Evening star., 1942-08-09
Proverbs Of Mexico
Often Duplicate
Those in English
Same Thoughts Conveyed
But in Way Typical
Of Country or Spain

MEXICO CITY. Aug 8.-For al
most any occasion that might arise,
Mexicans have saying, proverb.
an old saw or humorous wisecrack
that seems to fit the situation ex-
actly, the Pemex Travel Club Bull
letin points out. Many of these
proverbs are very old, and indeed
are of Spanish rather than Mexican
origin, although they are widely
American countries.
1t is interesting to note that the
source of great number of such
proverbs is found in that most be-
loved Of all Spanish literary works,
Don Quixote de la Mancha, just as
a large part of our common prov
erbs in English are taken from the
works of Shakespeare Others are
entirely Mexican in both spirit and
letter, often making reference to
things or customs indigenous to the
country. Understood in Spanish,
many of these sayings are pithy,
razor sharp and often delightfully."-
humorous, but of course they lose
much of their salt when translated
into another language.
1t Is curious how many of these
Spanish proverbs have an almost
exact parallel in English-albeit in
many cases the words are quite diff
ferent. Which is to say, the basic
thought implied is the same even
though the metaphorical bases of q
proverb common to both languages
may be entirely dissimilar. Let us
look at few examples of proverbs
such as are commonly heard every
where in Mevico.
Like Father, Like Son"
A very popular saying, applied to
person who talks lot but says
little is "Mucho ruido y pocas
nueces," literally translated as
Much noise and few nuts'-an
empty shell, in other words. Our
English saying Like father, like
son" Is expressed as de tai palo, tai
astilla,' or From such tree, such
a splinter" although the Spanish
version obviously has wider appli-
cation. eel que no arriesga no pasa
la mar" Gle who does not take a
risk does not cross the sea- is the
equivalent of Nothing ventured,
nothing gained"
We particularly like the proverb
"Camaron que Sc duerme, sc 10 lleva
la corriente," which needs no ex-
PLANTATION other than its literal
translation: THE shrimp that sleeps
is carried away by the current"
The act of a hypocrite or coward is
referred to as "Tirar la piedra y
eSconder la mano," or ITO throw
the stone and hide the hand" Bit
ter irony is expressed in the prov
erb del arbol caido todos hacen
Lena whose meaning, Everyone
makes f1rewood of the fallen tree"
Is metaphorically applied to persons.
Direct Equivalents.
Here are two which have direct
English equivalents: mo todo 10
que relumbra es orc" C'Not every;
thing that shines is gold') and
'Vale mas pajaro en- mano que
ciento volando" GA bird in the
hand is worth hundred flving'o
In the same category are "El habito
no hace al monte" c'The habit does
not make the monk~, Dime con
quien andas Y te dire ouien eres"
cTell me with whom you associate
and I'll tell you who you are') and
EN- la TERRA de los ciegos ell tuerto
es rev" Gin the land of the tdnd
the one-eyed is king'D.
There are two typically Mexican
sayings referring to class distinc-
tions which are extremely pithy in
Spanish: Eel Que mace para maceta,
del corredor no pasa" CHE who is
born to be a fower-pot does not
pass beyond the corridor'o;
Aunque Ia mona Sc vista de seda.
mona Sc vista deseda mona Sc
oueda" cAlthough the monkey
dresses herself in silks, monkey she
remainsD.
There are several others which are
typically Mexican rather than Span
ish. "A mi uno de huarache no me
viene taconear,' which literally
means "One wearing huaraches Il. e.,
the common sandals used by the
Mexican peasantry) may not stamp
his feet at me-" is better translated
in street slang as mo common punk
like him can tell me where to head
in." In referring to an incompetent
person who always tries to blame
something for his own incompetence
Gas, for example, the housewife who
blames the stove for her cake fail
ure), Mexicans say "Al NAL musico
hasta las unas lie estorban C'even
his f1ngernails are source of bother
to the bad musician"
Cynical Irony.
A common saying which has the
meaning of beat the drum or you
won't get anywhere" refers to a
baby: "El que no chilla no mama"
or "he who does not yell does not
RESORTS.