[79] Le temps se charge, in French signifies that it is clouding up, threatening rain—lit: “loading up.” Misfortune does not threaten before it falls.
193. Mamans ka fair iches, main pas khèrs yeaux. (Les mères font les enfants, mais non pas leurs cœurs.)
“Mothers make children; but not children’s hearts.”—[Trinidad.]
194. Manger yon fois pas ka rìser dents. (Manger une fois n’use pas les dents.)
“Eating once doesn’t wear out the teeth.”—[Trinidad.]
195. Mari napas trouvé dans vétivére. (Un mari ne se trouve pas dans le vétiver.)
“You won’t find a husband in the vetiver.”[80]—[Mauritius.]
[80] The delightfully fragrant grass, well-known to pharmaceutists as the Andropogon muricatus or Vetiveria odorata is used in Mauritius to thatch cabins with. A broad border of this grass is usually planted around each square of sugar-cane. It grows tall enough to conceal a man, or a couple of lovers holding a rendezvous. Hence the wholesome warning.
196. Mariaze napas pariaze; ménaze napas badinaze. (Le mariage n’est pas un pari; le ménage n’est pas un badinage.)
“Marriage is no trifling wager, and housekeeping is no sport.”—[Mauritius.]