34^ THE WIT AND WISDOM Of' Tfli: HANTlJ. 



inau's (You have to work for your waj^es there). And it is 

 sometimes labour lost : Yek' nkivenz' amandla esambane, Alas ■ 

 for the mighty exertions of the ant-l)ear. Or : We laugh at the 

 ant-bear, who digs a hole and doesn't lie in it, but leaves it for 

 the ferns and porcupines. 



One of the elements of Efficiency is Patience. SoyiceV 

 ivutiive, we will ask for the food when it is ready (Wait and 

 see). The fly keeps brushing against the sore; the goat keeps 

 rubbing against the door-screen, (both waiting their chance). Im- 

 bewu ihlalcla ihlanga layo, the seed waits for its own seed-bed 

 ('* Everything comes to him who waits "). Sova, siugasetnoyeni, 

 we shall hear, we are in the wind ( Patience : we shall s(X)n laiow 

 all about it). 



Another is Perseverance : Umzingisi, akanashzva, the one 

 who sticks at it has no ill-forttme. Jsiciba s'whva ngodondolo, th.e 

 deep ix)ol is fathomed Iw the long stick (" Try, try, try again "). 

 Yo^ iyikote, yivutele, the fire will catch the sticks by-and-by, 

 keep blowing. Among ourselves the workman spits on his hands 

 to take a fresh grip. Kananiafc, say the Zulus, he has no spittle 

 (He has no perseverance). 



Another main element of efficiency and success is Self-help: 

 Success depends on the will (where there's a will there's a way "), 

 is the antithesis of: he moves along with the dust-cloud, (he 

 lloats with the stream). Akuko mpukatic inqakulela cuye, no fl\' 

 catches for another. Two cocks don't help each other to scratch. 

 Lions don't lend each other teeth. A bird does not build its 

 nest with another bird's down. No pheasant scratches the ground 

 for another, or if she does it is for her young one. Iinbila yasivela ' 

 umsila ngokityalcsela, the rock-rabbit went without a tail through 

 vending for it (instead of going himself, when tails were given 

 out at the Creation). Kubi itkutcngehva ngomiinyc. kiihle 

 unmntu esifiklscJc, it is bad to be bought for by another, it is 

 best to make a thing arrive for oneself ("If you want a thing well 

 done, do it yourself"). "Save me! save me!" is slow succour 

 (" Heaven helps them that help themselves"). 



Of Wisdom and Folly. 



Wisdom does not dwell in a single house (No one has a 

 monO()<:»ly of common sense). Wisdom killed the wise man (" A 

 little learning is a dangerous thing"). Wallposa ilicivi ladla 

 ngokuqina, he threw the word and it sttick firmly (His words 

 struck home ; the words of the wise are as goads, as nails firmly 

 fixed, says Solomon). One doesn't lean over the brink of blue 

 waters (Keej) back from the edge of the precipice"). Don't be 

 in too great a hurry to answer the summons ("Look before 

 you leap"). The second count has bettered the first (" Second 

 thoughts are best "). The wise dam suckles her young standing 

 up (" Ready, aye ready"). It is the craft}^ one whose locusts 

 are roasted last (when everybody is surfeited). It is possible to 

 be too clever : Cunning eats up its owner ( It kills the man who 

 makes too 'much use of it). Akuko qili larjikota ouhlaiia, no 



