“All the women go to confession now-a-days; but they no sooner return from church, than the devil piles more sins upon them.”—[Mauritius.]
10. Babe canmarade ou pris difé, rousé ta ou. (Quand la barbe de ton camarade brûle, arrose la tienne.)
“If you see your neighbor’s beard on fire, water your own.”[6]—[Martinique.]
[6] “Take example by the misfortune of others.” I much doubt the Creole origin of any proverb relating to the beard. This one, like many others in the collection, has probably been borrowed from a European source; but it furnishes a fine sample of patois. In Louisiana Creole we would say to quenne instead of ta ou. The Spanish origin of the Creole quenne is obvious.
11. Babiez mouche, babiez viande. (Grondez les mouches, grondez la viande.)
“Scold the flies, scold the meat.”—[Hayti.]
12. Badnèn bien èpis macaque; main pouèngâde manyèn lakhé li. (Badinez bien avec le macaque; mais prenez garde de ne pas manier sa queue.)
“Joke with the monkey as much as you please; but take good care not to handle his tail.”—[Trinidad.]
13. Baggïe qui fair ziex fair nez. (Les choses qui font [mal aux] yeux, font [mal au] nez.)
“What troubles the eyes affects the nose.”[7]—[Trinidad.]