324. Toutt milett ni grand zaureilles. (Tout les mulets ont des grandes oreilles.)
“All mules have big ears.”—Equivalent to our proverb; “Birds of a feather flock together.”—[Martinique.]
325. * Toutt mounn save ça qui ka bouï nens canari yo. (Toute personne sait ce qui bout dans son canari [marmite].)
“Everybody knows what boils in his own pot”—i.e., knows his own business best.[138]—[Martinique.]
[138] In Thomas’s Trinidad version: “Tout moune connaite ça qui ka bouï nans canari yeaux.” In Louisiana Creole: “Chakin connin ça kapé bouilli dans so chodière.” Canari is sometimes used in our Creole, but rarely. I have only heard it in old songs. The iron pot (chodière) or tin utensil has superseded the canari.
326. Travaï pas mal; cé ziex qui capons. (Le travail ne fait pas du mal; c’est les yeux qui sont capons [lâches].)
“Work doesn’t hurt;—‘tis the eyes that are cowards.”—[Mauritius.]
327. Trop gratté bourlé. (Trop gratter brûle [cuit].)
“Too much scratching brings smarting.”—[Mauritius.]