Cranes were in much request for the table down to the end of the fourteenth century, if not later. "Better a leveret in the kitchen than a wild boar in the forest" (Livonian). "Better is an egg to-day than a pullet to-morrow" (Italian).[540] "One here-it-is is better than two you-shall-have-it's" (French).[541]
Possession is nine points of the law.
And there are only ten of them in all. Others reckon possession as eleven points, the whole number being twelve. "Him that is in possession God helps" (Italian).[542] "Possession is as good as title" (French).[543]
I'll not change a cottage in possession for a kingdom in reversion.
Better haud by a hair nor draw by a tether.—Scotch.
He that waits for dead men's shoes may long go barefoot.
He gaes lang barefoot that wears dead men's shoon.—Scotch.
"He hauls at a long rope who desires another's death" (French).[544] "He who waits for another's trencher eats a cold meal" (Catalan).[545]
Live, horse, and you'll get grass.[546]
"Die not, O mine ass, for the spring is coming, and with it clover" (Turkish). Unfortunately, "For the hungry, wait is a hard word" (German);[547] and
While the grass grows the steed starves.
The old horse may die waiting for new grass.
Hope holds up the head.
Hope is the bread of the unhappy.
Were it not for hope the heart would break.
He that lives on hope has a slim diet.
Aubrey relates that Lord Bacon, being in York House garden, looking on fishers as they were throwing their net, asked them what they would take for their draught. They answered so much. His lordship would offer them only so much. They drew up their net, and in it were only two or three little fishes. His lordship then told them it had been better for them to have taken his offer. They replied, they hoped to have had a better draught; but, said his lordship,—