APPENDIX Ensumbar Jako—Proverbs.* (Jako orang ti tuai—The words of the elders). 1. Baka idong antara mata baka dilah antara nyawa. Just as the nose is betwixt the eyes, just as the tongue is in the middle of the mouth. Said of an unbiased person. 2. Orang ngema taya iya ngema batu. This man carries cotton, (but) he carries rocks. Said when one person experiences harder treatment than his fellow. 3. Bernaung di rumah rawong di tanah. A tiger in the house, (but) a frog in the field. Said of a useless fellow who is all talk but never does anything, and also of an inhospi- table person. Cf, “ A lion in council, but a lamb in action;” Cf. also the Persian pro- verb, “first at the feast, but last at the fray.’’ 4. Mali manok anang bekutok patah taji anang beklahi. When the fighting cock is dead do not find fault, when the spur is broken do not quarrel. This, of course, refers to cock fighting. Cf. “ It is no use crying over spilt milk.” 5. Tukul enda bula ka tempan lalabu enda bula ka nenasan. The hammer is not false to the anvil, nor are the bellows false to the anvil support. This signifies a promise which will not fail to be kept. 6. Baka buah ilang-ilu diempa parai apai, enti enda parai indai. Like the fruit of the ilang-ilu if it be eaten father dies, if not mother dies. This implies being “ upon the horns of a dilemma;” being “ betwixt the devil and the deep sea ;” being “ betwixt the upper and the nether grindstone.” 7. Kasih ka imbok enda kasih ka manok. To shew kindness to the wild pigeon but not to shew kindness to the domestic fowl. 'Phis seems to imply “ Charity begins at home,” or at least, should do so. 8. Baku Lang di puchok rangkang, baka Menaul di puchok tunggul. Like a kite upon a dead bough, like a hawk on the top of a stump. This proverb implies similarity. 9. Merari burong terbai merari ranggas patah. At the very time that the bird flies the dead branch breaks. This implies that the proof is evident. 10. Lari ka ribut nemu ujan lari ka sung- kup nemu pendam. Running from the hurri- cane one encounters the rain, running from a tombstone one finds oneself in a graveyard. This almost corresponds with our “ Out of the frying pan into the fire.” A Dyak objects more to the cold rain than to the wind and has a peculiar aversion to graveyards the abode of Antu innumerable. 11. Pandak mulut engkrasakpanjai mulut kitai. The engkrasak bird does not spread news far but we do (literally, short are the lips of the engkrasak but ours are long). This is said when one person tries to stop another from spreading news or scandal. 12. Ngadang kijang dalam babas nganti ai enda dras. Lying in wait for a barking-deer in the jungle is (like) waiting for a fresh to subside. That is, the time for waiting is un- certain. Cf. “ Rusticus expectans dum de- fluit amnis.” 13. Ngrami ikan dalam ai ngerabu jelu puchok kayu. Salting fish in the water is like pickling wild animals on the topmost boughs of a tree. An impossibility. Cf. “ First catch your hare then cook it.” 14. Nyaris munyi sarong ngelis baka ubong. As loud as the rattle (lit. sound) of the scab- bard and as smooth as the thread of the loom. This implies similarity. 15. Baka kepayang n gadang ka dilah baka ai ngadang ka rana. Just as the kepayang fruit warns you to be careful of your tongue so the water warns you of the fresh. The juice, or gutta. of the rind of the kepayang fruit blisters the lips. Cf. “Coming events , cast their shadows before.” 16. Baka Antu Sa-Iba-iba baka utan te- I ngh menoa. Just as the demon Sa-lba-iba so * Most of these Proverbs have already appeared as examples in the Dictionary, but the ranslations given here are better and some equivalent Proverbs are quoted.