resort to this means of exor- 
 cising the evil spirit that may have taken possession of 
 an individual. On one occasion a servant boy, who had 
 unwittingly committed a nuisance under a venerated Pipal 
 tree, was, as a punishment for the desecration, said to have 
 been seized by the insulted deity who presided over the
 
 100 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 tree ; because shortly after it he was taken ill with fever 
 and ague. He was unmercifully thrashed by his master 
 with the utmost f<(ing froid, in the firm conviction that it 
 was the surest way of frightening the devil out of hira 
 and saving the boy's life. The boy recovered slowly, and 
 the cure was ascribed to the whipping the poor boy had 
 received. This is a story known to the writer. 
 
 Thieves. 
 
 409. The thief on the contrary mulcting the police. 
 
 Ulta chor koticdle dande. 
 The thief, on the contrary, exacts a penalty from the 
 watchman ! 
 
 Used when the right order of things is reversed. 
 
 410. Thick as thieves. 
 
 Chor chor maimaut bliCti, sdnjhe hamuwa dhail pajdi. 
 
 Both are thieves : they are like two maternal cousins 
 who keep the sickle ready sharpened in the evening (for 
 operating at night). 
 
 *^f%'^T^fT ^it^ " Maiisidiit hhdi " are maternal cousins 
 (sons of two sisters), who are said to be more attached to 
 one another than other cousins, probably because they 
 have no property to share, whereas sons of two brothers 
 usually have. 
 
 Said of two who are accomplices and help each other in 
 any prearranged wicked act, although outwardly they 
 do not show it. 
 
 E.E. " Like two peas in a pod," or " Thick as thieves! "
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 191 
 
 411. A thief's heart is in the hahri field. 
 
 Clioi'wa lie man bane kakrl Ice lihet men. 
 The thief's heart is set on the gourd field, i.e. a thief sets 
 his heart wherever he can get to steal. 
 
 412. With a thief he is a thief, to a watchman he is a 
 servant only. 
 
 C/iomk sang chor pahvak sang k/iau-ds. 
 
 With other thieves he is a thief, but in the presence of 
 the watchman he is simply a servant, i.e. who runs with 
 the hare and hunts with the hounds. 
 
 T§^T^ " Khaicds," slave, a male house servant (Grierson). 
 
 413. A thief is a thief, whether he steals a diamond or 
 a cucumber. 
 
 Cliorjaisne Iilra ke, icaisne k/nra Ice. 
 A thief is a thief, whether he steals a diamond or a 
 cucumber. Cucumber is one of the cheapest vegetables. 
 
 414. A thief will not stick at a borrowed plate. 
 
 C/iorjdne mangni Ice hdmn. 
 It does not matter to a thief if it is a borrowed plate, 
 i.e. A thief will not hesitate to steal because the plate 
 does not belong to you. It is all the same to him. 
 
 415. An impudent thief he warns when he steals. 
 
 8^M ^f^^TT 'ftT%"^ ^ lit 
 
 Barij/dr chor sendhi nie gdice.
 
 192 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 A fearless robber : he sings in the breach even ! 
 
 "^^ " Sendhi " is the breach or hole made in the wall 
 by thieves. 
 
 If a thief sings in the act of stealing, he must indeed 
 be impudent. 
 
 Said of one who commits a fault and fearlessly proclaims 
 it, or laughs over it ; one who does anything wrong and is 
 shameless enough not to keep quiet over it, but makes it 
 a point to boast over his misdeeds. 
 
 416. A thief: and with a face bright as the moon. 
 
 Chor lie munli cliand niar. 
 
 The face of a thief and beaming like the moon ! i.e. a 
 thief ought to hide his face and be ashamed of showing 
 it, and not " beam " like the moon. If any one commits 
 a fault, and is ready to defend his conduct in a bare- 
 faced manner, this proverb is used. 
 
 417. Taking tick sine die. 
 
 Le king udhdrl baisdkh ke ek rCiri. 
 
 Taking assafcetida on tick promising to pay in Baisiikh! 
 
 Dealers and pedlars in Bihar go round selling their 
 articles of trade, postponing the settlement to Baisiikh 
 (April-May) when the rabbi (or spring) crop has been 
 harvested. Assafoetida is one of the articles commonly 
 sold in this way. It is used by the Biharis in their food, 
 especially in their dall. 
 
 iSaid when one takes tick, thoughtlessly promising to pay, 
 without much prospect of being able to do so.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 193 
 
 418. The idler (indolent). 
 
 a^^ Wl^ ^ >^^T ^^Tt "ft^ ^'^T 
 
 Kd)ii na dhandha, arhdi roti handha. 
 
 Certain of his income (literally of 2 J loaves of bread) he 
 neither works, nor has thoughts. 
 
 Aimed at those who have a small fixed income and are 
 idle and thoughtless in consequence. 
 
 419. Uncle and nephew always at loggerheads (paying 
 off old scores) . 
 
 Chachcha clior hhatlja hdji chachcha ke sir par panhi baji. 
 
 The uncle is the thief and the nephew the magistrate, 
 (it is a foregone conclusion that) the former will receive a 
 shoe-beating on his head. 
 
 Among the natives it is a common idea that there is 
 always ill-feeling between the uncle and nephew, owing, 
 perhaps, to the former always chiding the latter to mind 
 his studies or duties, so that, when the nephew gets a 
 chance, he is only too ready to pay off old scores. Said 
 when any result is a foregone conclusion : when any one 
 is sure to come to grief in an encounter. 
 
 420. Vicissitudes of life. 
 
 In nainon ki eld hisekh, wait, hhi dekha u-ali bin dekh. 
 It is the peculiarity of these eyes : they have witnessed 
 these, now let them witness those. 
 
 t^%i§ ^^ Bisekh," speciality, characteristic, peculiarity. 
 Said in self- consolation when a complete and un- 
 expected change takes place. It is the peculiarity of the 
 eye to witness all vicissitudes of life. 
 
 13
 
 194 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 421. Waiting for the auspicious time may bring ruin. 
 
 8^^ wO W ^n: 5!^ 1^ ^ft ^^T 
 
 Ghari men ghar jare, nau ghari bhadra. 
 
 The house is burnt down in an hour: while the unlucky 
 period (during which no attempt must be made to save it) 
 lasts for nine hours. 
 
 So long as the *T^T hhadra (inauspicious period) lasts, 
 nothing that is to be a success ought to be undertaken. If 
 therefore any one idly waits for the inauspicious hour to 
 pass away, instead of taking time by the forelock, he may 
 fitly be compared to the man who makes no attempt to 
 save his burning house because the inauspicious hour has 
 not yet run out. 
 
 Said sarcastically when any one idly waits for an oppor- 
 tunity while it is slipping away. 
 
 V^^ ^^ Bhadra ^^ the inauspicious period, comes round 
 every month and on eight certain days (30 dands, or 12 
 hours, on each day). They are the 3rd, 7th, 10th and 
 14th of the first or dark haK ; and the 4th, 8th, 11th, 
 and 15th of the second or light half of each lunar month. 
 During these periods nothing important is undertaken. 
 Besides these there are the "R^T^T "■ pachlxha,^'' or five 
 unlucky days in each month when nothing connected 
 with woodwork is undertaken, e.g. houses {i.e. thatched 
 houses) are not begun to be built on those days, bamboos 
 are not cut, wells are not constructed, etc. The paclikha 
 lasts for about two or three hours on each of the five days. 
 
 422. "Waverer's repentance. 
 
 Ghar rahe na hdJiar gnyc, miinr munra ke phajihat hhaye.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 195 
 
 He is neither a useful domestic man nor a proper faqlr ; 
 by having his head shaved he has disgraced himself, that 
 is to sa};-, he is neither fit for attending to domestic duties, 
 nor to worldly business : by shaving his head he has 
 rendered himself (deservedly) an object of ridicule. 
 
 This would be said perhaps in self-reproach by one who 
 had placed himself in a fix by his indecision. 
 
 "One between two stools." The expression ghar rahe 
 na hdhar (jaye means "fit for nothing," "of neither side," 
 lit. " neither of the house nor of outside." 
 
 ^% ^j^TTl^ ^' Miinr munrdeb," to shave one's head as a 
 first step towards becoming an ascetic (corresponds to 
 taking the veil by nuns). A man who has taken this 
 step, but has not had the moral courage to leave his home 
 and worldliness, might be said to have disgraced himself. 
 
 Widow. 
 423. A spinster weeping with a widow. 
 
 Rcinr rdnr ehicdti rowas, sang Idgal kiindro roivas. 
 
 A widow weeps because she is a widow, and perhaps a 
 woman with a husband living (has also cause to weep) ; but 
 in their company a spinster also weeps ! ■ 
 
 ■5(J^ "Hftnr" is a widow, and TJfTRfV *' ehwafi" a 
 married woman whose husband is alive ; ^"^HTt " Icnhdro " 
 is a spinster, an unmarried girl. 
 
 It is the right thing for a widow to weep at all times 
 for lier departed husband. Sometimes w^omen whose 
 husbands are alive also join in the wailing. 
 
 The meaning is, that it can be understood that a widow 
 wee]3s because she has lost her husband; and perhaps a
 
 19G BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 woman who has her husband alive also has cause to weep 
 when in company of widows (perhaps she is bewailing 
 her husband's faults) ; but the marvel is that an unmarried 
 woman also in their company weeps just the same as 
 they do. 
 
 Aimed at those who do anything (grieve for example) 
 in imitation of others or who pretend to grieve with others 
 while they have really no cause. 
 
 424. Handful of bangles or a widow. 
 
 HR^ HT ^1 fft (Tifl %%T) ^ ^fT t TTf 
 
 Bhar bdnh churi (mdng sendur) hi pat de rdnr. 
 
 Either have a handful of bangles or at once be a widow, 
 i.e. have no ornaments. Variation is, " Either have a 
 head full of vermilion or at once be {i.e. behave like) a 
 widow." Widows seldom, or never, adorn themselves: all 
 ornaments and decorations are forbidden. A woman who 
 becomes a widow has to break her lac bangles at once. 
 The idea is perhaps that as suddenly and surely as a 
 woman becomes a widow {i.e. from having a handful of 
 ornaments she sinks to one who must henceforth avoid all 
 kinds of ornaments) so should you arrive at a conclusion. 
 
 It is a quaint way of urging one to choose one of two 
 courses, and not to vacillate ; to come to the point at once ; 
 to decide one way or the other. 
 
 Wedding. 
 
 425. TVedding of the noseless woman and nine hundred 
 obstacles. 
 
 Naktike hiydh nao sai hhdkath.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 197 
 
 It is the wedding of the nose-cHpt (woman) but there 
 are nine hundred obstacles. 
 
 A noseless woman is devoid of beauty, and certainly not 
 likely to be sought after. No objections are likely to be 
 made from her side on the score of the amount to be paid 
 by the bridegroom (as is usually the case about wedding 
 presents). Her marriage therefore ought to be the easiest 
 thing in the world. Hence in the accomplishment of any 
 ordinary duty, if a hundred obstacles are met with, this 
 saying is used. Making too much fuss about a little 
 matter. 
 
 E.E. " Much ado about nothing." " Tempest in a 
 teapot." 
 
 426. Wedding headdress made of mango leaves even. ' 
 
 Maur na mile tah dm lie palive sahi. 
 
 If the (proper) wedding headdress cannot be had, then 
 mango leaves will answer. 
 
 ?ft"^ "Maur" is the headdress worn by Hindu bride- 
 grooms during the marriage ceremony. It is made of 
 talipot leaves, and in some places of date leaves. 
 
 Said sarcastically when something else is made to answer 
 for the proper thing in an hour of need. 
 
 427. The song ought to be for her whose wedding it is, 
 
 8^1^ ^^T 'n^ ^^T 'TtfT 
 
 JeJiar mdnro tekar git. 
 
 The song should be for her whose wedding it is. 
 
 (This proverb is the reverse of Proverb No. 202). The 
 meaning is that we should act in a manner befitting the 
 occasion. 
 
 ^^ '^ Mdnro, the day before the expected arrival of
 
 198 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 the marriage procession, the family sets up a bamboo shed 
 in the courtyard over the fireplace. This shed is called 
 Marhwa, Manrwa, or Manro. It is the hut in which a 
 marriage ceremony is conducted" (Grierson). 
 
 Worshij)ping. 
 
 428. Easy worship of i\\Q plpal tree. 
 
 Goetiva he pipar dahinaulejdh. 
 
 The j)qm^ ^^^^ i^ i^ ^^^ adjoining (homestead) field ; it 
 does not cost anything to keep it to your right in passing 
 it ! (and thus do an act of " cheap " worship !) 
 
 ^ff •ft% " Dahinaule." In worshipping, the devotee 
 goes usually five times round the object to be worshipped, 
 keeping it to his right. If the ifY^^ pzpal-tree (which is 
 worshipped in Bihar) is situated right at your door, it 
 is no trouble to keep it to your right in going into your 
 house. You thus, without any efibrt, do an act of obeisance 
 as it were, or make a pretence of it. As a matter of fact, a 
 superstitious Hindu, if he can help it, will always keep 
 a piped tree to his right in passing it. 
 
 Said in ridicule of one who tries to get credit without 
 using much exertion, endeavours to satisfy himself that 
 he has done a religious act without going into the trouble 
 and expense of following all the ceremonies and rites. 
 
 Also cast in joke at those who make a pretence of 
 observing some religious ceremony. 
 
 " Winning cheap the high renown." 
 
 429. Making a virtue of necessity in worshipping. 
 
 Ural mill pit ran ke paith.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 199 
 
 May the sattu wafted by the breeze go to my dead 
 ancestors, i.e. a little quantity of the meal he has been 
 carrying in his hand is blown off by the wind and scattered, 
 and this he piously gives as an oifering to the souls of 
 his ancestors, saying, " May this be accepted as an offering 
 from me by the ghosts of my ancestors ! " 
 
 Said to laugh at one who makes a virtue of necessity.
 
 200 
 
 CLASS Y. 
 
 Proverbs relating to Agriculture and Seasons. 
 430. Distant farming ruinous, 
 
 Banda hail helaunja pdhi, ekjan marlan awe jahi. 
 
 (A. possessor of) a useless (tailless) bullock who culti- 
 vates in Belaunja {i.e. a distant village) is killed simply 
 in going and coming, i.e. with an inferior bullock it is 
 simply death for a single man to have a distant culti- 
 vation, because he wastes his time in going to and fro. 
 
 ^T^T " Banda " is without a tail or with a docked tail. 
 A bullock without a tail is proverbially weak, and there- 
 fore useless. (The word is also pronounced hdnrCi or hcinr.) 
 
 '^^'^ " PCihi " is a non-resident cultivator. A raiyat 
 who lives in one village and cultivates in another is a 
 " piihi " (or " foreign ") cultivator of the latter village. 
 To be a " pjihi," one must necessarily possess the means. 
 
 W^n%T " Belaunja " is a pargana in Paliimau. Stands 
 here for a remote villaffe. 
 
 A man who without sufficient means at his command 
 ventures to cultivate in a distant village is sure to suffer 
 for his imprudence ; for one single man with an indifferent 
 bullock would simply waste his and his bullock's life in 
 the journey to and fro, and really be able to do no 
 cultivation. 
 
 Usually said to laugh at a distant pdhi Jot or remote 
 cultivation.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS, 
 
 201 
 
 431. The closer the field, the easier the culture. 
 
 Ariya ke gariya hhala pdht ke na dub. 
 
 A field that is contiguous but inferior is to be preferred 
 to one distant and superior (literally one under water, but 
 in another village). 
 
 ^fW ^ if^^T " Aril/a ke gariya." ^f?:^ " gariya " 
 is a field in which, a little rain causes puddle : it is un- 
 productive, and ariya is adjoining your boundary. The 
 expression therefore means a " gariya " field that is 
 adjoining your boundary, i.e. near your cultivation. 
 These soils (gariya) are difficult to cultivate. In showery 
 weather they cannot be ploughed because the action of 
 the plough and the treading of the plough cattle work 
 the soil into a puddle ; while in dry weather these soils 
 become so hard and compact that no ordinary plough will 
 penetrate them. 
 
 ^^ Dub or ^T^ B/ulb is land that is for a part of the 
 year under water, and for a part of it dry ; it is very 
 productive. 
 
 The meaning is, that it is better to possess an inferior 
 field adjoining your boundary (because it can be easily 
 looked after) than a superior one in a distant village 
 where it cannot be attended to so easily. 
 
 432. Selling bullocks for seed. 
 
 8^^ %<ft fi^^ ^^ ^ t^ t%%% ^^ ^T 
 
 Kheti kaillhjiye la, bail bikaile blye la. 
 
 I took to husbandry to gain a livelihood, but the 
 bullocks were sold for seed ! 
 
 Said when one exhausts his means in gaining an end, a 
 misfortune which literally happens in seasons of drought.
 
 202 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 433. A farmer is known when at his field. 
 
 Khet charhe kisdn. 
 
 When one engages himself in husbandry, then only- 
 can it be said whether he is a farmer. 
 
 (^ff ^^ KJiet charhe is an idiomatic phrase meaning to 
 take action or to go to action ; e.g. when an army has 
 taken the field it is said, t^^ %rT '^'^^ jiJiauj khet charhale.) 
 
 A true or experienced husbandman can only be known 
 when he begins farming, and not from his talk. 
 
 431. Anxieties of agriculture unknown to the lazy 
 lubber. 
 
 8^8 ^T 'T ^ff^ T?T 'T tfi^ ^T ^T ifC ^'iT '^^ 
 
 Karain na kJteti parain na phand, 
 Par ghar nancheri musar chand. 
 
 He does not cultivate (and consequently) meets with 
 no difiiculty [i.e. meets with no failures) : thus free 
 from care Miisar Chand spunges on another {lit. dances 
 in another's house). 
 
 Xfi«^ ''Phand" from ih«^| phanda, a noose, a net, a 
 difiiculty, a scrape. 
 
 ?T€T ^"^ ''Musar Chand," a metaj)horical name bor- 
 rowed from the word '^'^\ Musar, a stout w^ooden pestle used 
 in cleaning rice from husk. The wooden vessel in which 
 grain is pounded is called "^i^"'^ okhri, also "^^^ ukhli. 
 
 Musar Chand is applied to a fat, well-fed, lazy lout. 
 An able-bodied man who will not work from laziness. 
 
 " Fat as a Musar " is a common expression. (The 
 nasal n at the end of " Karain" " parain" and " nancheri " 
 marks the tone of contempt. It is used to denote respect 
 towards the person spoken of, but here used in irony.)
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 203 
 
 435. If goats and sheep answer for ploughing, why 
 purchase bullocks ? 
 
 8^M W"^ ^ft ?^ ^% ^TV %^ff ^tI 
 
 Chheri hhenri hal chale haradh besdhln kdhe. 
 
 If goats and sheep can be used for the purpose of 
 ploughing, why buy oxen ! 
 
 Said ironically when inferior men are expected to 
 perform duties above their capacity. (Compare Proverb 
 No. 151.) 
 
 436. Impertinent request to lend a bullock. 
 
 8^^ ^^^ ^TVT ^^TT ^ ^ tfriTT ^I^TT ^^ 
 
 Ajjcui hardha hamra he dah tolira aTujwdr sahela. 
 
 Pray give me your bullock, for a borrowed bullock (in 
 exchange for your labour) befits you better ! ^ 
 
 ^^t^"^ " Angivdr" is one who does not possess any 
 bullock of his own, but gets the loan of a yoke of oxen 
 and plough in exchange for his manual labour (ang- 
 "limb"). Thus, for instance, A has no bullock; B has 
 (say) a yoke. A will work as a ploughman in B's field 
 for two days, and get the use oi B's plough and oxen for one 
 day. It is therefore the height of impertinence for a man 
 to ask the owner for his plough and suggest his working 
 as a labourer (in order to get his own field ploughed), 
 because labour befits him better ! 
 
 The above is the practice when a man has no ox of his 
 own. When he has one, he usually borrows another from 
 a neighbour to complete the yoke for ploughing his field, 
 returning the accommodation by lending his own in return. 
 This is called the pariha system, or taking it in turns 
 when both are labourers. But it often happens that one of 
 a respectable caste (say a Brahman), who is reluctant to
 
 204 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 work as a labourer, possesses a plough of oxen. He lends 
 them to a labourer (who has a field) for one day, and gets 
 his services to plough his land for two days. The princi- 
 ple is that the labourer and two oxen make three factors : 
 whichever side owns two of these gets the service of the 
 yoke for two days, and the other party for one day. If 
 the ploughman owns one bullock, he gets the use of the 
 plough for two days. 
 
 437. The meaning of a speckled cloud and a wudow 
 applying scented oil. 
 
 B^^ cftfIT ^^ ^^ft TT^ ^^ ^'n^ 
 
 Titar 2)ankhi hadri, rdnr phulel lagdy, 
 Kah hhaddar sun hhaddari ivah awe yah jay. 
 
 "When you see a cloud speckled like the wing of the 
 partridge, and a widow applying scented oil to her hair," 
 saith Bhaddar, " Hear, O Bhaddari, the former will rain 
 and the latter will elope." 
 
 WtfIT TqifV " Tita)' panlihi," spotted or speckled like the 
 wing of the partridge. 
 
 ■^^'ing Bdti)'. A widow is never supposed to apply scented 
 oil or adorn herself in any way. 
 
 WWK '' Bhaddar " was a local poet and of some fame. 
 He has interpreted the signs of the seasons in rhymes 
 which have passed into proverbs. Some of his descendants 
 (an inferior class of Brahmans) are still supposed to reside 
 in a village of the Shiihabad district. The following story 
 is told of Bhaddar : — When very young he was stolen 
 from his home in Shiihabad by a famous magician or 
 astrologer, who carried him away to his country and
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 205 
 
 adopted liim. Bhaddar became so thoroughly proficient 
 in astrology and all the mystic arts, that his patron gave 
 him his daughter in marriage. Desirous of seeing his 
 early home, he found out by astrology in what direction 
 it lay ; and then, having ascertained by his science the 
 exact auspicious hour and day of his departure, he secretly 
 awaited them, as he knew his wife would be against his 
 leaving her. Unfortunately the exact auspicious hour 
 came round when he was at his meals, his wife being 
 present in attendance. Being well up in jotkh laws of 
 astrology, he made a move with his foot (as a beginning 
 of his journey), which was all that was needed to 
 make his journey a success. His wife, who was 
 herself an adept in jotish, observed this action of her 
 husband's, and at once understood what it meant, but 
 pretended ignorance. In order, however, to frustrate his 
 intention, she cast a spell over a river which he had to 
 cross ; and in consequence of this the ferry-boat in 
 M^hich Bhaddar was crossing upset when in mid-stream. 
 But as Bhaddar had started in a propitious hour nothing 
 could effectually stop him. He was therefore borne to the 
 other side on the back of a fish. This convinced his wife 
 that her husband was a superior magician and astrologer, 
 and that nothing that she could do would prevent 
 him from carrying out his wish. So she gave up the 
 idea, and followed him to his original home (in Shahabad), 
 where they settled for good. 
 
 438. The meaning of beginning to rain on Saturday, 
 Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday respectively. 
 
 8^^ ^f^ ^^tI; ^1=^ ff^5i Tf^ ^T ^Tt ^Tt ^^ 
 
 Shani arlidi, mangal tin, Rahi giir harse dtlio din.
 
 206 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 If it begins to rain on Saturday, it will continue to 
 rain for two days and a half; if on Tuesday, for three 
 days ; if on Sunday or Thursday, it will rain for the next 
 eight days. 
 
 439. The meaning of the rainbow at the beginning and 
 end of rain. 
 
 ix^ ^^^) 
 8^e ^IfT ^'i ^rft H^ f^^^f! ^'i ^T^ 
 
 {Indra dhanukh) 
 
 Ugat age mahi hhare, hisicat ugejdy. 
 
 If the (rainbow) appears when the rain has just begun, 
 
 the earth will be filled [i.e. there will be a very heavy fall 
 
 of rain) ; if at the end, it is a sign that the rain will stop. 
 
 440. The meaning of the halo round the moon on 
 Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday respectively. 
 
 8 BO \f^■^ ?TW^ ^T ^^T •^fK%^ 
 
 f^'T €t^ ^ ^tf WK.^ f^^^ 
 
 Rahi gur mangaljaun chanda paribekh, 
 Din chauthe, atthe mahi hharan hishekh. 
 
 If the halo is seen round the moon on Sunday (night), 
 it will positively rain the day following ; if on Thursday, 
 on the fourth day ; and if on Tuesday, on the eighth day. 
 
 441. The rain of the beginning of Aradra and end of 
 Hathiya. 
 
 Aivat ddar nan diye^jcd ndh diye had, 
 Kahen hhaddar don gage, hanita an girhast.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS, 207 
 
 This proverb is a double entendre : it may mean the 
 ** wife " or the rainy season. 
 
 On coming home (to her father-in-law's house), if a 
 wife is not received with due ceremony and regard; 
 and if on going she is not given any present in her 
 hand (the usual etiquette of native domestic life), says 
 Bhaddar, she will go, i.e. she will elope. Or, 
 
 If at the commencement of the monsoons there is 
 no rain in Adra, and if, at their close, there is none in 
 Hathiya, then says Bhaddar, it is a bad look-out for the 
 farmer as well as the labourer (/.e. the farmer is sure to 
 be ruined and the labourers are sure to get no work and 
 will starve). 
 
 ^^■^ Adar is a colloquial form of '^'^ Adra, or "^^ 
 •Tl^T^ Ardra Nachhattra. It also means "civility." 
 " Adar karna " is to treat one with due civility and 
 ceremony, and ^^ Hast is " hand," or the ^ff^T^T •!^7? 
 Hathiya Nachhattra. The Adra or Aradra and Hathiya 
 or Hast are two out of twenty-seven NachJtattras or lunar 
 asterisms into which the Hindu year is divided. The 
 former embraces parts of June and July ; and the latter 
 parts of September and October. They are the beginning 
 and end of the rainy seasons ; and are the principal periods 
 of rain, on which chiefly depends the success of agri- 
 cultural operations. The following extract from Mr. 
 Grierson's " Bihar Peasant Life " (Division VI., par. 
 1082) shows these divisions clearly : — 
 
 " There are 27 of these {Nachhattras or lunar asterisms) 
 in each year, and consequently 2j in each month. Each 
 asterism is not of equal length. The longest is hathiya, 
 with 16 lunar days. Every agricultural operation com- 
 mences in a certain asterism."
 
 208 
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 442.^ The asterisms of Maggha, SwatI and ITathiya. 
 88^ TI^T ^RTt ^^T f^I^Trft ^T^^ ZTZ\ 
 
 Maggha lagdwe ghaggha, Smdti Idwas tdti, 
 Kahtdri Hdthi rdni, ham hun dwat huti. 
 Maggha (latter part of August) brings rain-storms ; 
 Sirdfi (latter part of October) brings a screen (i.e. rain 
 stops) ; and Queen Hathiija (September-October) tells 
 (by her thunder) that she is coming. 
 
 443. The effects of the several rains on the different 
 crops. 
 
 88^ Wr^ pRTTt ^rl ^^ f^fTT^ Tfff rTTT 
 
 ^Tcf\ 'T jf^ W^ tTT^ ^ff in ^^ ^^T 
 
 Phdgu hardi, chait chuk, kirttik naUhahi tdr, 
 Sn-dfi naUhahi mdkh til, kahi gae Dak Godr. 
 
 If it rains in the month of PJidgun (February-March) 
 nrid is spoilt ; if in the month of Chait (March- April) 
 lemons ; if in the asterism of Krittika (about middle of 
 May) the toddy palms ; and if in that of Swdti (latter part 
 of October) beans and sesasum ; saith Ddk the Goivdla. 
 
 444. The effect of rain in Baisdkh (April-May) on 
 paddy ; it is doubled. 
 
 888 ^T ^T^ t^l^T TT^ TT^ ^"R ^""^^ '^^ 
 
 Jaun borse Baisakkha run, ek dhdn men dohar chdu. 
 If King Baisdkh (April-May) rain, every grain of 
 paddy will produce two of rice. 
 
 1 Proverbs 442 to 491 are taken from Mr. Grierson's " Biliur Peasant Life," 
 with the author's kind permission.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 209 
 
 445. If there is rain in Krittiha (middle of May), there 
 will be no rain for the six following asterisms. 
 
 Krittika cJme chhau le mue,jaun Rohini ndhln kddo kare. 
 If it rains in Krittika (middle of May), there will be no 
 rain for the six following asterisms, provided Rohini 
 (beginning of June) makes no mud. A variation is 
 
 Krittika chue tin le mue rdJiar renr kajms, 
 Jaim roliin dadhi kddo kare hare dokh unchds. 
 
 446. When to sow china, 
 
 Jah janihah karchd ke hln, krittika men tun hoihah chin. 
 
 Krittika (latter part of May) is the best asterism for 
 
 sowing china {Panicum frunientosum) ; hence they say in 
 
 Tirhut : If you find your stock of food becoming exhausted, 
 
 sow cltliia in Krittika {i.e. about middle of May). 
 
 447. When rice will be plentiful. 
 
 Mirgsira tahay Rohini lahay Aradra jay hudhuddy, 
 KaJie Ddk simii Bhillari, kutta bhdt na khdy. 
 If Mirgsira (in June) is hot, Rohini (about beginning of 
 June) rains, and Aradra (middle of June) giv^es a few 
 drops. Saith Ddk, hear, O Bhillari, (rice will be so 
 plentiful that) even dogs will turn up their noses at it. 
 The following notes on the Proverbs 442 to 447 from 
 Mr. Grierson's book are useful : — 
 
 14
 
 210 BIHAK PROVERBS. 
 
 " Cultivation commences in Jetli in the asterisra of 
 Rohini, when ploughing and sowing begin. The rain 
 of Mirgsiva is not good, and hence no sowing is done 
 in that asterisra. In Aradra sowing is recommenced 
 and transplanting is done for the winter {Aghani) crop. 
 This goes on into Punarhas and Pukh if the rains are 
 late. In Magha and Piirha Phdguni the urid, kurthi, and 
 other pulses are sown. In Hathiya rain is very important, 
 both for the winter crops and for sowing of the spring 
 {rabbi) crops. In former days (say cultivators) the rains 
 used to stop in Stvdti, which was very good for the crops, 
 but now they end in Hathiyn. So valuable is the rain of 
 Sicdfi that any drop which falls during that asterism 
 into a pearl-oyster becomes a pearl : that is how pearls 
 are made. The rain in Chitra on the contrar}'^ is very 
 bad." 
 
 448 to 453. The rain of Aradra (middle of June) is of 
 considerable importance to the future crop. 
 
 448. The rain of Aradra (middle of June) does away 
 with distress. 
 
 Adra mdmje hoe sdthi, Dukh ke mar nikdlah lathi. 
 If you sow sixty day rice in Aradra, you strike distress 
 with a club and drive it away. 
 
 449, If it does not rain at the commencement of Aradra 
 and end of Hathiya the cultivator gets ruined. 
 
 Adi na barse aradra, hast na barse niddn, 
 Kahahln Ddk sunu Bhillari bhae kisdn j^isdn.
 
 KIHAR PROVERBS. 211 
 
 If Araclm does not rain at the commencement, and 
 Hathiya at its end, saith Dak, hear, O Bhillari, the 
 cultivator is crushed (see Proverb No. 441). 
 
 450. If it rains at the commencement of Aradra and 
 end of Hathiya, the cultivator can stand any increase to 
 his rent. 
 
 8 MO ^^rr ^Tt ^T^TT ^rTTfT ^T^ f ^ 
 ^^^ TT^T ^ff tI ^'T^ flTl^ 
 
 Charhat barse aradra, utrat barse hast, 
 Katek raja ddnre, rahe anand girhast. 
 
 If it rains when Aradra commences and when Hathiya 
 is ending, no matter how much rent may be demanded, 
 the householder is still happy. 
 
 451. The rain of Aradra injures jV«ras only. 
 
 Aradra barse sabh kichhu hdu, ek jaxcas imtar bin bJidJi. 
 
 If Aradra rains, everything grows {lit. "is"), only one, 
 i\iejau-ds (Hedysarum Alhagi), loses its leaves. 
 (^^T^ Jaivds is a kind of grass.) 
 
 452. When to prepare the fields, and when to sow 
 paddy. 
 
 BM^ ^^ g^T^^ ^^ VT^ TTI^ ^^%^T ^T^ ^^ 
 
 Pukh Punarbas boe dhdn, Maggha Aslekha kddo sdn. 
 
 Sow paddy in Pukh and Punarbas, and in Maggha and 
 Aslekha mix thoroughly the mud {i.e. prepare the fields). 
 
 Aradra and Punarbas are the two main asterisms of the 
 month of Akhdrh (June- July). This is the great month
 
 212 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 of the year for finishing the preparations of the fields, as 
 the proverb says : — 
 
 Jekar banal ahharica re tekar hurho mas. 
 
 ■i.e. He whose fields are ready in Ahhdrh, is ready also 
 all the year round. 
 
 If the rains are late, paddy sowing goes on as late as 
 Piijuirbas or even Pnk//, but this is rarely successful. 
 These last two asterisms are usually devoted to trans- 
 planting and not sowing. (Paragraph 1086, Grierson.) 
 
 453. The effect of paddy being sown in Aradra, Punar- 
 bas, or Pukh. 
 
 Aradra dhdn, Punarbas paiya, gel kisdn,je boe Chiraiya. 
 
 Paddy sown in Aradra turns to plenty, in Punarbas it 
 has empty ears, and sown in Pukli it turns to nothing. 
 
 454 to 464. [After Akhdrh (June-July) comes Sdwan or 
 Sdon (July-August)', to which the following rhymes 
 apply.] 
 
 454. The meaning of a cloudy sunrise on the seventh 
 day of the bright half in Sdwan. 
 
 8M{j ^T^l ^^^ ^^^ ^U % ^iff ^T^ 
 
 bT ^fT ^^ ^Tt ^^ ^fl t^ ^^T^ 
 
 Sdon sukla saj)tami chhapi kai iigahin blidn, 
 Taun lagi megha barsejaiiu lagi deb tithdn. 
 If on the morning of the seventh of the bright half of 
 Sdwan the sun rises obscured by clouds, it will rain up to 
 the festival of the Deb Uthdn (11th of the light half of 
 Kdtik, i.e. early in November).
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 213 
 
 455. The meaning of a clear sunrise on the same day. 
 8MM ^^^ ^^^T ^F'tY ^^ ^ ^ff ^T 
 
 Sdon sukia saptami, ug ke lukahin sur, 
 Hdnko piya liar harad, barkha gel bari dur. 
 If on the same day as that above mentioned (in Proverb 
 454) the sun rises (clear) and afterwards hides itself 
 behind clouds, drive away, my dear, your plough and 
 bullocks, for the rain is very far off. 
 
 456. The meaning of a cloudless morning on the same 
 day. 
 
 8M^ ^T^'T TS^^l M^^ ^t ^ t^ '^^ 
 
 Sdon sukla sajjtami, udaijo dekhe bhdn, 
 Turn jdo lyiija Mdlwa, hamjaibon Multan. 
 A cloudless morning on the same day (is a sure sign of 
 drought). My dear, (let us leave the country) ; I am going 
 to Multan, and you go to Malwa. 
 
 457. The meaning of a dark night on the same date. 
 
 8M^ m^^ ^^^ ^H'ft t'^ if ft Tt^'^TT; 
 
 ^f ^f T ^'T H^ft ^X^'ri ^q^^ ^TT 
 
 Sdon sukla saptami, rain honhi masiydr, 
 Kali Bhaddar siinu Bliaddari, parbat upjaij sdr. 
 If on the same date the night is dark, says Bliaddar, 
 
 hear, Bhaddari, excellent crops will grow even on a 
 
 mountain. 
 
 458. The meaning of thunder at midnight on the same 
 date.
 
 214 BIHAR PROVERBS, 
 
 8M^ W[^^ ^'^W[ ^H'ft ^^ 1T% '^1^ TTtT 
 
 /SaoM silk la saptumi, jon garjc ddhi rat, 
 Turn jCio piya Mdlwa, hamjaibon Gujrdt. 
 
 If on the same date it thunders at midniglit (there will 
 be a drought). You must go to Malwa, and I to Gujrat. 
 
 459. The effect of rain in Sdwnn (July-August), and 
 tliunder in Bhddon (August-September). 
 
 8MQ. ^T^ nf^ ^^T^ f^^ i^t ^J^ 
 
 ^1 ^^^ W^ ^^<^ f TiT ^Tcl f 'iT^ 
 
 Karke hhlnjai Kankri, Singh garjaijay, 
 
 Kali Bhaddar sunu Bhaddari, kutta hhdt na khdy. 
 
 " If in Cancer [Sdimn, July- August) the gravel is wet, 
 and Leo {BhddoJi, August- September) passes by with 
 thunder," saith Bhaddar, " hear, Bhaddari, rice will 
 be so plentiful that even dogs will refuse it." 
 
 460. The meaning of west wind in Sdtvan, and east 
 in Bhddon. 
 
 8^0 m-^^ xj^^T *rT^^ jrm ^Tf^T ^t txr^ 
 
 Sdon pachhica, Bhddah punva, Asin hahe Isdn, 
 Kdtik, Kanta, sikio na dole katai ke rakhbah dhdn. 
 
 If the west wind blows in Sdican, the east in Bhddon, 
 and the north-east in Asin, and if there is so little wind 
 in Kdtik that even the reeds do not shake, where, my 
 dear, will you have room to keep your rice ? {i.e. You 
 will have a bumper crop.)
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 215 
 
 461. The effect of east wind in Sdnrw. 
 
 8^s m^^ Ju^ ^^ H^^^"^ ^^^ ^"'^^ ^^"^ ^"^ 
 
 Sdon mas bahe imnoaiija, henchah harad klnah gaiya. 
 If the east wind blows in Saican, sell your bullocks and 
 buy cows (it will be no use trying to plough). 
 
 462. The effect of west wind in Sdwan. 
 
 ^%\ ^^T^^^^ x?^^ ^'^ ^i[ '^ft ^f % ^Tw^ ^^f ^tt 
 
 Sdonak pachhiva din dui chdri, chulhi ke imchhi upjai sari. 
 If the west wind blow in Sdwan for only two or three 
 days, rice will grow even behind your hearth. 
 
 463. The effect of west and east wind in Sd>can and 
 Bhddon. 
 
 8^^ ^^^^^ ^t^ TfW HT ^T^^ ^T^T ^7^^ Wk 
 
 Sdon pachea malii hhare, bhddon puriva paWial sare. 
 If the west wind blow in Sdican, the land will be flooded ; 
 and if the east wind blow in Bhddon, (it will rain so that) 
 the very stones will melt. 
 
 464. Heaviest rain in Asres and Ifaggha. 
 
 Je na bhare Asresa Maggha, pher bhare Asresa Maggha. 
 That which is not filled up with water in Asres and 
 Maggha has no chance of being filled up till they come 
 again next year. 
 
 465 to 474. To Bhddon (August-September) the following 
 apply :— 
 
 465. Loss to cultivator if he does not finish transplant- 
 ing rice before Purtva. 
 
 8^M 5T^T Tt'q ^T f^^^ ^^T 'sl^T^ ^T^T ^T'l 
 
 Furica rojje p)ur kisdn, ddha khakhri ddha dhdn.
 
 216 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 If a cultivator does not finish transplanting before 
 Purica {i.e. Furba Phdguni), half his crop will be paddy 
 and half chaff. 
 
 466. The effect of east wind in Purica. 
 
 JauJi Purwa puricaiya dive, sukh/e nacliya ndo chalaive. 
 
 If the east wind blows in the asterism of Piirim (i.e. 
 Pnrha Phdguni), there will be so much rain that ships will 
 float in the dried-up beds of rivers. 
 
 Closely connected with this is the following : — 
 
 467. The effect of west wind in Puriva. 
 
 Purica par jaini pachhn-a hcthai, bihami ranr bat karai, 
 
 Eh clonon ke ihai bichdr u barsai i karai bhatdr. 
 
 If the west wind blows during Purwa, and if a widow 
 
 chats and smiles, from these facts you may judge that in 
 
 the first case it will rain, and in the second case she is 
 
 going to marry a second time. 
 
 468. The meaning of clouds flitting like the wings of a 
 partridge. 
 
 8^^ tf^f^T tJW ^^ ^i ^ f^^TT ^^Tl 
 
 TUir pakh megha ure, o bidhtca musnkde. 
 Kahe Ddk sunn Ddkini, u barse Ijde. 
 " When the clouds fly like the wings of the partridge 
 and when a widow smiles," saith Ddk, " hear, Ddkni, 
 the one is going to rain and the other to marry." (Com- 
 pare Proverb 379.)
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 217 
 
 469. The meaning of a cloudy sky on Friday and 
 Saturday. 
 
 ti^'T ^% »i|Tt f^^ ^Tt ^iTwr^ 
 
 Suk hare hadri sanlchar rahe chhdy, 
 Aisan bole Bhaddari bin bcirse nahmjay. 
 
 " A cloudy sky on Friday and Saturday," says Bhaddari, 
 " is a sure precursor of rain," 
 
 470. The eflfect of east wind in Sdon and west wind in 
 Bhddon. 
 
 8^0 -wr^^ ^ ^TT ^^ ^^-rn ^T 
 
 Saon ke purwa, Bhddon pachhimajor, 
 Bardha benchah Sdmi, chalah des ka or. 
 
 My husband let us sell our bullocks and leave the 
 country if there is east wind in Sdon, and a strong west 
 one in Bhddon. 
 
 471. When to cease planting paddy. 
 
 ITusi amdicas chauthi chdn, ah ki rophah dhdn klsdn. 
 
 After the Kiisi Amdwas (the festival of the 15th Bhddon, 
 on which Brahmans dig kiis grass), and the Chauk Chanda 
 (the moon of the 19th of Bhddon), cultivator ! You need 
 not plant out paddy. 
 
 472. Not to transplant in Utra Phaguni. 
 
 8^^ ^rfTT W" ^t% Tt^^ ^^T ^T viTT frir ^^^ W 
 
 Utra men jani ropahu bhaiya, tin dhdn hoe terah paiya.
 
 218 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 Do not transplant in Utra Pliagiini (about the latter 
 half of September) ; for you will only get three grains to 
 thirteen empty husks. 
 
 473. The meaning of a crow speaking by night and a 
 jackal by day. 
 
 80^ TTcI^ ^T^n ^^ f^^T ^ Utr ^T^T ^ ^^f!TT 
 
 Rdtak kdga dinak sii/dr, kijhari hddar ki iiptdr. 
 
 If the crow speak by night and the jackal by day, there 
 will be either a rain-storm or an inundation. 
 
 474. The meaning of wind blowing from four quarters. 
 
 8^B ^^^ ^1"^ ^1 ^f!T¥ H^ fr^T ^"?:'§T % ^^ 
 
 Ana baua bahe botds, tab ho/a barkha ke ds. 
 
 When the wind blows from all four quarters, there is 
 hope of rain. 
 
 475-479. To Asin (September-October) the following 
 apply :— 
 
 475. Hathiya rain produces three things and destroys 
 three things. 
 
 Hathiya barse tin hot-ba, sakkar, sdli, nids, 
 Hathiya barse tlnjat-ica, til, kodo, kajms. 
 
 Rain in Hathiya produces three things, sugar-cane, rice, 
 and pulse ; and destro3^s three things, sesamum, kodo, and 
 cotton. "With this may be compared the following.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 219 
 
 476. Rainless Aradra destroys three crops only, but a 
 rainless Hathiya destroys everything. 
 
 ff^^ 5i^ ¥H '^^ ^fn^ tiTfg?^ '^^ 
 
 Adra gel tlnon gel, san, sdthi, kapds, 
 Hathiya gel sahh gel, dgil, pdchhil clids. 
 Want of rain in Aradra destroys three crops, hemp, 
 sixty-day rice, and cotton. But by want of rain in 
 Hathiya everything is ruined, both what has been sown 
 and what will be sown. 
 
 477. The eflfect of rain in Hathiya and clouds only in 
 Chitra. 
 
 Hathiya barise, chitra menrrdy, 
 Ghar haise dhanha ririydy (or agrdy). 
 
 If Hathiya rains and (the clouds of) Chitra hover about, 
 the paddy cultivator sits at home and utters cries of joy. 
 
 478. The effect of rain in Chitra. 
 
 8^^ t^fiTT ^Tt ^nrt ^T ''n'f HTT 'i^t ^ ^ 
 
 Chitra barse mati mare age bhdi gerui ke kdre. 
 
 Rain in Chitra (in October) destroys the fertility of the 
 soil and is likely to produce blight. 
 
 479. What to sow in Chitra. 
 
 8^e ^T^T f^f!TT Tit ^TTt ^TVT f^cTTT ^^ ^Tlt 
 
 Adha chitra rdi murdi, ddha chitra jao kerdi. 
 
 In one half of Chitra sow mustard and radishes, and in 
 the other half barley and peas.
 
 220 BIHAR PROVERBS, 
 
 480-481. To Katik (October-November) the following 
 
 apply :— 
 
 480. The effect of a shower in Sicuti. 
 
 H^o xr^ xrr^> ^t wt% ^t^ ^xT^^ ^f^ ^^ ^^ 
 
 Eko pani jo barse sicdti kunnin 2^ahire sona jmfi. 
 
 If a single shower come in Sicuti, it enriches people so 
 much that even Kurmi women get golden earrings to wear. 
 
 481. Instructions about harvesting rice. 
 
 8^=1 ^^ f^f^fl ^T f^% ^T^ fW^T ^^ ^ff tfit ^^ 
 ^'^ ^^TTcft ^^ ^^^ rT^t WTf ^T« ^TT'T 
 
 Bed bidit na Jiokhe an, bina Tula nahin phide dhan, 
 Sukh siikhrdti deb iithdn, takrai barhai karah nemdn, 
 Takrai barhai khet kharihdn, takrai barhai kothie dhdn. 
 
 What has been written in the Vedas cannot happen 
 otherwise, and paddy cannot ripen before the balance 
 {i.e. Libra, Kdtikj October-November). From the festival 
 of the Siikhrdti {i.e. the Diivdli) to the Deb TJthdn (11th of 
 the light half of Kdtik) there will be happiness. On the 
 12th day after that, hold the festival of eating the new 
 grain ; on the 12th after that, heap up the corn on the 
 field and threshing-floor ; and on the 12th after that, put 
 the grain in the store-house. 
 
 482-486, Th.e following are the signs of the stoppage of 
 the rains : — 
 
 482. Clear nights indicate breaking of the rains. 
 
 ^■?T ^^ |f^i: €1TT ^TfR^ '3^ tl{T^ 
 
 Chhap ke ugai to kya bJiaye nirmal raini karant, 
 Kly jal dekhihah sagra, kdmin kiip bharant.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 221 
 
 It matters little if the sun rises obscured by clouds, 
 because when the nights are clear (the rain will stop). 
 You will only find water in the sea, and women will 
 have to go to the wells for water. 
 
 483. A cloudless night and a cloudy day show that the 
 rains are at an end. 
 
 Hat nibaddar (or rdtuk chahmik) din ken chhdya, 
 Kahen Ghdghje harkha gay a. 
 If you see a cloudless night and a cloudy day, be sure, 
 says Ghdgh, that the rains are at an end. 
 
 484. The barking of the fox and the flowering of the 
 kds grass are signs of the end of the rains. 
 
 8^8 ^^ f^"^ ^% ^T^ ^^ 'TTlf ^T'^ % ^TO 
 
 Boli lukhri, ijliiile kds, ah ndhln harkha ke ds. 
 
 The barking of the fox and the flowering of the kds 
 grass are signs of the end of the rains. 
 
 485. Appearance of the star Canopus indicates the end 
 of the rains. 
 
 8^M ^5} ^^^ ^^ T|% qiTO ^^ ^TfT ^T^T i ^TH 
 
 Uge agast ban phide kds, ah ndhln harkha ke ds. 
 
 The appearance of the star Canopus and the flowering of 
 the kds grass in the forests are signs of the end of the rains. 
 
 486. The meaning of the flowering of the kds and kits 
 grass. 
 
 B^^ ^T€t ^'ft ^^^ i "m^ ^^ ^T ft^^ ^T^ t^^T^f 
 
 Kdsi kusi chauth ke chdn, ah ka ropha dhdn kisdn.
 
 222 BIHAR fROVERBS. 
 
 If the /.-fl.s grass and the litis grass flower on the 4th of 
 the light half of Bhadoh, why do you plant out, culti- 
 vator (for the rains are stopped) ? 
 
 487-491. The following refer to the dry seasons : — 
 
 487. Respective effects of rain in Aghan, Pics, Mdgh, 
 and Phdgun. 
 
 Aghan dohar, Pits dyaurha, Mdgh saicdi, 
 Phdgun harse gharhun kejdi. 
 
 If it rains in Aghan (November-December), you will 
 get double an average crop ; if in Piis (December- 
 January), one and a half ; if in Mdgh (January-February), 
 one and a quarter ; but if in Phdgun (February-March), 
 then even (the seedlings which you brought from) your 
 house will be lost. 
 
 488. The effect of rain in Aghan. 
 
 jjm= ^iif ?i "W % ^Tt ^ ^'T ^ TI^T VT ^ ^^ 
 
 Aghan menje harse megh dhan o rdja dhan o des. 
 Happy are the king and people when it rains in 
 Aghan. 
 
 489. The effect of rain in Piis. 
 
 ^jnq^ ^1i^ ^\^ ^\ja ^ ^\^T 'if ^^T ^ 
 
 Pdni harse ddha Pus, ddlia gehun ddha hhus. 
 
 Rain in the middle of the month of Pus, i.e. early in 
 January, will give you half wheat and half chaff.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 223 
 
 490. Siofns of drought. 
 
 wr^ ^1 ^ fr^ ^'Ft ^^t wi m^ ^XM ^^ 
 
 Mdgh he garmi, Jeth kejdr, pahila pdni hhar gail tar, 
 Ghdgh hake ham hohmm jogi, kudn ka pdni dhoihen dhohi. 
 
 Heat in Mdgh (January-February), cold in Jeth (May- 
 June), and the tanks filled with the first fall of rain (are 
 signs of a drought). I'll become a beggar, says Ghdgh, 
 and the washerman will wash with well water. 
 
 491. The meaning of west wind respectively in Chait 
 (March- April) and BhddoJi (August-September). 
 
 Chait he jKichheya, BhadoJi kejalla, 
 Bhddori ke pachheya, Mdgh ke pdlla. 
 
 The west wind in Chait (March-April) means rain in 
 Bhddon (August-September), and the west wind in Bhddon 
 means frost in Mdgh (January-February).
 
 224 
 
 CLASS VI. 
 Proverbs Relating to Cattle and Animals in General. 
 
 492. A calf takes after its mother, and a foal after its 
 father. 
 
 Man gun hachh pita gun ghor, 
 Ndlilh kuchh to thoro thor. 
 A calf takes after its mother, and a foal after its sire : 
 if not in all points, still in a few {i.e. to some extent). 
 
 493. Can an ass be lean in the month of Smcan ? 
 
 8^? l^fT ^^T ^T^^ ^^ 
 
 Gadha duhar Smcan mdiis. 
 Is it possible for the ass to be thin in the month of 
 Smcan ? i.e. when there is abundance of grazing to be had. 
 Said when any one complains or pretends to be in want in 
 the midst of plenty. 
 
 A xceary Bullock. 
 
 494. To a weary bullock its girth even is heavy. 
 
 8Q.B ^^^ ^^ % ^T *JTft 
 
 Thdkal harad ke petdr hJtdn. 
 
 To a weary bullock even his girths are heavy. 
 
 ^37"^ ^'Petdr" is the girth of a pack-bullock. It is 
 usually made of ^^TT neicdr, with a piece of bamboo 
 catch tied to one end of it, and is passed round the bullock.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 225 
 
 495. To a weary bullock his empty panniers are even 
 heavy. 
 
 Thdke bail gon hJtai bhdri, 
 Tab ah ka lade baipdri. 
 
 To the weary bullock even his empty pack is heavy (to 
 carry) : then, why are you going to load more on him, 
 Pedlar ? 
 
 "Gon" also " gond," and " gund," are grain bags for 
 pack bullocks. 
 
 ^tfT'O " Bfi^pdri" is a pettj^ trader who deals in grain, 
 and conveys it from market to market on pack bullocks, 
 buying and selling. 
 
 E.E. Last straw breaks the camel's back. 
 
 496. A separate house for a blind cow. 
 
 Kdnln gaiija he alge bathdn. 
 
 A blind cow requires a separate cattle-yard. 
 
 ^■^TT " Bathan " is a cattle-yard or inclosure where 
 the cattle rest. 
 
 i.e. One with a peculiarity, idiosyncracy or crotchet, one 
 who wants everything his own way, i.e. is not satisfied 
 with what answers for everybody else. 
 
 497. Driving away a grazing cow a sin. 
 
 iJQ^ ^^T ^cft %^T 1T^ ^T^^ ftXt ^ff ^ ^H 
 
 Eekar kheti kekar gdi, pdpi lioe jelidh kejde. 
 
 It is neither your field nor your cow ; you only make 
 yourself a sinner if you drive it away. 
 
 A safe but selfish dictum to prevent any harm coming 
 
 15
 
 226 
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 from interfering in what does not actually concern you. 
 "It does not concern you if another's field is being grazed 
 by somebody else's cow ; if you drive it away, you only 
 incur the sin of keeping a cow hungry." This idea 
 underlies and explains the apathetic attitude and total 
 want of public spirit in the mass of the people towards 
 any reform or public measure, because " it is safer not to 
 interfere in what does not concern them." Mill ascribes 
 this feeling in a people to the previous bad Government 
 under which they have suffered, and which has taught 
 them to regard the law as made for other ends than their 
 good, and its administrators as worse enemies than those 
 who openly violate it. He goes on to say, that while 
 this feeling exists, " a people so disposed cannot be 
 governed with as little power exercised over them as 
 a people whose sympathies are on the side of the law, 
 and who are willing to give active assistance in its 
 enforcement." 
 
 The death of a cow, no matter how it occurs, is held a 
 sin, and has to be expiated by feeding Briihraans and other 
 acts of piety. If a cow dies with a halter round its neck, 
 the person who tied the cow last has to expiate its death. 
 For this reason a cow about to die is unloosed from its 
 halter. If a man kills a cow by accident, he has to 
 undergo severe penalties in the way of feasting Brah- 
 mans and doing other expiatory acts. The man (or 
 woman) through whose fault the cow dies, if poor, goes 
 a-begging with a piece of the cow's tether-rope ; and 
 with the alms he thus obtains he feeds Brahmans. Until 
 this is done the sin is not expiated, and the person 
 remains an outcaste. During this interval the sinning 
 person is not supposed to speak. A good Hindu will
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 227 
 
 never sell his bullock or cow to a butcher ; but this rule 
 is hardly adhered to now-a-days. 
 
 498. God takes care of a blind cow. 
 
 Andhri gdi dharam rakhwdr. 
 God provides for a helpless (blind) cow. 
 A blind cow is supposed to be treated kindly from 
 religious feelings, i.e. God takes care of the helpless. 
 E.E. " The wind is tempered to the shorn lamb." 
 
 499. In the prancing of the pack bullock his master is 
 visible. 
 
 8^Q t^ ^ ^^ ^t 'Tt^ t rT^TT^T ^^ ^^T 
 
 Bail na kude ktide (jon, I tamdsha dekhe kaiin. 
 (or hail na kUde kude tangi.) 
 
 A bullock does not leap, but his load does : who ever 
 saw such a sight? (Grierson). 
 
 ^hYt Gon, Grain bags and panniers for loaded cattle, 
 here by metonymy for the possessor of the gon. 
 
 It is not really the bullock that leaps, but his master or 
 supporter {gon), i.e. his master causes him to jump and 
 prance. Said when one is a mere puppet in the hands of 
 another, at whose instance he is acting — when one is 
 outwardly the actor or doer, but is really put up by 
 another who pulls the wire. 
 
 500. The calf leaps presuming on the strength of the 
 tethering peg. 
 
 MOO ^ZT ^ ^% ^W^ ^?^T 
 
 Khimta ka hale hachhico kudeJa. 
 The young bull jumps according to the strength of the
 
 228 
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 post or peg to whicli it is tied. That is to say, relying 
 on the strength of its supporter. One is strong or weak (or 
 exerts his strength) in accordance with the support he gets. 
 Said when one presumes on another's support or pro- 
 tection. 
 
 501. Rules for selecting cattle. 
 
 ^% |f^f ^1^7 ^K ^^T ^Tfr ^f ^^T^T 
 ^>I xnT m^ ^f%l t'TT Tift x^TT % ^'^f t'H 
 
 jBail besdhe chalalah kant, hail hesahiha du dii dant, 
 Kdchh kasauti sdwar ban, i chlidri kiniha mail an, 
 Jabai dekhiha riipa dhaur, taka chdri d'lha iqiraur, 
 Oh pdrjab dekhiha maina, ehi par se dlha haina. 
 Jab dekhiha bairiya got, nth baith ke kariha mol, 
 Jab dekhiha kariyawa kant, kail gola dekhahjanu dant, 
 Say((y patdli hhauhdh ter, apan khde parosiye her, 
 Kaila kdbar gol tikdr, Iho harihen ddm tohdr. 
 
 (1). My dear, you have started to buy a bullock: be 
 sure and buy one with only two teeth. Do not buy any 
 which is not some shade of grey ; but if you see a jDure 
 white one, you may advance your price four rupees. If 
 you see one with loose horns, give handsel without crossing 
 the road (to look at it more carefully, i.e. it is sure to be a 
 good one). If you see one with a red head and a light 
 red body, don't buy till you have had a good look at it.
 
 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 229 
 
 But, my dear, if you see a black or a yellow grey or a red 
 one, don't take the trouble to look at its teeth. 
 
 (2). The following is a warning against two kinds of 
 bullocks : — A bullock with horns pointing up and down, 
 or one with crooked ej^ebrows, injures its master and the 
 neighbours as well. — (Grierson). 
 
 (3). A yellow grey, or a speckled, or a red one, or one 
 with a spot on its forehead, will make you lose the price 
 you pay for them. 
 
 502. The bullock toils, but the bay horse is pampered. 
 
 H0\ xft^ WZ ^T t^T tcf^ Wr^ ^<T 
 
 Pis kut mare haila haitJial khdy surang. 
 
 The ox wastes himself in labour, while the bay horse 
 gets his grain in ease. 
 
 ■R^^ "^^ Pis kut is to grind and pound, i.e. to labour. 
 Said when any one labours, while another reaps the benefit 
 without exerting himself at all. 
 
 T^X^ Surang is a light bay horse. The valuable horse 
 is seldom used. He is kept more for show in the stables 
 of the rich. 
 
 503. The camel is blamed in the whole army. 
 
 Sagare phaud men uht hadndm. 
 In the whole army the camel is most blamed, because it 
 has such a long neck and exposes the position of the arm}'. 
 
 504. You can endure kicks from a milch cow. 
 M08 ^Tfl T f^f TTTTXl ^f|^ ^t ^T 
 
 SB 
 
 Jdhi ten kichliu pdie, sahie karui bain, 
 Ldt klidt chuchukdr ten sahat dudhdri dken.
 
 230 BIHAR PROVERBS. 
 
 From whomsoever you expect to receive benefits, you 
 must bear abusive words ; even while being kicked by a 
 milch cow, a man will endure its action and pat it 
 
 (Grierson). 
 
 505. You can endure kicks from a milch cow. 
 
 MOM '%yuTx W[^^ % ^ ^Tcft ^^T 
 
 Dudhdri gde ke du Idto bhala. 
 
 Even two kicks from a good milker are to be valued 
 (Grierson). 
 
 A man can bear up without grumbling harsh treatment 
 from whom he expects some benefit, just as one does not 
 mind a kick or two from a good milch cow. 
 
 506, Points of a milch cow. 
 
 Mo^ ^^'^ ^jn wrf^^ f^re^ ^^^ ^T^ 
 ^^f f^^ ^ntft^ T|-0 ^^ ^'T ^t: ^^ 
 
 Tiff % ^fY ^^TTT % ^'^^ ^% 1T^ 
 
 Achchhi gay bcsdhii/e Jiski kajjal hdn, 
 Solah Singh, hattis khuri, nao than, terah kdn, 
 Angan barse ghar bhare bdchha ghds na khdij, 
 Pahile dahijamdi ke plchhe klne gdij. 
 While you are buying a cow, buy a good one with clear 
 eyes, and horns 16 fingers (inches) long, hoofs 32, udder 
 9, and ears ]3, and 3'ou will then have milk pouring in 
 your yard and your house full : the calf will also have so 
 much of it that it will not graze. But remember first to 
 try the milk for tyre before you buy the cow.
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 POPULAE SUPERSTITIONS AND ERRORS. 
 
 Introduciory Notes. 
 
 It would be a hopeless task to attempt to give a 
 full account of tlie popular superstitions and errors that 
 encompass the natives of Biliiir. Their lives are made 
 up of them. From their birth to their death they afford 
 the guiding clue, and furnish the food on which their 
 hopes and fears are fed. When a child is born, it has 
 to be carefully guarded from the evil spirits that usually 
 hover about the house of its birth. If it gets over the 
 early ailments to which all infants are subject, the cure is 
 ascribed to the charms of some respected old woman of the 
 village who possesses the secret. If it dies, some malig- 
 nant demon, who has not been propitiated, has carried 
 it away ; or some supposed village witch, who has long 
 borne a grudge against the family, has gratified her greed 
 for infant life by causing its death. ^ 
 
 * In cases of difficult labour a gun is fired near the lying-in room, ostensibly 
 to scare away the hobgoblins and evil spirits who delay the birth ; but 
 probably with a more practical view to help the birth. As often happens a 
 supposed popular error may really rest on sound practical grounds, wliich 
 experience has shown to be necessary and is followed empirically. Sir A. 
 Lyall, commenting on this practical feature of superstitious observances, 
 remarks, " Many practices, ascertained empirically to be tit and expedient, 
 have become in course of time so overgrown and concealed by the religious
 
 232 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 If any one is unsuccessful in an undertaking, he has 
 failed to propitiate his presiding deity ; if successful, his 
 deity has favoured him. At birth, death, marriage, and 
 every important event of life, the gods are consulted ; and 
 if their warnings and wishes (now very often interpreted 
 according to the circumstance of the consulter) are not 
 implicitly followed, it is rather from his inability to carry 
 them out in their integrity than from a want of faith in 
 their efficacy. 
 
 In Bihar, side by side with signs of civilization, will be 
 found ideas and beliefs which have long ago been eradi- 
 cated from other more advanced provinces. Lingering 
 and interweaving themselves with the daily thoughts and 
 doings of the people are superstitions such as are to be 
 looked for in vain elsewhere. The civilization as yet is 
 only a thin veneer which has hardly permeated the 
 upper crust. The beliefs and mainsprings of action yet 
 remain the same in the mass of people as they were 
 centuries ago. A thin coating of western varnish gives 
 a specious appearance to the culture which is only skin 
 deep, customs and observances aboriginal and Aryan 
 commingle in one confused jumble, and Muhammadan 
 ceremonies and Hindu rituals are mutually interchanged 
 among the lower order of both classes with a most 
 accommodating and tolerant spirit. There are as many 
 Hindus who zealously keep up the Muharram tamdsha 
 in Bihar, as Muhammadans who annually celebrate the 
 Chhat and Holi. A Hindu woman as piously places her 
 
 observances in which they Avere originally wrapped up, that it is now very 
 difficult to extract the original kernel of utility, and one only hits upon it by 
 accident, when in trying to abolish what looks like a ridiculous and useless 
 superstition, the real object and reason are disinterred, and sometimes proves 
 wortli knowins:.
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 233 
 
 votive offering on the grave of tlie Muhammadan Saint, 
 when her child recovers from illness, as a Musalmiin 
 woman propitiates the Hindu demon with a black goat 
 when he has devoured her husband's second love, who 
 had weaned his affection from her. The same rites and 
 ceremonies and observances connected with the daily 
 life of the Bihar peasant are practised in the villages 
 now as they were probably centuries ago, the only differ- 
 ence being that they are adapted to suit the altered 
 circumstances. These would sadly be misplaced in the 
 heart of a great city amid the din and bustle of fashion- 
 able civilization, but are not out of keeping with the 
 simple peasantry and the retired scenery of Bihar villages. 
 Of such a vast subject, with so many ramifications, all 
 that can be endeavoured is to give a few instances of the 
 popular superstitions and errors that form the warp and 
 the woof of the Bihar peasant life, principally those 
 which bear on some of the proverbs and illustrate them. 
 The same remarks apply to the other subjects which form 
 the Appendix. The notes under each are far from being 
 complete. They give a few only of the prevailing customs, 
 more as illustrations, than as an exhaustive treatment of 
 the subject. 
 
 1. Names of certain individuals and animals not to he taken. 
 
 There is a popular and widely prevailing idea that the 
 names of certain opprobrious individuals and animals 
 ought not to be uttered in the morning from a super- 
 stitious feeling that the utterer is sure to meet with some 
 misfortune during the day ; e.g. (a) The name of any 
 well-known miser is never pronounced in the morning, 
 from an idea that he who takes his name will not get
 
 234 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 his meals till late in the day, or some misfortune will 
 befall him.^ 
 
 This feeling is sometimes carried to such an extent that 
 some places which are named after a known miser are not 
 pronounced in the morning. For example, a well-known 
 village in Champjiran known as Munshi ka bazar (on the 
 Sugau-li Gobindganj road) is never named in the morn- 
 ing, because the man after whom it is named — one Munshi 
 Lai — was a notorious miser; similarly a village in the 
 Betiya Subdivision, called Bhaluah, is not pronounced, 
 because its name is akin to that of a bear, (b.) The 
 following animals are not readily named in the morning : 
 Owl, monkey, ass, snake, bear', etc., from an idea that some 
 misfortune is sure to befall the person who names them. 
 (c.) Similarly it is considered unfortunate to meet any of 
 these animals in the morning when one is starting on 
 a journey. To see the face of any of a low caste the 
 first thing in the morning is also considered inauspicious. 
 A D/iohi, a Dom, and a Chan/dr are especially avoided 
 early in the morning. 
 
 2. Jdtra or journey. The siipersfilions connected icith a 
 journey. How augured to be auspicious or not. 
 
 No journey is ever undertaken, in fact nothing of 
 importance is begun, without first consulting the Briih- 
 man as to the best hour for commencing it. The 
 propitious hour having been ascertained, the man who 
 is going on a journey starts at that hour. If, on account 
 of some pressing business or some other cause, he cannot 
 conveniently pursue his journey at that exact hour (as 
 
 ^ The name of Mir Gadhaia, in Patna, is an example of tliis.
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 235 
 
 it often happens), still, in order to comply with the 
 requirements of the omen, he makes a show start at 
 the exact auspicious time, and halts a few steps from his 
 house. For this purpose Rajas and well-to-do personages 
 have what are called ya/r« houses, where (after having left 
 at the exact auspicious hour) they halt and finish their 
 urgent business before finally proceeding on their journey. 
 People who cannot afford to have a jdtra house send out 
 some of their wearing apparel with money or grain tied to 
 it in advance, and this is kept in a friend's house on the 
 road till they come up. The grain or money (as the case 
 may be) is afterwards distributed amongst beggars. "When 
 starting on a journey, the following are considered good 
 omens to see : — 
 
 {a) Any one carrying a full chattie of water. 
 
 {b) A pot of tyre or curd. 
 
 (c) Fish. 
 
 {d) A dJiohi carrying a bundle of clean washed clothes, etc. 
 
 The following are considered unlucky omens : — 
 
 {a) Meeting a Teli, or oilman, is considered especially 
 unlucky. (The traveller invariably returns home, post- 
 poning his journey.) 
 
 {h) Meeting a jackal crossing from the right side of the 
 road to the left. 
 
 (c) If any one should call out to the traveller or put 
 any question to him when he is about to begin his journey 
 it is considered unlucky ; also if any one should sneeze 
 or cough at such a time. 
 
 3. Marriages of TanliS and Wells. 
 "When a tank or well is dug and completed, it is 
 emblematically married to a tree or wooden image,
 
 236 APPENDIX. 
 
 which is planted in the middle in the case of tanks, 
 and alongside in the case of wells. A summary marriage 
 (called jalotsarg) is gone through, after which the tank 
 or well is declared to be open for use. This superstitious 
 ceremony is probably gone through with the idea that 
 unless these sources of water are married, the yield 
 will be less plentiful. Mango groves on being planted 
 are also married to a har tree (Indian Ficus), which 
 is planted in the north-east corner (called ladn Km) 
 of the tope. A thread is passed round the whole 
 grove, or sometimes only round the first planted tree 
 and the " husband " har tree, and a summary marriage 
 ceremony is gone through : after which the mango grove 
 is declared to be married. Mr. Grierson, in his " Bihar 
 Peasant Life," notes that an emblematical marriage of 
 a grove to a well is also gone through, without which 
 preliminary observance it is unlawful to partake of 
 the fruit. 
 
 4. Divination, and charms, incantations and amulets to cure 
 maladies and keep off or exorcise evil spirits, etc. 
 
 There are various means adopted for foretelling events 
 and of finding out whether an undertaking will succeed or 
 fail. The principal way of course is to consult Brahmans, 
 who are supposed, from a knowledge of astrology and 
 other sources, to possess the power of foretelling events. 
 But other summary ways are resorted to by the common 
 people to ascertain in a rude and ready manner if what 
 they are about to undertake will prove successful or not ; 
 e.g. a handful of corn is taken and the grains are divided 
 into pairs : if they come out even, the undertaking will 
 succeed ; if odd, it will fail. A sneeze from any one
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 237 
 
 present is considered especially an evil omen when 
 anything is about to be begun, while the "tic-ticking" 
 of the lizard under the same circumstances is considered 
 a favourable omen, because it is supposed to say " right " 
 (t/tlk). To find out whether an undertaking will succeed, 
 the women commonly wrap the ends of two pieces of stick 
 with cotton : the sticks are then laid down on a plastered 
 floor, and after a time the wraps are examined. If the 
 cotton has unwound itself in both, the action will meet 
 with complete success ; if only in one, a partial success. 
 One way to insure success in an undertaking is to lift 
 that foot first which corresponds to the nostril through 
 which one is breathing harder at the time. 
 
 There are numberless charms and spells for curing 
 ailments. From a simple headache to the severest malady, 
 from an ant bite to a snake bite, all are supposed to be 
 curable by means of mantra or enchantment and incanta- 
 tions. The marvellous efficacy of spells and charms is 
 ingrained in the native mind ; and though he may resort 
 to medicine, he does it more as an auxiliary remedy 
 than in implicit reliance on its healing powers. If a 
 villager is bit by a mad dog or jackal, he betakes 
 himself to the Ojlia, or wizard, for the purpose of 
 " extracting " the poison [jhdrab, literally " to cleanse " 
 or "dust "). The wizard repeats some mystic words over 
 a bowl of water held under the wound, and this water 
 the patient has to drink. After awhile he vomits the 
 water, and along with it the hair of the mad animal that 
 has bit him : this is supposed to efiect the cure. They 
 believe implicitly in these enchantments and charms. 
 
 Amulets are commonly given Avhen any one sufiers from 
 a chronic malady or is liable to certain diseases, and also
 
 238 APPENDIX. 
 
 as phylacteries to preserve the wearer from clanger or 
 disease. Of all the grotesque superstitions about the 
 curing of diseases not the least ludicrous is the belief, 
 in the healing powers possessed by one born with " feet 
 presentation." A kick from him, or even a touch with 
 his toe, is supposed to effect a ready cure in certain 
 diseases, such as sudden rheumatic pains, etc. And, 
 strange to say, the repeated disappointments which they 
 must have met with have not proved sufficient to dis- 
 abuse the rustic mind of this love of veneration for 
 natural events which happen to be out of the ordinary. 
 They still cling to a belief in their mj^sterious healing 
 efficacy. 
 
 5. Superstitious ceremonies and observances connected tvith 
 birth and death. 
 
 On the birth of a child the following ceremonies and 
 observances are gone through : — All ingress to outsiders 
 is forbidden into the lying-in room. Should any of 
 the inmates have occasion to go out, on returning she has 
 to dust her clothes, and warm her feet and hands over a 
 constant fire that is kept up in the doorway. A torn shoe 
 or the neck of a broken earthen chatty is also hung pro- 
 minently over the doorway. A scorpion, if found, is also 
 burnt in the fire in the doorway, in the belief that a 
 scorpion sting will have no effect on the child in after-life. 
 A weapon of any kind, such as a sword, a knife, a scythe, 
 or a piece of iron even, is put near the head of the infant 
 to guard it from evil demons. A child born in the month 
 of Bhado (August-September) is especially liable to be 
 attacked by the demon called Jamhua (which is really 
 " lockjaw ") and is guarded against (or if it has already
 
 APPENDIX. 239 
 
 seized the child it is expelled) by firing off a gun close to 
 the child. In lockjaw the sudden start given to the child 
 often produces a beneficial effect. 
 
 On death the following are observed : — The corpse is 
 usually washed in an open spot, and then a bier is made of 
 new bamboos (cut from any one's clump near at hand, an 
 act which is not objected to by the owner), on which the 
 corpse is placed and carried by four men on their shoulders 
 to a place outside the village ; and when all the people who 
 are to accompany the funeral have assembled, they go to 
 the bank of a river. A man is usually shrouded in white, 
 a woman whose husband is living is usually shrouded in 
 coloured clothes. A woman who dies before her husband 
 is considered to be very fortunate. On reaching the bank 
 of the river, a funeral pile is erected, the corpse is placed 
 on it, and, after the chief mourner has anointed its mouth, 
 fire is applied to it by him. He walks round the pile 
 three times and sometimes five times, touches its lips each 
 time with fire, and then sets fire to the pile. The fire is 
 usually bought from a Dom (the lowest caste in Bihar), 
 who often sticks out for a fabulous price at this emergency. 
 When the body is nearly burnt, every one present throws 
 five sticks into the fire ; any unburnt portion of the corpse 
 left is thrown into the river, and the spot where the body 
 was cremated is washed and plastered with cowdung, and 
 the chief mourner plants a tuki tree near it. After the 
 corpse has been taken out of the house the latter is washed 
 and plastered over, and the following are placed in the 
 doorway or gate of the house : a stone, cowdung, iron, fire, 
 and water for the people to touch on their return from the 
 cremation. On the tenth day after the corpse has been 
 cremated, all the male relatives of the deceased shave their
 
 240 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 heads, and those who are sons of the deceased their 
 moustaches also. On this occasion the Kautdha Brahman 
 who performs such obsequies is fed and receives as his fee 
 the wearing apparel of the deceased. After this the 
 Brahmans are fed on the thirteenth day after the death 
 among Brahmans, on the fourteenth day among Vaisyas, 
 and on the sixteenth day among Sudras. On this day the 
 widow of the deceased is clothed in her widow's garment 
 and henceforth she has to undergo all the penances of her 
 sad lot. 
 
 6. Planting trees. 
 
 It is considered an act of virtue to plant groves. Certain 
 trees, especially the venerated Pqnd, the Bar, the Panhar, 
 the Bel, are the favourite dwelling-places of the deities, 
 and the gods are supposed " to delight to sit among its 
 leaves and listen to the music of their rustling," and to 
 them votive offerings of flags, etc., are made. They are 
 hung from the tree itself, or attached to a bamboo which 
 is erected close to it. It is considered unlucky to plant a 
 plum tree near the entrance door, for its thorny branches 
 are apt to catch the turban every time the dweller comes 
 out of his house and thus cover his head, which is con- 
 sidered very unlucky. 
 
 7. Manner of detecting thieves. 
 
 A common practice is to weigh out rice with the 
 Muhammadan rupee, known as [char ydri rnpiija) the four 
 friends of Muhammad, and to give each one of the persons 
 suspected the weight of a rupee to swallow. It is said the 
 thief finds it difficult to masticate and cannot swallow the 
 dry rice through fear. There is much practical shrewdness 
 and knowledge of the people in this device, as the thief
 
 APPENDIX. 241 
 
 naturally finds it difficult to bring up a quantity of saliva 
 (through fear) to enable him to swallow the rice, and thus 
 betrays himself. Another test, practised by Mahammadans 
 chiefly, is to write down the names of all who are suspected 
 on slips of paper and throw them one by one, rolled up (as 
 in a lottery), into a small chatty. While this is being 
 done two men hold the chatty (by its neck or brim) on 
 their finger ends, and particular suras or passages are read 
 from the Kuran. On the slip containing the thief's name 
 being thrown into the chatty, it turns round immediately, 
 which discloses the thief. There are other tests of boiled 
 g/ii and oil ; but these are never resorted to now. 
 
 8. Charms, spells, and incantations gone through 
 
 (a.) To bring on rain, 
 (b.) To stop rain, 
 (a.) The following are gone through to cause rain 
 to fall : 
 
 A number of village boys, with faces blackened and 
 in white dhotis, leap on all-fours in the open air, in 
 imitation of frogs, calling out all the time, " Kd/a kaloti 
 njjar dhoti. Fcini de, pdni de," i.e. " "We have made our- 
 selves black as soot with white dhotis. Pray give us rain, 
 pray give us rain!" This is sometimes varied by a few 
 of the boys turning " frogs," and some others playing 
 with sticks on drums made of old sieves. Thus they 
 go before the doors of the villagers. On their approach, 
 the women throw a gliaila of water, in which the frogs 
 wallow, "croaking" all the time : 
 Alia mujalipdni da, 
 la^hapra men (or doki men) du ddna da. 
 
 " God give us rain, so that we may have two grains 
 
 16
 
 242 APPENDIX. 
 
 {i.e. even a little food) in our earthen platter." Alms are 
 given by each house, and from the collection thus made 
 a feast is held. BnThmans are also feasted by the well- 
 to-do, if rain holds off for long. 
 
 (6.) The following are gone through to cause rain 
 to stop : 
 
 If the rain continues too long, (1) weights (used in 
 weighing) are dropped into a well ; (2) a diirdg (or oil 
 lamjo) is lit and put on a musal (pestle for pounding 
 paddy), which is erected in the compound in the open 
 air ; (3) some figures are drawn with chalk on walls by 
 the women and are worshipped ; (4) in Shahabad a piece 
 of stick is dressed up as a doll, with a small bundle of 
 grain in one hand and a lighted torch in the other. 
 This effigy is then put up on a pole in the yard. It is 
 called " Musafar," or " Wayfarer," " Traveller," and is 
 intended to invoke the pity of the god of rain, who, it 
 is supposed, will relent and cause the rain to stop, and 
 thus enable the benighted traveller to find his way home 
 to his family with what he is carrying for them. The 
 young folks in the meantime keep up a vigorous drum- 
 ming with sieves and sticks, shouting all the while the 
 following : 
 
 Chalni men dnta hddar phdta. 
 
 (Flour in the sieve, the clouds will disperse now.) (5) 
 Also a chirdg is lit inside a dehri (a wicker basket for 
 storing away grain in) and kept lighted till the rain stops.
 
 HINDI VERBAL INDEX. 
 
 {The Numbers refer to the Proverb.) 
 
 II ^ a II 
 
 ■^TpT^j aganwan, 394. 
 
 ^T^TT agwar, 436. 
 
 ^^f •! agahan, 487. 
 
 ^^rf achchhat, 315. 
 
 ^frl^arhai, 418. 
 
 ^^■^T adra, 447, 448, 449, 450, 
 
 451, 453, 476. 
 ^fVTT?T adliii-at, 458. 
 ■^\i^ adhaur, 157. 
 ^nT ant, 251. 
 
 ^?ptn:T andhra, 340, 364, 397. 
 '414^1'^^ amawas, 471. 
 •5Sr^^-T arjan, 366. 
 ^t^^ariya, 431. 
 •^Pfl%^ aslekha, 452. 
 ^fTT ai»ar, 376. 
 
 II ^ a II 
 
 ^f^l 5nkh, 47, 84, 364, 405. 
 ^l|fl 5chhat, 352. 
 ^f ^fVf aiijan, 220. 
 ^^■^ andlier, 61, 244, 330. 
 
 ^^ adi, 57. 
 ^T^ andhi, 101. 
 ^^^ as, 25. 
 ■^f^ asin, 243, 460. 
 
 II T i II 
 1[^TT ija'', 67. 
 Tt^^TT itibar, 265. 
 ^•^"^ ^^ indar jao, 152. 
 
 II t i II 
 ^^ id, 306. 
 t^€T»I isan, 460. 
 
 II ^ u II 
 ^^^^ uchrung, 105. 
 ^^T^ urhai-al, 318. 
 ^ff-^T utra, 472. 
 ^^TTT^ udrachh, 2. 
 ^^ uddi, 95. 
 ■g\^Tl^ udhar, 280. 
 ■^^ZTT "Ptar, 473. 
 ^■qTlj"^ upraur, 501. 
 ^m^ up^^si, 44.
 
 244 
 
 HINDI VERBAL INDEX. 
 
 II ^ Ti II 
 WZ unt, 98, 194, 205, 374, 503. 
 ^j^fl ugat, 439. 
 
 im e II 
 TlI^Tff\ eliwati, 423. 
 
 II ^ ai II 
 ^^TfTT-ff alnchatanau, 252. 
 
 II ^ o II 
 ^^ ochhi, 199. 
 
 II ^'l" au II 
 ^l"'?n "Wt^ aua baiia, 474. 
 
 II ^ k II 
 ^^l^kakaij, 132,411. 
 ejiefi"^ kankari, 459. 
 ^^fT^t kachahrl, 257. 
 ^^T^ZT kajrauta, 84. 
 ct)\^c|| karua, 237. 
 ^^;R kadam, 100. 
 cf{^^ kadua, 21. 
 cR^ kant, 4G0, 501. 
 ^^^ kaneyan, 326, 327. 
 ^•ftt^^T kanaujiya, 259. 
 ^UTT kapar, 20, 33, 195, 385. 
 ^^^^ kapas, 476. 
 ^TTfT kaput, 400. 
 ^^ftTkabita, 41. 
 ^-4\T kal)ii-, 399. 
 ^^ff-^ kabutar, 253. 
 
 ■^^^^ kabebve, 1 13. 
 
 ^*TTT kanira, 138. 
 
 'Sfmm kamal, 399. 
 
 ^T^TT karam, 171. 
 
 ^TT^ karai, 443. 
 
 ^f^njJ^T kariyawa, 148, 501. 
 
 ^f^^T karla, 149. 
 
 ^fril karigab, 305. 
 
 ^X;% kareje, 149. 
 
 ^WI^ kagje, 278. 
 
 cRT^ITT kaga, 473. 
 
 ^15 ^^n"^ kacbli kasauti, 
 
 501. 
 ^^■^ kajar, 127, 203, 338. 
 ^^ kaji, 419. 
 ^TZ kat, 25. 
 c(nf?T^ katik, 460. 
 ^^ kado, 445, 452. 
 ^•T kan, 95. 
 ^T^-^ kabar, 501. 
 ^Tf*Tt% kamini, 482. 
 cfiT?T^ kayatb, 261, 279,280, 283. 
 ^TfT'^ karikb, 203. 
 "NT clOrqf kirtaniyan, 239. 
 f^f^^ kirtik, 443, 445. 
 t%^»T kisan, 453, 465, 471. 
 ^f^f : {^^^^^ kinab) kiniha, 
 
 501. 
 ^iZT (^Z^ kutani) kutan,379. 
 gi^T^ kutbrioH, 203. 
 ^^T kiitta, 447.
 
 HINDI VERBAL INDEX. 
 
 245 
 
 gi^^laulal, 144. 
 
 ^tqr kiippa, 12. 
 
 ^aR^^ kubudlii, 63. 
 
 ^^1 "TT kumhara, 286. 
 
 oR^l^f'T kiimhaini, 319. 
 
 gil[^f^»T knrmin, 480. 
 
 gf^ kurmi, 28.5. 
 
 gi^Hrfl^ kulwanti, 391. 
 
 -Sfi^ kuan, 490. 
 
 ^icRT kukiir (cRtTT kutta), 141, 
 
 210, 264, 350, 361, 373. 
 cR-?^^ kurkut, 279. 
 gju kup, 482. 
 ^^T kaila, 501. 
 ^^^ koili, 50. 
 ^fe^kothie, 48). 
 ^^T kora, 300, 383. 
 cfit?1^T% kotwale, 409. 
 ^^kodo, 54, 81, 142, 315,475. 
 cfi^X^^T^ korinatliu, 131. 
 ^^T koreya, 152. 
 
 efi^^ kauri, 14. 
 ^fr^X kauva, 18. 
 o^%T kaufisa, 252. 
 
 U ^ kh II 
 T^^g"^ kliakhri, 465. 
 ?5^|TgX khagara, 236. 
 ^X;^T kharcha, 446. 
 ^■^T^ khanuli, 340. 
 T^f^^T*! kharihaii, 481. 
 
 I^^ khalli, 375. 
 
 ^^T^ khawas, 412. 
 
 1^^ khassi, 123, 149. 
 
 ?iT5IT khaja, 63. 
 
 miZ klmt, 199. 
 
 Tif^T khafira, 357. 
 
 ^X;T khira, 5, 413. 
 
 ^^ kins, 22. 
 
 ^^XIT khurpa, 202. 
 
 Mzi khuilta, 500. 
 
 I|i: khur, 7. 
 
 ^rjkhet, 297,309,411,433, 481. 
 
 ^ff^ kheti, 242, 298, 432, 434, 
 
 497. 
 %^y«fi" khelaunafi, 116. 
 
 ^^■^ khesari, 288. 
 II T g II 
 
 im gaj, 299. 
 
 I^T 8aj«»''» 97. 
 
 'T^'^'R^ geilruar, 180. 
 
 1^^ gaiur, 150. 
 
 ^ifTIgati, 211. 
 
 l^fT gadha, 183, 249, 271, 
 
 277, 297, 493. 
 ^^ gaiya, 461. 
 
 IT^g'^^'J"' -39. 
 TT'Tt garmi, 490. 
 JlfJ:'^^ gariya, 431. 
 J[X\^ garlb, 166, 170, 
 l^'^T galaiclia, 86.
 
 246 
 
 HINDI VERBAL INDEX. 
 
 5[T^«T^'i" ^aivaiiwrin, 3!)4. 
 ^r^T"?! ganway, 18, 347. 
 ^^ giii'iffo, 104. 
 
 1T^^ gSjeli (IT^I^ gajab), 
 
 32!). 
 TH^ gaji, 331. 
 IT'SV ganthi, 88. 
 Wri\ gari, 400. 
 ^T^ gae, 130. 
 f^Tf ^ girhast, 450. 
 ^f! git, 202, 353. 
 3]\^^ gidar, 161. 
 'ftTl girah, 215. 
 ^T5l^TrTg"ji-at, 458. 
 ^n; gur, 338, 440. 
 ^Tl^ gurhathe, 356. 
 71^ guru, 13. 
 ^T^^^ gurbliaiya, 13. 
 1^"^ gular, 10. 
 1*^ guild, 495. 
 'r«mTt gendhaii, 66. 
 5r^^ gerui, 478. 
 ir# gehun, 222, 489. 
 ^^TT goar, 443. 
 ^cTT gota, 253. 
 ^ft^ gon, 499. 
 ^ffTJT|7 g-oefira, 242, 428. 
 afr^gol, 501. 
 
 II ^ gli II 
 ^n^ ghaggha, 442. 
 lEI^gliar,29,73,121,181,421,477. 
 
 ^X^ ghaii, 421. 
 
 ^^ ghare, 80, 81, 82, 83. 
 
 ^fTT gliaraita, 354. 
 
 ^T^ g'lSgli, 255, 483, 490. 
 
 ^TZgl'at, 199. 
 
 ^f^ ghafis, 224, 308. 
 
 ^^ghiii, 53, 118, 130. 
 
 ^^ gliughut, 339. 
 
 VJ^*|^ ghiirnii, 285. 
 
 W^ gliuno, 235. 
 
 ^^ ghor, 53, 492. 
 
 ^^T gliora, 135, 137, 172, 300. 
 
 II ^ cli II 
 
 '^^ chaclicha, 419. 
 ^ift chachi, 99. 
 ^'ZIX chatai, 70. 
 ^rl'^ cbatur, 22. 
 ^T^W chamakal, 87. 
 ^Tf^T cbamra, 311. 
 '^^'^cbamru, 383. 
 "^mTT. chamar, 71, 269. 
 ^^t^cbarui, 71. 
 'q^*!^ chalani, 93. 
 ^^■^ cbaur, 160, 222, 444. 
 ^T^iT chakar, 39, 40. 
 ^^ cband, 416, 486. 
 '^■p^'tl" (bandani, 225. 
 ^cf^ cbabuk, 137. 
 T) \*i cbam, 151. 
 "^T"^^!^ cbarpai, 248.
 
 HINDI VERBAL INDEX. 
 
 247 
 
 f%%Z^ chiunti, 191. 
 f%fI7:T chitia, 478, 479. 
 f^^Z cliirkut, 133. 
 f^T^Z^ chirkutalii, 386. 
 '^^ chik, 178. 
 ^•rif Chilian, 323, 446. 
 
 S^*ft <^l»i'ii, 111- 
 ^^^ chilam, 176. 
 "^^fT-ft chulhani, 162. 
 'gwi^'^ chundari, 87. 
 ^JU chuma, 76. 
 
 Cs. 
 
 'g^ chura, 366. 
 ^rt churi, 424. 
 'g^f T chulha, 94, 259. 
 ^^T cliulia, 4. 
 '^^ chela. 111. 
 ^fTchait, 243, 491. 
 T^T^ chokha, 254. 
 ^■^ chor, 14, 106, 380, 386, 409, 
 411, 412, 413, 414, 415, 416. 
 ^3 chaiith, 486. 
 ^p|"qTT chaupar, 92. 
 ^q chaube, 402. 
 
 II ^ chh II 
 ^fq ^ chhapi ke, 454. 
 ^T*! W^T^ chhan chhapar, 94. 
 WTT W^ chham chhunm, 136. 
 
 Cs 
 
 lE^fV chhuchclihi, 9. 
 W^«^T t^li'iuchhundar, 211. 
 %^ chhed, 93. 
 
 i|-?^ chher, 102. 
 ||"^ chheri, 435. 
 W^Z^ chhotki, 394. 
 l^f^ chhauiiri, 103. 
 
 II ^ j II 
 
 ^1flj''ff'it» 35. 
 
 ^l^qTjagdipa, 392. 
 
 ^^TTTI jajman, 118. 
 
 5J^Tjalla,491. 
 
 ^^Wj a was, 451. 
 
 ^T^ jar, 490. 
 
 WRTjat, 199. 
 
 Wt^'l jiyan, 250. 
 
 ^Zjuth, 289. 
 
 Wf5;j«e (^^ jorii), 65. 
 
 W\W[ Z^IT joga toiiafi, 359. 
 
 ^^n^ jogi, 490. 
 
 Wt^fT jolaha, 303, 304, 305, 
 
 306, 307, 308, 309. 
 ^^f^»l jolahin, 301, 310. 
 gft jao, 307, 479. 
 ^TUJaiigra. 322. 
 
 II W J'' II 
 
 IJITT jliagra, 3!>3. 
 ^cjl^ jhafiway, 317. 
 f?J]i^jhilli,281. 
 flj^;nTJhiIanga, 199. 
 ^i; jhCimar, 104, 126, 306.
 
 2-18 
 
 HINDI VERBAL INDEX. 
 
 II Z t II 
 
 Z^ft takahi, 79. 
 
 ^qrr taka, 37. 
 
 2^ ^T t"ke ser, 63. 
 
 Z^-?J tahra, 3J3. 
 
 ZIZ^ tfiti, 76. 
 
 Zm tap, 347. 
 
 fZ^l^ titalii, 108. 
 
 ^"I^T^ tikar, 501. 
 
 ^g;-^ Z^X tiikiir tukur, 18G. 
 
 ^^Ij; tetar, 96, 
 
 ^•fT toua, 359. 
 
 II 3 th II 
 
 "371 thag, 283. 
 ■3:'37 tlmtha, 115. 
 ^T^T thakiir, 262. 
 ■^T^ tharh, 30. 
 •3J^ thaoil, 203, 275. 
 
 •JXt thuthi, 126. 
 %Tfl thefiga, 313. 
 ^^ thes, 26. 
 ^F'TT theliuna, 205. 
 "StT tlior, 313. 
 
 II ^ (1 II 
 Tg»';5 ^T tlanda dor, 32. 
 ^^ dak, 447, 449, 468. 
 ^if^^l dakiui, 468. 
 
 ^T^ darlii, 310. 
 ^f^ dahi, 29. 
 1^^ deurlii, 73. 
 %^^t^T dyaurha, 487. 
 ^^ doi, 175. 
 ^JT dom, 233. 
 ^"t^ doli, 243. 
 
 II ^ <ni II 
 ^^ dl.Itho, 321. 
 ^(dX[ dhefirhar, 96. 
 t^-^ dhehiia, 221. 
 ^^ dhol, 382. 
 
 II c! t II 
 
 rf|p^ tang'i, 499. 
 
 f!flT ^TtT tata panln, 365. 
 
 cfmin tamaslia, 305, 499. 
 
 fTTTT tani, 55. 
 
 cTl^"^ tad, 36. 
 
 fTT^ tari, 288. 
 
 flT^ tal, 164. 
 
 f?I^cR tilak, 19. 
 
 cftcT tit, 5, 384. 
 
 <ft^^ tian, 250. 
 
 fft^ til, 475. 
 
 fT^^ tisi, 200, 309. 
 
 g^lft ^T^ tulshi das, 41. 
 
 ^^^ turuk, 287, 288. 
 
 ^^ tel, 200, 229, 239. 
 
 ^^"^ teli, 296, 319, 375.
 
 HINDI VERBAL INDEX. 
 
 249 
 
 ^^T¥t tewasi, 44. 
 eft rIT tota, 287. 
 
 II ^ th II 
 
 ^(ft thati, 161. 
 ^■^[Tthuron, 198. 
 
 II ^ d II 
 
 ^fT^ datuli, 369. 
 2^fT^ dataun, 45. 
 ^;rff dant, 501. 
 ^iTT^ damad, 335, 352. 
 ^^^ darji, 270, 274. 
 ^■?:^TT darbar, 92. 
 ^T ^^TT dar darbar, 398. 
 ^1^^ darwesb, 78. 
 ^ff^^dahijaru, 391. 
 ^^ dahi, 205. 
 ^T^ dSrhi, 290. 
 ^l<i*l dada, 91. 
 ^f (T dant, 3, 246, 369. 
 ^T^ dal, 205, 355. 
 f^^?^ digambar, 94, 275. 
 ^^ did, 389. 
 ^•T din, 15, 61, 440. 
 ^^TKtduari, 141. 
 ^^IXt dudhari, 505. 
 ^^ffr'^ dupaharia, 117. 
 ^T? cfiHT dum kaja, 224. 
 dullah, 99. 
 
 ■^\\ dGdh, 52. 
 ^^ dObar, 493. 
 ^yn^ deyal, 383. 
 ^^g;X; deokur, 404. 
 ^^(TT deota, 283. 
 ^^ Debi, 315, 316. 
 ^^■^ devvar, 324. 
 ^^ des, 165. 
 ^^ dokh, 277. 
 ^^•^ dobar, 487. 
 1^'5(J daura, 82. 
 
 II V dh II 
 
 \^ dhan, 105, 178, 344, 488. 
 
 ^•IfT dhanaba, 477. 
 
 \J«ft dbani, 170. 
 
 \:JTT dban, 64, 261, 444, 486. 
 
 "^^J dblya, 329, 335. 
 
 \JtTT dbira, 313. 
 
 ^ dbup, 179. 
 
 ^^ dhail, 401, 410. 
 
 \ftl^ dbokha, 254. 
 
 \^<T\ dhoti, 80. 
 
 \^^ dhobi, 271, 272, 283, 490. 
 
 ^ft^"*! dhobin, 133. 
 
 II T n II 
 
 •T^ZT nakta, 193. 
 '^'^Z\ nakti, 425. 
 •tT^lrfl nakhuna, 253. 
 17
 
 250 
 
 HINDI VERBAL INDEX. 
 
 •T^"^ nagar, 107, 392. 
 ^IT^T nagara, 72. 
 •T^ nath, 386. 
 •T^T^T^ nath wall, 386. 
 •T»T^ nanad, 325, 381. 
 •TTW^ narahani, 134. 
 •^tr^fT nahira, 58. 
 ^-^ iiaii, 303. 
 'it^Tr nayihra, 292. 
 «fT'^«I naun, 134. 
 ^JX »ai, 233. 
 ^^nach, 73, 116, 317. 
 •IT'^ nata, 251. 
 5lT(T^ nati, 92. 
 ^T^ nath, 249. 
 •fPlf^ nami, 46. 
 •TT^ naon, 269. 
 f'TT^ niderale, 127. 
 f^5^ niud, 199. 
 f'T^T^ uiporale, 69. 
 ftrl^^ nimaj, 304. 
 f'nftfW^T nimochhiya, 385. 
 f^CtTT nihora, 333. 
 Ht?T nim, 143. 
 Vfxji^I neura, 82. 
 •fT ZT nem tern, 71. 
 •TTrr^T ueman, 481. 
 ^ITf; nehai, 23. 
 •l^"^ naihar, 322. 
 •ftff^T noniyan, 292. 
 ^H"^ uau5, 262. 
 
 II ^ P II 
 
 ^Tf T pagaha, 249. 
 
 ^T'KT^ pagurae, 59. 
 
 T^^^T pachhwa, 460, 467, 470. 
 
 trfcT^"^T patibarta, 370. 
 
 ■q^ panth, 212. 
 
 ^Tfl' panahi, 419. 
 
 ■qTWTfT parsaut, 396. 
 
 T^Ttf^T parosin, 389. 
 
 tiff pailre, 94, 260. 
 
 tlTTT pat, 66, 85. 
 
 XTT'T pSn, 69, 228, 238. 
 
 tJT^ p5p, 232. 
 
 Tf\^ pahi, 430. 
 
 "m^«T pahun, 354. 
 
 fq^'^T! P'cli''uar, 30. 
 
 fcifT"^ pitaran, 429. 
 
 fq^ pilli, 186. 
 
 xJ^ffT: pitar, 48. 
 
 ^\W^ Pipa*"' 428. 
 
 ift^T piya, 25, 45, 456. 
 
 iftTT Pira, 396. 
 
 ■"^^T^ puawe, 82. 
 
 TJ?^ pukh, 452. 
 
 Xlwf^qg punarbas, 452, 453. 
 
 5T^T purwa, 460,463, 465, 466. 
 
 XIXi^^T purwaiya, 461, 466. 
 
 q^^ purukh, 60. 
 
 q^ pQa, 100, 228. 
 
 qrj put, 30, G6, 72, 92, 399.
 
 HINDI VERBAL INDEX. 
 
 251 
 
 tIrIT puta, 398. 
 ^cftff ^T putohiya, 379. 
 xm pus, 487, 489. 
 ^^Tf pechah, 320. 
 ^fZ petu, 46. 
 Hl[J paega, 162. 
 
 ■q^T paiy^» ^^^' "^72. 
 
 ■qX^^ paerao, 191. 
 lfi% poiichli, 95, 361. 
 "^t"^ powa, 150. 
 ift^lcll posauwa, 279. 
 t^^ paua, 351. 
 
 II ^ pli II 
 tfi^f fl phajihat, 422. 
 ■^^IT phahima, 344. 
 TJ^ phuli, 96, 252. 
 T^af pliauj, 503. 
 
 II W 1> II 
 
 ^^^f[«I bakdain, 11. 
 ^cfiffT bakata, 179. 
 ^^■^ bakaii, 174. 
 ^cfi^ bakucba, 105. 
 ^f%€n bakliiya, 204. 
 ^^fil^ bajaiiiyail, 387. 
 ^gj-^ bajar, 282. 
 ^^'i!^ barai, 62. 
 ^ffT^ batas, 294. 
 ^^fY badari, 469. 
 ^^T banda, 430. 
 
 ^f^rlTbaiiita, 441. 
 
 ^r«I^f baniyafi, 122. 
 
 W^"^T babua, 359. 
 
 ■^^^ babui, 336. 
 
 cITi^T barkha, 455, 474, 483, 
 
 484. 
 ^T;^ baradha, 436. 
 ^f^Tf! bariyat, 262. 
 ^fT"^TT; bariyar, 195, 196. 
 ^ff T; babir, 330. 
 cf^cfjj«l babukan, 251. 
 ^¥f^^T bahuriya, 44, 70, 127, 
 
 334, 336. 
 ^^TT babera, 330. 
 cfT^-^ baur, 160. 
 ^^ hag, 34. 
 m^ bagh, 377. 
 ^15 bachh, 492. 
 ^^ banjb, 398. 
 m"^ bati, 83. 
 mirf"^ bandar, 57, 58. 
 ^^f -T bainban, 264. 
 ^^T^^«T^ bamhni, 6. 
 ^■?^T bara, 56. 
 ^^ bas, 308. 
 ^T¥t basi, 44. 
 f^"Z^'*^m bitlyawa, 336. 
 f^\f^T bidhwa, 468. 
 f^TI bipra, 178. 
 f^^T^ birane, 346. 
 t^^ biUi, 4, 320.
 
 252 
 
 HINDI VERBAL INDEX. 
 
 f^^^ bisani, 67, 72. 
 
 ^^ bibi, 6. 
 
 ^^ biya, 432. 
 
 ^:g^^ burbak, 343, 344, 346, 
 
 347, 348. 
 
 ^■:g% burle, 276. 
 \» • 
 
 ^f^^T bundiya, 326, 
 
 ^fX:^^ buribak, 327. 
 W^W^ bulbul, 37. 
 ^IJ bujb, 62. 
 ^^5^ bural, 399. 
 ^^ l)urh, 139, 314. 
 ^^ bubu, 301. 
 ^^ befig, 7'2, 173. 
 
 5f^^ bengal cha (note), 313. 
 ^^ beta, 32, 76, 356. 
 ^^ beti, 178, 356. 
 ^^ bed, 481. 
 ^•T ben, 59. 
 %TfT bena, 101. 
 ^^T^ beway, 395. 
 ^^ bel, 208, 247. 
 ^^ft^T belaunja, 430. 
 ^^1 besalie, 501. 
 ^^T besya, 185. 
 ^Jt»f baigan, 189. 
 "ecS baid, 255. 
 ^•n baina, 501. 
 ^tr^T 'ft^ bairiya gol, 501. 
 '^^^^T baisakkha, 444. 
 ^15 bojb, 245. 
 
 ^'I^Tf baiirab, 143. 
 ^11 bans, 323. 
 
 II ^ bh II 
 ^cfi ^^^ nf^ bbak bliaun 
 
 piiri, 156. 
 *I7I^T bhagwa, 28. 
 MIT; bhaddar, 437, 459. 
 ^mT. bhat5r, 403, 467. 
 H^^ bhatija, 419. 
 V\-^ bhadra, 421. 
 ^^■^trr bharta, 370. 
 *[T?; bhai, 410. 
 m'^'S bhakath, 425. 
 
 ^^m\ bhaji, 63. 
 
 *fTfT bhat, 81, 170, 199, 205, 
 
 354, 355, 447, 459. 
 *rr^ bhado, 460. 
 ^T^ bban, 454. 
 "Wim ^f^*! bliabba kutan, 
 
 379. 
 
 ^^ bhal, 144. 
 
 fif^-^ bhillaii, 449. 
 
 ^^ bhikb, 08, 332. 
 
 ^^¥^ bbusabul, 92, 341. 
 
 ^T§ bbukh, 199. 
 ©>> 
 
 ^^ bhusa, 7, 160. 
 Vlil bhefit, 33. 
 5lf^^T bbediya, 29. 
 ^^T bhaiya, 74, 366. 
 ^% bhains, 59, 343.
 
 HINDI VERBAL INDEX. 
 
 253 
 
 *^T •>^'''»iiisui'> 324. 
 ?lt'T l)liondu, 345. 
 *f|^T^ bhaujai, 348. 
 
 II ^ m II 
 
 IT^5|V makkhi, 201. 
 
 TfT^TT^ inakhniHl, 204. 
 
 ?fl^7 maggha, 442, 452. 
 
 ^T mattha, 209. 
 
 Jf^ mad, 106. 
 
 ?T«T^ manus, 313. 
 
 ^^Tf markhah, 102. 
 
 ^■^^T 'ft^ niarda maugi, 378. 
 
 ^^Y«T malin, 15. 
 
 ff^^tT masiyar, 457. 
 
 IT^"^ masuri, 80. 
 
 iT^IT malianga, 164. 
 
 7T^^^ mahjid, 291. 
 
 ^^ mahi, 463. 
 
 Tf^^ maliua, 106. 
 
 ^e|"^ machhar, 347. 
 
 JfJ^ maiir, 38, 326, 
 
 ?n^l malh, 128. 
 
 f{J^ mans, 161, 354. 
 
 f'TTt'r^TT mirgisia, 447. 
 
 ?T^fTT mukuta, 382. 
 
 «?I'5^T muilgra, 24. 
 
 T?"^T1[ miirai, 479. 
 
 TT'^n mua, 100. 
 
 T^ Wl^ niuheii chhae, 50. 
 
 ^^ mus, 151. 
 
 fJWl mGsa, 27, 320, 370. 
 
 JJ^T milsar, 3i)2. 
 
 ^^ megh, 454, 468, 488. 
 
 ^S^ merhak, 173. 
 
 ^^Xt mehari, 213, 351. 
 
 *l»n" niaena, 50. 
 
 ?ft^ mochi, 268. 
 
 ^rt^T"^^ mocliligaraha, 385. 
 
 if^TT niom, 216. 
 
 iftT "lo^' 75. 
 
 ^ftfT^ Wrf^^ mohamad 
 
 fazil, 90. 
 ^aft maugi, 369. 
 ^ftr'^n^fl mausiyaut, 410. 
 TT^l^ manrai, 39. 
 Tf^JT^ mangro, 355, 356. 
 Tf^"^«f maiigaran, 34. 
 
 II T r H 
 •^cfi(T\ rakati, 371. 
 ■^^^■^ lakhwar, 498. 
 ■^■^^ rachchlia, 1. 
 T?5I''^f«f'4| I raj ran iy ail, 269. 
 "r^^ rasulla, 94. 
 ■^tI; rai, 479. 
 TT^ff laut, 257 (rau TTT^* 
 
 444). 
 TCJ^^ rakas, 114, 146, 392. 
 JJ^ raja, 124, 268, 367, 488. 
 ■5[J^ rar, 56. 
 ■?ff^ raiir, 423, 467.
 
 254 
 
 HINDI VERBAL INDEX. 
 
 Xl"^ raniri, 367. 
 fXfK^'^ ririyay, 477- 
 ^^5TT rukhan, 207. 
 ^T7T rupa, 501. 
 ■^^I^^ rusal, 185. 
 ^^ renr, 184. 
 ^•T lain, 482. 
 Tt?: ftT roi roi, 158. 
 "^^ rog, 393. 
 XtU'm rogiya, 388. 
 ■^^ rohu, 196. 
 ■^f •! rohan, 445, 447. 
 
 II ^ 1 II 
 ^T^f^ lakari, 38. 
 ^^T^T lagam, 300. 
 ^TJ^ latal, 324. 
 ^f^^ larika, 11, 47, 276. 
 ^^ laddu, 192, 281. 
 
 ^^TT labar, 43. 
 ^^■^"f lainera, 40. 
 ^fTf^"^ lamaicliar, 40. 
 g^ Iambi, 80, 81, 313. 
 ^tr^R'T larikan, 119, 154. 
 ^T^ lakh, 43. 
 ^TW laje, 321. 
 ^TTt latbi, 195, 257, 448. 
 ^TfT lat, 183, 227. 
 ^T^^^ lal bahi, 375. 
 f^TJTTT I'l'^r, 19, 79. 
 #^ lik, 400. 
 
 ^^3 liirah, 210. 
 ^leftcJI"^ liikwari, 146. 
 ^f^l^ lukhari, 484. 
 ^;n"'0" lugari, 136. 
 %% lekhe, 276. 
 Tjft^ lok, 332. 
 ^^f^T lokdin, 326. 
 ^71 log, 318. 
 ^fi:^ lorik, 256. 
 ^^•?; lahar, 254, 295. 
 ^^T lauka, 210. 
 ^^ laur, 33, 186, 188. 
 '^mi lanka, 29. 
 ^TZTlangta, 116. 
 
 II ^ s II 
 
 ^ITT sagara, 482. 
 
 ^^■^ sagare, 153. 
 
 €lJ^fT sanjhwat, 83. 
 
 ^cfY sati, 400. 
 
 ^PtT sattu, 351, 429. 
 
 ^ff('«T sataiin, 45. 
 
 ^•fft^ santokb, 17, 277. 
 
 ^•T^niT^'3 sansanahat, 183. 
 
 ■^^T sansar, 182. 
 
 ^{^^^ satiicliar, 469. 
 
 5fltrfl saput, 323. 
 
 ^^*H^ saptmi, 454, 455, 456, 
 
 457, 458. 
 ^^^M sapaberi, 51. 
 ^^f^«T saindhiu, 103.
 
 HINDI VERBAL INDEX. 
 
 255 
 
 ¥T^f^ saikari, 186. 
 
 ^TJl ^fTI^ sarag patali, 501. 
 
 HTTf ^ sarahal, 334. 
 
 ^^T! sawai, 487. 
 
 ^Trft swati, 442, 443, 480. 
 
 ^^TT sasta, 164. 
 
 ^■?^ sasur, 229, 292. 
 
 ^{^•?;TT sasurar, 329, 351. 
 
 ^^W saliua, 106. 
 
 ^^^tI; sahanai, 233. 
 
 ^T'T sag, 233. 
 
 ^T1 mri sag pat, 85, 166. 
 
 ^TU saiijh, 410. 
 
 Wl^ {^TR\) sami shwami, 
 
 470. 
 ^T; sar, 457. 
 ^^ sali, 475. 
 ^^if sawan, 112, 244, 454, 
 
 455, 456, 457, 458, 460, 
 
 493. 
 ^X^'^^7«f safiwarban, 501. 
 ^TO sas, 379, 381. 
 ^T^^ sasur, 322, 329, 366, 391. 
 t^^frm sikatiya, 350. 
 f^^rn: (t^^T) sikar (shikar), 
 
 124. 
 t^^X; singar, 376. 
 f^T singha, 233. 
 TwmX siySr, 42, 112, 283, 473. 
 ftlT^ siraki, 55. 
 f^^^^ silwat, 26. 
 
 W^1S\ sukthi, 189. 
 
 ^C^ sukh, 337. 
 
 \* 
 
 ^^ '^^ sukh pun, 383. 
 ^^TT^ sukhratri, 481. 
 ^■q sup, 82. 
 ^^T sum, 15. 
 ^t^T^T sumin, 15. 
 %3 seth, 103. 
 ^'^•^ sendur, 20, 424. 
 %'^ sendhi, 415. 
 ^^TIT seyana, 256. 
 %1U saiySn, 366, 377. 
 Ir^T^ saiyad, 9. 
 ^cji^ ^wf sokan ban, 501. 
 ^^ sojh, 230, 350, 
 ^-TTT sonSr, 295. 
 ^ITT^ sohalk, 163. 
 ^^7^«f sohawan, 382. 
 ^^^TIC solJi'ai, 130. 
 
 11^ II 
 
 ^c|pQ shakar, 475. 
 ^m shani, 438. 
 
 II f h II 
 f of haj, 4. 
 
 f f^"m haiiriya, 369, 373. 
 If^nn hanthiya, 475, 476, 477. 
 f ^-^ hansua, 202, 410. 
 f -^ bar, 298, 435. 
 ^1^ harre, 330.
 
 256 
 
 HINDI VERBAL INDEX. 
 
 ^tX;^^ haiibans, 205. 
 ^f?:^^ hariyare, 244. 
 ^^^t^ haluai, 358. 
 ^f^ hakim, 197. 
 fTZ l>at, 164. 
 ^T|\ hanri, 71. 
 fT^ l»athi, 3, 246, 349. 
 ^TX;^ liaral, 213. 
 
 f Tft liahi, 17. 
 ffl hifig, 417. 
 fVrr tira, 413. 
 ^^^ hukal, 23. 
 i^^"^ hunrar, 130. 
 ;^?T«fT huinna, 298. 
 ^T^f huron, 198. 
 ^^"^ hansi, 158. 
 
 STEPHEN AUSTIN AND SONS, PRINTERS, HERTFORD.
 
 \X5 
 
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