Some are so simple that they do not require translation, as—
- Moune qui rond pas capable vini carré zafaire mouton, pas zafaire cabrite.
- Calle pouésson, pas l’agent.
- Toute bois cé bois, main mapon pas cajou.
- Cé soulier qui connain si chanssons gangnain trou.
- Quand ravette fait dause li pas janmain invité poule.
- Pas janmain couri deux chimins à la fois.
- Toute pouésson mangé moune, cé requin seul qui pôté blâme.
- La fimée pas janmain lévée sans difé.
M. Audain’s collection contains one thousand and eleven proverbs; they are constantly quoted by the people, who interlard their conversations with them as much as ever Sancho Panza did. When speaking of a very talkative person, they say, “Bouche li pas gagné dimanche” (his mouth has no Sunday or day of rest).
It is scarcely necessary to multiply specimens of Creole proverbs or translations. The former certainly convey a better idea of the language spoken by the negroes than the latter, though, as written, it is much more easily understood than when it is spoken. The negroes appear often to clip their sentences, and leave it to the intelligence of the hearer to divine their meaning.
Official documents are always written in French, more or less correct; it is therefore unnecessary to refer particularly to them; but I may remark that they have a set stock of phrases which are constantly repeated. I will, however, quote a short official letter which amused us.
A Haytian had committed, or was supposed to have committed, a crime, and instead of being arrested and tried, he was ordered to be banished. The letter addressed to him was as follows:—
Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité.
République d’Haïti.
No. 392.
Quartier-Général de Port-au-Prince,
Le 30 Avril 1867,
An 64ᵉ de l’Independance.
Le Général de Division, Chef d’éxécution de la volonté du peuple souvrain, et de ses résolutions, et Vice-Président du Governement Provisoire,