Page:Hausa Proverbs.djvu/63

Rh 269 Raggo ba shi chi'n abin ginna.

The "waster" has no use for digging tools.

270 Ya chi deri'n māsa, ya kāsa dauka'n deri'n tamfassua.

He will eat 100 māsa cakes, but if he is given 100 needles to carry he says he is tired.

Tamfassua, alura, needles.

271 Tuo'n girima miyatasa nama ne.

The present for the man whom you desire to honour should be a very good one.

The tuo of honour its mia (soup) is meat.

272 Kabbakk-yé'n girima ya fi kabbakk-yé'n kankantchi.

The big calabash of honour is better than one of punishment.

273 Kowa ya ke so mussaya da abin woni ya rena nasbi.

A man who wants to exchange with some one else is dissatisfied with his own property.

274 Mai son shi chi doki'n woni nasbi sbi ke kai.

A man who wants any one else's horse brings his own (to exchange).

275 Dunia birgima hankaka, en ka ga fari ka ga bakki.

The world is full of changes and chances.

The hankaka, or crow, has a white breast, and if it rolls in the dust one sees first its black back and then its white breast.