B. PROVERBS.
DOTAGE.
To an old man people say:
- 8.
- Tú
- thou
- djarro
- and old
- môto
- brains
- shûdung
- delivered,
“You are old and have got rid of your senses.”
Old women are very much dreaded and are accused of creating mischief wherever they go.
DUTIES TO THE AGED.
- 9. (G.[16])
- Djuwanie
- In youth’s
- keneru
- time
- digasus,
- I gave,
- djarvelo
- in old age
- betshumus.
- I demand.
“When young I gave away, now that I am old you should support me.”
A BURNT CHILD, ETC., ETC.
10. Ek damm agáru dáddo dugúni shang thé!
Once in fire you have been burnt, a second time take care!
EVIL COMMUNICATIONS, ETC., ETC.
11. Ek khatsh látshek bilo búdo donate she.
One bad sheep if there be, to the whole flock is an insult = One rotten sheep spoils the whole flock.
12. Ek khatsho manújo budote sha = one bad man is to all an insult.
ADVICE TO KEEP GOOD COMPANY.
13. A. Mishto manújo—katshi béyto, to mishto sitshé
Katsho manujo—katshi béyto, to katsho sitshe
When you [who are bad?] are sitting near a good man you learn good things.
When you [who are bad?] are sitting near a bad man you learn bad things.
This proverb is not very intelligible, if literally translated.
DIMMI CON CHI TU PRATTICHI, ETC., ETC.
14. Tús máte rá: mey shughulo ró hun, mas tute rám: tu ko hanu = “Tell me: my friend is such and such a one, I will tell you who you are.”
DISAPPOINTMENT.
15. Sháharè kéru gé shing shém thé—konn tshiní tey tshiní téyanú.
“Into the city he went horns to place (acquire), but ears he cut thus he did. He went to acquire horns and got his ears cut off.”
HOW TO TREAT AN ENEMY.
Dî dé, putsh kàh = “give the daughter and eat the son,” is a Gilgit proverb with regard to how one ought to treat an enemy. The recommendation given is: “marry your daughter to your foe and then kill him,” [by which you get a male’s head which is more valuable than that of a female.] The Dards have sometimes acted on this maxim in order to lull the suspicions of their Kashmir enemies.[17]