The wood, the barn, the pools; For such are seen both here and there, By all but arrant fools." UNKNOWN EIGHTEENTH CENTURY POET. Gotham's three wise men we be, Whither in your bowl so free? To rake the moon from out the sea: The bowl goes trim. The moon doth shine, And our ballast is old wine; "Who art thou, so fast adrift? "Fear ye not the waves that roll? No: In charmed bowl we swim. What the charm that floats the bowl? Water may not pass the brim. The bowl goes trim. The moon doth shine And our ballast is old wine; And your ballast is old wine." THOMAS LOVE PEACOCK, A.D., 1785-1866. "Three wise men of Gotham Went to sea in a bowl; And if the bowl had been stronger My song would have been longer." OLD NURSERY RHYME. ALLIED PROVERBS As learnt as a scholar o' Buckhaven College. Used ironically as there is no such such institution as Buckhaven College. (Scotch). As wise as an ape. (English). Used ironically. As wise as a daw. (English). As wise as a hare. (English). As wise as a woodcock. (English). As wise as the Mayor of Danbury who would prove that Henry III was before Henry II. (English). As wise as Waltam's (sometimes written: Waltham's, Watton's or Wudsie's) calf. (English). Various writers have extended this proverb thus, "As wise as Waltam's calf that ran nine miles to suck a bull." A wise man and a fool together know more than a wise man alone. (Italian). A wise man may look ridiculous in the company of fools. (English). Children of Badaun. A place where fools live. (Hin dustani). He that will to Cupar maun to Cupar. (Scotch). 'Applied to foolish or reckless persons who persist in carrying on projects in the face of certain failure, of which they have been duly advised. Why Cupar, the capital of the Kingdom of Life should have been selected as typical of such 'pigheadness' we are unable to say."-ALEXANDER HISLOP, A.D. 1862. He is not a wise man who cannot play the fool on occasions. (Italian). If a man of Naresh has kissed thee, count thy teeth. Narish in Babylonia. (Hebrew). If wise men play the fool they do it with a vengeance. (Italian). It takes a wise man to be a fool. (English). Nobody is so wise but has a little folly to spare. (German). None can play the fool as well as a wise man. (English). The clown of Geelan. The fools of Geelan. (Persian). 'Tis wisdom sometimes to seem a fool. (English). To put gates to the fields. (Spanish). A TALE NEVER LOSES IN THE TELLING Reports of events, when often repeated, are seldom strictly in accord with facts, not only because those who repeat what they hear are frequently ignorant of details, but because many people are prone to secure attention and interest by embellishments. It is for this reason that the chatterings of gossips and the graphic tales of babblers are said never to lose in the telling. Gossip has been well described as putting two and two together and making it five. The tendency of some people to enlarge upon a story or to make personal adventures seem more wonderful than they were by fictitious additions has been noticed in all ages. St. Paul wrote of tattlers and busybodies who went about from house to house speaking things they ought not (I TIM. 5: 13) and St. James declared that the tongue though little boasted great things (James 3:5). The proverb is therefore an expression belonging to no particular age or country but is a common observation that springs to the lips of all who have any intercourse with their fellow men. There is an old story told in India that illustrates the proneness of some people to exaggerate when they narrate experiences. A hard working woman who had an idler for a husband sought in every way to induce him to labor, but in vain. He only became angry when she spoke to him on the subject and threatened that if she did not cease her faultfinding he would leave her. As she did not believe that he would carry out his threat, she told him to go. So he left the house and started for the Plains. Seeing him depart she donned the clothes of an officer of the law and, taking a gun and sword, followed him. Managing in some way to pass him without being observed she stood in the path and threatened to kill him if he did not return and promise never again to leave the village by the same road, for she knew that there was no other path by which to reach the Plains. The man not recognizing his wife in her disguise was so frightened that he readily pledged his word and retraced his steps. Seeing that her trick had proved successful she went back to the village avoiding him by the way. On reaching his home he was met by his spouse who asked the reason for his change of mind. "How could I go," he answered, "when a hundred constables stood in the way and threatened to kill me?" Knowing the truth she plied him with questions till he confessed that there were only fifty constables, then that there were only twenty-five, then that there were only ten, then that there |