62 SPECmENS OF COMPOSITION. 



42. Oko iiM ^e alamgba kpeqsai) ; 6 ni, belie li eui ti o cUii ni 161i 



Stone large did lizard crush ; he said, so it-is one zvho he swyasses one going 



i^e ni. 

 does to one. 



A large stone (being thrown) crushed a lizard. It said, " So he who is stronger than one 

 treats OHe."— Said in allusion to tlie fact that the strong oppress the weak. 



43. Alantakui) bi yi 6 ba o dik, A ta ka o li ard. 



Spider if it will tneet thee to-fight, it extends to-cnfold thee as-to bodg. 



,^ When the spider would attach thee, it extends its web to entangle thee. — Applied to the intrigues 

 of men who endeavor to effect the ruin of others. 



44. Alasediii kpere ui ite. 



A self-willed mail soon has disgrace. 

 " Pride goes before destruction." 



45. Esu yi o die, esu 



Locust he will eat, locust 



alatamkpoko yi 6 wo ? 



grasshopper he shall enter? 



The locust loill eat, the locust will drink, the locust ivillgo; lohcre shall the grasshopper hide ? — 

 Probably intended to describe the effects of war. 



46. K6 si alasdra ti ita igboku ; gbogbo woi) ni itc^ oyiq. 



Not is snuff-dealer who sells stale ; all of them it-is sell honey. 



No snuff-dealer sells stale tobacco ; they all sell the best. 



47. AMi'Mze kd mo odiiq ; abi isu ita bi igi. 



Buyer not knows year; perlutps yams grow like logs. 



The buyer does not consider the seasons ; lie thinks perhaps yams grow as big as logs. 



48. A se alakpa li oso, ko gb6; & se ohuq gbogbo fu igi, 6 ye 



We do old wall as-to ornament, it not hears ; we do things all for wood, it suitt 



igi. 



wood. 



If we ornament an old wall, it is not improved ; if we do anything for wood (as painting or 

 carving), it is adapted to the wood, i. e. our design is accomplished by making the wood as 

 we desire it to be. — Some persons cannot be improved by any means that we can employ. 



49. Awigbo ti ifi owo adiiae m6 omi. 



Disobedience which with hand of neck-cord drinks water. 



Disobedience which drinks water with the hand tied to the neck. — Meaning that a person who 

 it determined to disobey will have his own way in spite of all obstacles. 



42. Se . . . kpeijsai), to crush. 



43. Ba . . . dza, to fight with, to attack ; — ta, to stretch a rope ; — ka . . . lara, to enfold, entangle, as a net. 



46. Igboku, anything stale ; as, igboku taba, stale tobacco ; igboku Akara, stale bread ; — oyiij, honey, 

 applied to that which is excellent ; the girls in the street crj-, oyiq oti I hoiuy beer ! that is, beer of the 

 best quality. 



47. Mo, often employed in the sense of consider ;— oddij, a year, a season, in reference to its quality. 



48. Se . . . li 080, to ornament, adorn ; — gbo, to receive an impression or benefit. 



