62 SPECIMENS OF COMPOSITION. 



42. Oko nlA he alamgba kpeq^aq ; 6 ni, behe li eni ti o diu ni 16h 



Stone large did lizard crush; he said, so it-is one who he surpasses one going 



i^e ni. 



does to <me. 



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

 treats oner — Said in allusion to the fact that the strong oppress the weak. 



43. Alantakuq bi yi 6 ba o d^^, ^ ta ka o li ard. 



Spider if it will meet thee to-fight, it extends to-enfold thee as-to body. 



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

 of men who endeavor to eflfect the ruin of others. 



44. Ala^ediiu kpere ni it|. 



A self-willed man soon has disgrace. 

 " Pride goes before destruction." 



45. Esu yi 8 di;e, e^u yi 



Locust he will eat, locust he 



alatamkpoko yi 8 w6 ? 



grasshopper he shall enter? 



The locust will eat, the locust will drink, the locust will go; where shall the grasshopper hide ? — 

 Probably intended to describe the effects of war. 



46. K6 si alaMra ti \tk igboku ; gbogbo woq ni it^ 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. AldrMie k5 mb oduq ; abi isu ita bi igi. 



Buyer not knows year; perhaps yams grow like logs. 



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



48. A se dlakpa li o&6, kb gb6; d he obuq gbogbo fu igi, 6 ye 



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



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. Awigb6 ti iff ow6 ad^ae mo 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 

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



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



43. Ba . . . dia, to fight with, to attack ; — ta, to stretch a rope ;— ka . . . \a.rk, to enfold, entangle, as a net. 



46. Igboku, anything stale; as, igboku taba, stale tobacco; igboku 4kara, stale bread ; — oyii), honey, 

 applied to that which is excellent ; the girls in the street cry, oyii) oti ! honey beer ! that is, beer of the 

 best quality. 



47. M6, often employed in the sense oi consider ; — odfii), a year, a season, in reference to its quality. 



48. Se . . . li 080, to ornament, adorn ; — gb6, to receive an impression or benefit. 



