Plantation Proverbs (a collection)

Translation

Plantation Proverbs

Big possum climb little tree.

Those who eat can say grace.

Old man Know-All died last year.

Better the gravy than no grease at all.

Dram ain't good until you get it. FN 1

Lazy folks' stomachs don't get tired.

Rheumatism don't help at the log-rolling. 175

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Mole don't see what his neighbor doing.

Save the pacing march for Sunday.

It don't rain each time the pig squeals.

Crow and corn can't grow in the same field.

Tattling woman can't make the bread rise.

Rails split before breakfast will season the dinner.

Them what knows too much sleep under the ash-hopper.

If you want to see your own sins, clean up a new ground.

Hog don't know which part of him'll season the turnip salad.

It's a blessing the white sow don't shake the plum tree.

Winter grape sour, whether you can reach 'em or not.

Mighty poor bee that don't make more honey than he want.

Cushions on mule's foots, done gone out of fashion. FN 2

Pigs don't know what a pen's for.

Possum's tail as good as a paw.

Dogs don't bite at the front gate.

Colt in the barley-patch kick high.

Jay-bird don't rob his own nest.

Pullet can't roost too high for the owl.

Meat fried before day won't last 'til night.

Stump water won't cure the gripes.

Howlin' dog know what he sees. 179

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Blind horse don't fall when he follows the bit.

Hungry nigger won't wear his mind out.

Don't fling away the empty wallet.

Black-snake know the way to his nest.

Looks won't do to split rails with.

Setting hens don't hanker after fresh eggs.

Potato vine growing while you sleep.

It take two birds for to make a nest.

If you bleeds to eat dirt, eat clean dirt. FN 3

Terrapin walk fast enough to go visitin'.

Empty smoke-house make the pullet holler.

When coon take water, he fixin' for to fight.

Corn makes more at the mill than it does in the crib.

Good luck says, "Open your mouth and shut your eyes."

Nigger that gets hurt working ought to show the scars.

Fiddlin' nigger say its a long ways to the dance.

Rooster makes more racket than the hen that lay the egg.

Mellow mush melon hollers at you from over the fence. FN 4

Nigger with a pocket handkerchief better be looked after.

Rain-crow don't sing no tune, but you can depend on him.

One-eyed mule can't be handled on the blind side.

Moon may shine, but a lightered (?) knot's mighty handy. 177

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Liquor talks mighty loud when it gets loose from the jug.

The proudness of a man don't count when his head's cold.

Hungry rooster don't cackle when he find a worm.

Some niggers mighty smart, but they can't drive the pigeons to roost.

You may know the way, but better keep your eyes on the seven stairs. (seven sins, maybe?)

All the buzzards in the settlement will come to the gray mule's funeral.

You can hide the fire, but what you gonna do with the smoke?

Tomorrow may be the carriage-driver's day for plowing.

It's a mighty deaf nigger that don't hear the dinner horn.

It takes a bee for to get the sweetness out of the hoar-hound blossom.

Haunts don't bother longer honest folks, but you better go around the graveyard.

The pig that runs off with the ear of corn gets little more than the cob.

Sleeping in the fence-corner don't fetch Christmas in the kitchen. 178

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The spring-house may freeze, but the niggers'll keep the shuck-pen warm.

Between the bug and the bee-martin ain't hard to tell which is going to get caught.

Don't sport with the screech-owl. Jam the shovel in the fire. FN 5

You'd see more of the mink if he knew where the yard dog sleeps.

Troubles is seasoning. Persimmons ain't good until they get frost-bit.

Watch out when you're getting all you want. Fattenin' hogs ain't in luck.

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FN 1 - Dram - could mean liquor, as in our later dram shop acts? see ://www.answers.com/topic/dram-shop-act-1

FN 2 - Kwishins - we think that is "cushions."

FN 3 - "Bleeds to" - We think that is close to the "Bleedz ter" as really wants to, anxious, see similar usages where this makes sense at ://xroads.virginia.edu/~UG97/remus/valen.html; and ://xroads.virginia.edu/~UG97/remus/phone.html

FN 4 - mush-million -  a mush melon or kind of cantaloupe, sometimes pronounced musk melon, see http://georgiafaces.caes.uga.edu/getstory.cfm?storyid=1162

FN 5 Squinch owl - screech owl, see ://xroads.virginia.edu/~MA01/Grand-Jean/Hurston/glossary.html [do look up this glossary of terms]