fool in their hearts, they say there is no God.' ROBERT BURTON, A.D. 1759-1796, Anatomy of Melancholy. VARIANT PROVERBS At Rome do as Rome does. (French). He that has Rome must keep Rome up. (Gaelic). You may not sit in Rome and strive with the Pope. (Scotch). ALLIED PROVERBS At Benares he was a Benares-man, at Mathura he was a Mathura-man. This proverb is applied to time servers. (Marathi). Do as most men do and men will speak well of thee. (English). Do as others do and few will mock you. (Danish). Go out and see how the people act. (Ancient Hebrew). Go with many, eat with many. (Pashto). Hast gone into the city conform to its laws. (Ancient Hebrew). I came down stairs in the dark and washed my face in a water pot filled with water. This must be done in the house—i.e. I adapted myself to the place in which I lived. (Kashmiri). If there is darkness in the place to which you have gone, do you also close your eyes. (Osmanli). If you go among other people, be like them. (Marathi). In the place of roses do you be a rose, and where there are thorns do you be a thorn. (Persian). Never wear a brown hat in Friesland. (Dutch). One ought to adopt the guise of the country in which he lives. (Kumaun, Garhwal). One ought to look at the country of one eyed men with only one eye. (Kumaun, Garhwal). Recite according to the book. (Chinese). Suit your appearance to the country. (Behar). The law of the state is law.-i.e. The law of a state is binding on a foreigner therein as well as a native, even though he be a Jew. (Ancient Hebrew). The manner of the folk one lives among will be followed. (Gaelic). The reply of a Turkish question should be in Turkish. (Persian). The way of those you live with is that you must follow. (Scotch). Thy neighbor is thy teacher. (Arabian). When you are in town if you observe that people wear the hat on one side, wear yours likewise. (Armenian). Wherever you are do as you see done. (Spanish). Wood in the town cooks the pot in the town. (Ibo-Nigeria-Africa). 255 WHEN THE CAT IS AWAY THE MICE WILL (OR MAY) PLAY This proverb is found in all lands. When the restraints of law are withheld or relaxed the people yield to evil propensities and commit crime. When children are not under supervision and control they say and do that which they ought not. When mechanics are without oversight they grow careless and negligent in work-"The master's eye will do more work than both his hands." When there is no steersman at the helm the boat will drift. Liberty without restraint leads to license. The inhabitants of Western India declare that when the gods become false those who study the Vedas grow wicked. A similar belief is held by the Marathi people who say-"God is not in the shrine and the censer dances about.' "For once the eagle England being in prey, To her unguarded nest the weasel Scot To tear and havoc more than she can eat." WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, A.D. 1564-1616, King Henry V. VARIANT PROVERBS The cat is absent and the mice dance. (Modern Greek). When the cat is gone the mice dance. (Belgian). When the cat is away the mice have room to play. (Welsh). When the cat is not in the house the rats (or mice) dance. (Italian). When the cat is not the mice are awake. (French). When the cat's away it is jubilee with the mice. (Dutch). When the cat's away the mice give a ball. (Martinique Creole). When the cat shall leave home the mice shall have leave When the cats leave town (or home) the mice dance. (Irish-Ulster). When the cat sleeps the mice play. (Dutch). When there is no cat mice dance. (Indian-Kumaun, Garhwal). ALLIED PROVERBS A blate cat makes a proud mouse. (Scotch). A blind cat catches only a dead rat. (Chinese). God is not in the shrine and the censer dances about. (Marathi). If you have money to throw away set on workmen and don't stand by. (Italian). Lamps out, the turban vanishes-when the ruler dies or is deposed the people commit crime. (Hindustani). The eye of the master fattens the steed. (English). The master's eye is worth both his hands. (English). Ulster). The mewing of the cat has silenced the mice. (Modern Greek). There is a thick mist so sing as you please. (Hindustani). Under misrule they play the fool. (Hindustani). Well knows the mouse that the cat's out of the house. (Scotch). Were the cat at home it were worse for you. (Welsh, Irish). What wots the mouse, the cat's out of the house. (Scotch). When the cat dies the mice rejoice. (Ashanti, Oji-West African). When the cat is blind the rat becomes bold. (Marathi). When the cat is safe in the forest the rat says-"She's my wife." (Hindustani). When the king is away the queen is free to act as she likes. (Behar). |