MALAY PROVERBS. 91 



" Wherever there is a field, there are grass-hoppers/' Wher- 

 ever there is a settlement there is of course population . 



14. Anj'mg dibri makan n,usi,bila akank iniang ? 



' ' Will a dog ever be satisfied however much rice you may give 

 him ?" Kindness is thrown away upon coarse, unmannerly people, 

 who are never satisfied but are always expecting fresh favours. 



15. Ayer tawar sa'chawan di tuang-kcui kad%lam (ant itu 

 bulih-kah menjadi tawar ayer laut itu ? 



" If a cup of fresh water be poured into the sea, will the salt- 

 water become fresh ?" A serious offence or a great sin cannot 

 be condoned or wiped out by any trifling means. 



1(3. Ay am itam terbung malum, 

 Ming gap di poko panda n ; 

 Berkersah ad a rwpa-nia tidalc. 

 "A black fowl which flies at night and settles in the panda n 

 bush ; there is a rustling but nothing is to be seen." 



Applied metaphorically to any mysterious case in a Malay 

 court of justice, the details of which are wrapped in obscurity. 

 When it is impossible to get to the bottom of such a case a 

 Malay will remark sententiously that it is " a black fowl whose 

 flight is by night." On the other hand a case in which the 

 facts are perfectly clear, and the guilt or innocence of the accused 

 is proved to demonstration, is " a white fowl which flies by day/' 

 or, to give the phrase at full length, 



17. Ayam puteli terbang siyang, 

 Hi n g gap di halaman ; 



Mai ah kapada mat a orang yang ban yak. 

 " A white fowl which flies in broad day-light and alights in 

 the court-yard, full in the sight of all the people." 



18. Apa lag/ saiva iya berkakandak ay am tali. 



" Of course the boa-constrictor wants the fowl." Applies to a 

 certain class of persons who are contented enough as long as 

 the>' g*et everything they require. 



19. Buk an tan ah menjadi pad'i. 



" Earth does not become grain." Another proverb illustrative 

 of the hopelessness of attempting to elevate the worthless. 

 " You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear." 



