[145] Béké is translated by blanc in Turiault’s work; but the witty author of Les Bambous writes: Nèg se dit pour esclave, et béké pour maître. Therefore perhaps a more correct translation would be: “The master’s eyes burn the slave’s eyes.” The phrase recalls a curious refrain which used to be sung by Louisiana field-hands:
Tout, tout, pays blanc—Danié qui commandé,
Danié qui commandé ça!
Danié qui commandé.
[“All, all the country white” (white-man’s country); “Daniel has so commanded,” etc.] I do not know whether the prophet Daniel is referred to.
350. Zié rouge pas boulé savann. (Les yeux rouges ne brûlent pas la savane.)
“Red eyes can’t burn the savannah.” A better translation might be: “Red eyes can’t start a prairie-fire.” The meaning is that mere anger avails nothing.[146]—[Martinique.]
[146] In the Guyane patois, they say: “Ça qui gadé gran boi yé kôlé pa brûlé yé.” (Celui qui regarde les grands bois avec des yeux colères ne les brûle pas.)
351. Zouré napas ena lentérement. (Les jurons n’ont pas d’enterrement.)
“Curses don’t make funerals.”—[Mauritius.]
352. Zozo paillenqui crié là-haut, coudevent vini. (Le paille-en-cul crie la-haut, le coup de vent vient.)
“When the tropic-bird screams overhead, a storm-wind is coming.”—[Mauritius.]