Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 24, 1913.djvu/109

Rh But the proverbs,—the philosophy of the older and, presumably, married men,—show a very different outlook, and I have gathered orally and from various local pamphlets the following choice specimens, chiefly to illustrate this point of view:—[The spelling follows the local dialects.]

1. Stan vërslusa, n'autran spusa. This year (a) stye (on the eye), next year (a) bride.

2. Marièsse a l'e ün brüt afè, Ma, Nossgnur, femlu pruvè. Marriage is a bad business, But, O Lord, let me try it.

3. A l'e scrit sü la porta dël dôm Che na bella fia a pia ün brüt ôm. It is written on the door of the church That a beautiful girl marries an ugly man.

4. L'ôm basta ch'a sia pi bel dël diavul, (o ch'a l'abia nen i corn). It is enough for a man to be more beautiful than the devil, (or not to have horns).

5. Se ün l'è bin marià, A l'à el paradis anticipà: S'a l'è mal marià, A l'à l'infern anticipà. If one is well married, It is Paradise anticipated: If one is ill married, It is Hell anticipated.

6. 'L prim ôm a l'è de Dio. El secund a l'è del mund. E l'ters a l'è dël diaval. (Of widows.) The first man (husband) is god-like, (i.e. gifted with virtues, because beloved). The second is worldly, (i.e. has virtues and vices). The third is diabolic.

7. El cör d'lè fumne a l'è a mlon. A na dan na fëtta a prün.