228. * Où y’en a charogne, y’en a carencro. (Où il a charogne, il y a des busards.)
“Wherever there’s carrion, there are buzzards.”[95]—[Louisiana.]
[95] This is one of several instances of the Creole adoption of English words. The name “carrion-crow” has been applied to the buzzard in Louisiana from an early period of its American history.
229. Ous pôncor travesser läivïèr;—pas jirez maman caïman. (Vous n’avez pas encore traversé la rivière—ne jurez [maudissez] pas la maman du caïman.)
“You haven’t crossed the river yet; don’t curse at the crocodile’s mother.”[96]—[Trinidad.]
[96] “Don’t halloo till you’re out of the wood!”
230. Padon pas ka guéri bosse. (“Pardon” ne guérit pas la bosse.)
“Asking pardon doesn’t cure the bump.”[97]—[Martinique.]
[97] In the Creole of Guyana this proverb exists in a very curious form: Ago pa guéri maleng.—“the excuse doesn’t cure the hurt.” M. Alfred de Saint-Quentin in his work upon this remarkably fantastic and melodious Creole dialect, says that Ago is the only word of purely African origin he has been able to find in the Guyana patois. On the Gold coast ago! is a warning cry: “Take care!—clear the way!” The Guyana slaves retained the word in a different sense. The negro who accidentally jostles anybody, still exclaims Ago!—but it now means “Beg pardon,” or “Excuse me!”