MALAY PEOVEEBS. 27 



Temper a refusal with civility, so as to send away the 

 unsuccessful applicant without having given cause for of- 

 fence ; in other words let a man down gently, not " with 



230. Baik berjagong-jagong antara padi masak. 



" It is well to put up with maize until the padi be ripe.' 3 



" Half a loaf is better than no bread." 

 Compare the following form in " Hikayat Abdullah." 

 "Tiada rotan altar pun berguna.'' When there is no rattan, 

 one must use lianes. 



237. Tersinget-singet bagei patong dibawa rebah. 



" Bending about like the patong fish (in a pool) under a 

 fallen tree." 



An ironical comparison popularly used in Perak in describ- 

 ing the affected graces of a conceited person. (See No. 240). 



238. Ter-lonchat-lonchat bagei ulat pinang. 

 "Hopping about like a betel-nut worm." 



Said of a restless person who will not remain still in one 

 place, but is always on the move. 



The ulat pinang is a small maggot whose mode of locomo- 

 tion is by a series of leaps. 



239. Tev-kesut-kesut bagei anak tidak di-aku. 



" Moving along the floor, like a child whose parent will 

 not notice it." 



Said of a man who is in disgrace with his superior, e. g. 

 a ryot with his chief, or a slave with his master. He may 

 crawl after his lord praying to be taken back into favour, 

 but gets nothing but cold neglect. 



240. Ter-sendeng-sendeng bagei sepat di-bawah mangkuang. 



" Swaying from side to side like the sepat fish under the 

 shade of the mangkuang " another simile used in ridiculing 

 affected grace of motion. (See No. 237.) 



The sepat is a small fresh- water fish with a very thin body. 

 As it swims along among the thorny mangkuang leaves, 

 which dip into a pool 5 it bends gracefully over from side to 



