MALAY PROVERBS. lo9 



76. Seperti talam dua muka. 

 Like a tray which, lias two faces. 

 A simile applied to a false friend. 



77. S&perti tulis diatas ayer. 

 Like writing on water. 



An act by which no impression is made. 



7 s . Seperti lira hena belachan. 



Like a monkey smeared with belachan. 



Belaclmm is a favourite condiment among Malays, of which 

 it is enough to say that shrimps and small fish dried in the sun 

 and pounded in a mortar are the principal ingredient. Mon- 

 keys haye a peculiar horror of its very strong smell. The 

 Malay phrase here given is applied to any wild or extravagant 

 conduct, which seems as absurd as the antics of a monkey 

 frantically endeavouring to get the belachan off his paws. 



70. Seperti burong gagak pulang ka benna. 



As the crow returns to his country. 



To go hack as one came, no richer no poorer. When the 

 crows imigrate, as the Malays say they do, they fly back as 

 they came [itam pergi itam balik), taking nothing from the 

 country where they have sojourned so long. 



80. Seperti anjing kapala busok. 



Like a dog with a sore head. 



A contemptuous expression applied to an outcast without 

 friends, shelter, food or money. 



81. Seperti gergaji dua mata. 



Like a saw with a double edge. 



Which cuts both ways (tarilc makan sorong makan,) as it is 

 drawn up or down. See No. 76. 



^'J. Seperti yu kiya-kiya. 



the shark of the kind called kii/a r kiya. 



A person with a character for sponging shamelessly on 



Lis neighbours. 



