MALAY PROVERBS. 89" 



such expressions as the following occurred ; " I ardently long for 

 his blood to clean my face blackened with charcoal," the ori- 

 ginal Malay expression (a quotation from the Sijara Malayu) is 

 " membasoh-kan arang yang ter-chonting di-muka." 



4. Apa guna-nia merak mengigal di liulan ? 



" What is the use of the peacock stmt ting in the jungle ?" 



The idea is that the beauty of the bird is thrown away when 

 exhibited only in a lonely spot where there is no one to admire it. 

 In Klinkert's collection there is a proverb conveying a some- 

 what sim'lar idea, u Apa-kah gnu a Lilian Prang da lam Jiiitaii, 

 " jikalau dalam negri alaugka/i baiknia?" 



Why does the moon shine in the forest V Were it not well 

 that her light should be bestowed on inha-bited places ? 



5. Ada-kali buaya itu menolak-kaii bangkei ? 

 " Will the crocodile reject the carcase ?" 



Is it likely that a good offer will be refused ? 



6. Again benign itu kalaii di bri mahan di pinggan mas 

 na kali pun ka-utan juga pergi-nia. 



"Though you may feed a jungle-fowl out of a gold plate it will 

 make for the jungle nevertheless." 



This is one of many proverbs illustrating the impossibility of 

 eradicating natural habits. Another version is, upama Jcijang di 

 rantei dengan mas, jikalau iya lepas, lari juga iya ha liutan 

 mahan rum put, " like a deer secured with a gold chain, which if 

 set free runs off to the forest to eat grass." (Favre). Compare 

 the following which is too elaborate, I fear, for a genuine pro- 

 verb. It is more like a successful metaphorical effort by some 

 Malay scribe ; 



7. Adapuu buali pria itu kalati ditanam dialas batas sagu 

 dan baja dengan rnedu, lagi di si/ram dengan rnanisan, serta 

 di letak-kan diatas tebu, sa kali-pun apabila di masak pa kit juga. 



" You may plant the bitter cucumber on a bed of sago, and 

 manure it with honey, and water it with treacle, and train it 

 over sugar canes, but when it is cooked it will still be bitter." 



8. Anak aujiug itu bnlik-kah jadi anak musang jebat ? 

 " Can the whelp of a dog become a civet cat ?" 



The translation, but not the original, is given in Newbold 



