270 



DISCOVERY 



to the other ; the former showing by means already 

 acquired how the latter may avoid disaster by pointing 

 out unsuitable periods for starting on aerial voyages ; 

 whilst the latter, by facilitating the means for the in- 

 vestigation of the upper regions of the atmosphere, will 

 enable the meteorologist to make new discoveries in 

 realms undreamt-of hitherto. So in this way it may 

 be shown that neither science is subservient to the 

 other, but that meteorology and aviation can ever 

 work side by side to the mutual benefit of both. 



The Russians and Their 

 Proverbs 



By Louis Segal, M.A., Ph.D. 



Head of the Russian Department in the University of Birmingham 



The proverbs of a people reflect, to a great extent, 

 their conceptions and sentiments, and allow often a 

 keen insight into national characteristics and mentality. 

 There are, therefore, certain advantages in studying 

 the psychology of a nation from its maxims. The 

 proverbs represent the practical philosophy of the 

 populace, based on the experience of many generations, 

 and express the opinions of a considerable section 

 which prefers to rely on ready-made, current wisdom. 

 All phases of social, political, religious, and domestic 

 life are as a rule reflected in them. But each single 

 saying does not necessarily represent the opinions of 

 the whole nation that produced it. Some may be 

 confined in their circulation to certain trades, pro- 

 fessions, and localities, and express the views of those 

 small minorities. Only when a number of proverbs, 

 much in vogue, point in the same direction, can we 

 accept them as representative of national opinion. 



There are a number of popular sayings about the 

 proverb itself, all of which show in what great respect 

 it is held by the people in Russia. Sayings such as : 

 " The proverb teUs everyone the truth," " No proverb 

 is ever used in vain," " Silly talk is not a proverb," 

 " An old proverb is indestructible," serve as illustra- 

 tions of this. 



A number of Russian proverbs have their equivalents 

 in English and other languages, the thoughts being 

 alike, but the expression differing in form. " More 

 haste, less speed," becomes in Russian " Hurry, and 

 you will become ridiculous." The English " In the 

 land of the blind, one-eyed people are kings," has its 

 equivalent in " Where there is no fish, even crabs are 

 fish." 



The Revolution of March 1917 came as a great sur- 

 prise to everybody who did not know Russia. That 

 such a complicated and extensive system of government 

 should have crumbled down in the course of a few 

 days, involving the loss of a few hundred lives only, 

 was considered nothing less than a miracle. This 

 miracle is to be explained only by the very low esteem 

 in which officialdom and bureaucracy were held. 

 Their corruption and dishonesty were proverbial, and 

 in the day of their trial, not a hand outside of their 

 own ranks was raised in their defence. Sayings such 

 as, " Wlien money speaks, truth is silent," " Money 

 opens all doors," " Don't say a word, let your money 

 speak," " He is right for whom money pleads," are 

 fair comments by the populace on its administrators. 

 Russians are very religious. There are many 

 proverbs demonstrating their unbounded faith in the 

 Supreme Ruler of the World, and the necessity of 

 prayer on all occasions and in every circumstance. 

 But while religion is held high, the clergy come in for 

 a great deal of criticism. " The eyes of the parson 

 are envious and his hands grabbing," or " The parsons 

 are skinners : they skin the li\dng and the dead," may 

 serve as examples of many disrespectful allusions to 

 representatives of the Church. The monks fare even 

 worse. " Beware of the forepart of an ox, the hind 

 part of a mule, and all sides of a monk," is not in the 

 least complimentary. 



Proverbs which indicate the popular view of private 

 property are of interest in view of the attempts made 

 by the Bolsheviks to abolish it, and substitute national 

 ownership of the means of production and distribution. 

 Proverbs such as " Every man is a king in his own 

 house " indicate the complete right exercised by the 

 owner over his property. The landowner had full right 

 to all that came from the land; " WTiose land, his 

 com," or " Whose forest, his timber," show the 

 popular view on the question. 



The general view was against leaving money to 

 one's children. The dictum of the late Mr. Carnegie, 

 " I would rather leave my son a curse than a dollar," 

 had several precursors in Russian folk-sayings. " Don't 

 leave money to your sons ; the silly will squander it, 

 while the wise can make their own," expresses in 

 somewhat milder form the same idea ; while " That is 

 not property which one inherited from one's father, 

 but what one earned oneself," expresses the same 

 idea from a different point of \'iew. The popular beUef 

 that what is easily acquired (or inherited or won) brings 

 no luck is also expressed in many sayings. 



Unlike in England, the inheritance is as a rule divided 

 equally amongst the sons. " NMiere there are two 

 sons, all is divided." It is also of interest to note that 

 the youngest, and not the eldest, son inherits the 

 house, making suitable cash adjustments to his brothers. 



