MALAY PROVERBS. 151 



Advances must be made by both sides if two parties 

 are to meet each other half-way. Mutual concessions are 

 likely to bring about an understanding. 



137. Kandur berleting-letlng tegang ber-jala-jala. 



"The loose vibrates with a twang, the tight hangs loose 

 like a fringe." 



("Black is white and white is black.") 



An ironical expression, common in Perak, illustrative of 

 the habitual falsehood and untrustworthy character of the 

 Malays of that state. There is another saying of the same 

 kind, with much the same meaning. 



" Ampat gasal lima genap" "Four is odd and five is 



" Ber-leting-leting" signifies to make a twanging sound 

 like that produced by the vibration of a taut string. I have 

 not succeeded in finding the word in any dictionary. 



138. Krus kring seperti bayang 

 Siapa pun tiada menaroh sayang. 



"Thin and dry as a shadow, 

 There is no one to care about him." 



A rhyme used by children making fun of a companion 

 who has the misfortune to be thin. 



139. Kulai-balai bagel sendok di duhoitg. 



" Swinging about carelesslv, like a ladle carried in a bun- 

 dle." 



"Said in ridicule of the gait affected by "fast" Malays, 

 male and female, a swaying movement of the body from the 

 hips while walking. 



Kulai-balai like a common word lialai balai (neglectful, 

 careless, Cravjfurd), is one of those untranslatable compound 

 words the sound of which is intended to assist the meaning, 

 like the similar English word "hurly-burly," or the Hindus- 

 tani word wlta-pulta (topsy-turvy, higgledy-piggledy.) 



Duhong, according to Marsden. means to carry on the back 

 or under the arm. Crawfurd translates it " to" carry on the 

 hip;" Favre, "on the back or hip." In this proverb t?/- 



