MA.LAY PROVERBS. 95 



has an opportunity," except by presuming that the Malay au- 

 thor of the proverb alludes to the female tiger ! 



10. Tidak hujan lagi bichak ini'Jcan pula hitjan. 



" Muddy enough when there is no rain, but now it is raining-'' 

 Said of a thing difficult to perform at any time without the 

 addition of an aggravating' circumstance. 



41. Ta' tnniboh ta' meldta 

 To, 3 sunggoh orang ta' kata. 



" A plant must sprout before it climbs ; if it were not true 

 people would not say it." " No smoke without fire." 



4$. Tlada baban batu di galas. 



" For want of a load a stone is carried on the back." To give 

 one's self needless trouble. 



43. Tolak tangga ber-dyun kaki. 



" Kick away the ladder and the legs are left swinging." To 

 be in an unpleasant position in consequence of a blunder of 



Sometimes another line is added. 

 Pelok tuboJi mengdjar diri. 



" Then you fold your arms and think what a fool you're 

 been" (tit, to hug the body and lecture one's self J. 



This phrase is common in Malay panttm, e. g. the following' 

 allusion to the bad management of a Malay lover who abandoned 

 a dark beauty for a fair one and got neither ; 



u It a m lepas puteli ta' dapat. 

 Tolak tangga ber-dyun kaki" 



Klinkert has this proverb in his collection but gives it as 

 " Tolak-kan tangga kaki berayun" 



44. Ta sunggoh saluwang me-lant batik it/a ka tepi juga. 

 ".The saluwanq fish does not reallv go out to sea, it always re- 

 turns to the bank." 



A hit at stay-at-home people who never leave their own 

 villages. 



The salmvang is a small fresh-svater fish, very common in th^ 

 Perak river. 



