Great Throughts Treasury

"When a palm-branch reaches its height, it gives way for a fresh one to grow."

"When a person regrets endlessly, he gets to pay more for what he regrets."

"When a poor man gets a little money, his thoughts go off in ten different directions."

"When a ripe fruit sees an honest man, it drops."

"When a person is not as she used to be, she does not behave as she used to behave."

"When a sickle is drawn, it in turn draws the tree to which it is hooked."

"When a tree falls on a yam farm and kills the farm?s owner, you don?t waste time counting the numbers of yam heaps ruined."

"When a very short man causes the market to break up in a big fight, bystanders ask him to stand up so that they can see how short he really is."

"When a woman cannot have good palm-nuts to give her rich oil, she still has to maintain decency in order to remain one of those that sell good quality oil."

"When a woman has ten children, there is nothing that happens in the night that she does not know about."

"When a soup is unpalatable, and the paste of the pounded yam that goes with it is not smooth, that is the time to know a man who loves to eat pounded yam."

"When an elephant falls, meat is sure to be surplus for those who follow the hunter."

"When an only kolanut is presented with love, it carries with it more value than might otherwise be associated with a whole pod of several kolanuts."

"When a woman prepares a dish which others find unpalatable, she says that she prepared it to suit her own taste."

"When crocodiles eat their own eggs, what will they not do to the flesh of a frog?"

"When it is the turn of a man to become the head of a village, he does not need to diviner to tell him that he is destined to rule."

"When mother cow is cropping grass, her young one watches her mouth."

"When one buys clothe for the lazy man, one should also dye it."

"When the brothers fight to the death, a stranger inherits their father?s estate."

"When one is in trouble, one remembers God."

"When rain falls on the leopard, does it wash off its spots?"

"When one is taking a chicken from its roost, the hen is bound to attack with at least its claws."

"When the elderly ones in a house travel, the younger ones quickly grow in experience."

"When the chameleon brings forth a child, is not that child expected to dance?"

"When the elders leave the town, the town is spoilt and when the youths die, the town is desolated."

"When the evil-plotter beats his drum for the downfall of the innocent, the gods will not let that drum sound!"

"When the elephants fight it is the grass that suffers."

"When the gods command, we men must obey."

"When the handshake goes beyond the elbow, it turns into something else."

"When the frog in front falls in a pit, others behind take caution."

"When the head of a household dies, the house becomes an empty shell."

"When the hyena drinks, the dog can only look on."

"When the leopard has a broken paw, the antelope comes to collect an old debt."

"When the laborer is praised, his cutlass begins to cut more keenly."

"When the man that prayed not to be shamed is shamed, he prays not to die."

"When the mice laugh at the cat, there is a hole nearby."

"When the mother goat breaks into the yam store her kid watches her."

"When the music changes, so does the dance."

"When the moon is shining, the cripple becomes hungry for a walk."

"When the right hand washes the left hand and the left hand washes the right hand, both hands become clean."

"When the teeth fall off, the nose is sure to collapse."

"When the music stops, a deaf person continues to dance."

"When the next house is on fire, 'tis high time to look to your own."

"When the roots of a tree begin to decay, it spreads death to the branches."

"When trees fall on trees, the topmost must be removed first."

"When the wood-insect gathers sticks on its own head, it carries them."

"When you are eating with the devil, you must use a long spoon."

"When trouble nocks and one says there is no chair it says it bring it own seat."

"When you are sick you promise a goat, but when you are well again make do with a chicken."

"When will the goat be strong enough to kill a leopard."