Great Throughts Treasury

"The moon moves slowly but by daybreak it crosses the sky."

"The mouth that eats pepper is the one that the pepper influences."

"The one being carried does not realize how far away the town is."

"The monkey and gorilla may claim oneness but the monkey is Monkey and the gorilla, Gorilla."

"The owl is the wisest of all birds because the more it sees, the less it talks."

"The one-eyed man thanks God only when he sees a man blind in both eyes."

"The only insurance against fire is to have two houses."

"The one-eyed man thanks God only when he sees a man who is totally blind."

"The ox will die but its harness remains."

"The piglet has the same type of snout as her mother."

"The pillar of the world is hope."

"The quarrel that doesn't concern you is pleasant to hear about."

"The rain does not recognize anyone as a friend; it drenches all equally."

"The prince is never guilty in his father?s court."

"The rat cannot call the cat to account."

"The riverside monkey is apt to be blamed for every twig found in the river."

"The Rhinoceros never dances with the monkey."

"The rich man is not God, he is merely comfortable."

"The roaring lion kills no prey."

"The river may dry up but she keeps her name."

"The sheep that moves with a dog would eat shit."

"The ruin of a land and its peoples begins in their homes."

"The shepherd of a herd of toads must be very patient with his rod"

"The skunk rat can get as fat and plump as he pleases. If his whole hind leg costs one anini, I still will not buy it."

"The same rain that drenches the slave also drenches the slave driver."

"The sky is wide enough for the birds to fly without collision."

"The sky is falling is not the problem of one person."

"The spirit that keeps one going when one has no choice of what else to do must not be mistaken for valor."

"The stone in the water does not know how hot the hill is, parched by the sun."

"The spider that knows what it will gain sits waiting patiently in its web. The praying mantis is never tired waiting all day."

"The snail may try, but it cannot cast off its shell."

"The stars shine brightest when the moon is gone."

"The task master only teaches one to be strong."

"The sun will shine on those who stand before it shines on those who kneel under them."

"The stubbornness of the pepper seeds is not a thing of bother to the mill stone (grinding stone)."

"The thirsty fig sits waiting patiently, waiting for the arrival of the rains."

"The tree that cannot shed its old leaves in the dry season, cannot survive the period of drought."

"The toad likes water but not when the water is boiling."

"The truth passes through fire and does not burn."

"The tortoise is not tall but it is taller than the snail; the snail is taller than the frog; the frog is taller than the lizard; the lizard is taller than the fly; the fly is taller than the ant; the ant in turn is taller than the ground on which it walks."

"The well gives, but the bucket refuses."

"The woman is cold water that kills you; deep water that you drown in."

"The whip hits at the legs, not the guilt."

"The weak warrior wearing sandals overcomes the brave with a thorn in his foot."

"There is no elephant that complains about the weight of its trunk. No elephant is burdened by the weight of its tusks."

"The world is like a goat?s udder. It does not give any milk, unless you punch and squeeze at it."

"There is no god like the throat: it takes sacrifices daily."

"They are the gods themselves that white-wash the fruits of the pumpkins."

"This link takes you to a source that gives you something to read about this ethnic group."

"Those who are carrying elephants home on their heads, need not use their toes to dig up crickets on the way."