GUERNSEY PROVERBS. 233 



Gras coumm' un pain d'si. 

 As fat as a lump of suet. 



Maigre coumm' un chent d'cllaou. 

 As lean as a packet of nails. 



Jaime coumm' une quezette. 

 As yellow as a jonquil. 

 Said of persons afflicted with jaundice. 



Daeux gros os n'peuve bouidre dans un p'tit pot. 

 Two big bones cannot boil in one small pot. 

 Said of rivals. 



Qui se r'semble, s'assemble. 

 Birds of a featlier flock together. 



J'ai mal a la tete 



Chez l'pu haut d'la bete, 



Si monte pu haut I s'en ira. 

 Persons complaining of a headache are often consoled with the 

 remark that the head being the highest part of the 

 animal, if the pain mounts higher it will go away alto- 

 gether. 



Debottai, Collas Allez, 

 Qu'a vendu ses guertieres, 

 Pour aver unn' feis a bere. 

 A rhyme of derision used to anyone who has his boots unlaced 

 and stockings down. 



II en reste assai pour tous les Tost'vins. 

 There is enough left for all the Tostevins. 



This expression is used when plenty of food is left on the table 

 after meals. 



This saying had its origin as follows : — In times gone by it was 

 the custom for workmen to have their meals provided at the houses 

 where they were employed. There was a family of Tostevins who 

 were masons by trade, and who had the reputation of being specially 

 big eaters, so that those who engaged them had to provide extra fare 

 to satisfy their appetites. 



