Chapter III: Part 3

330. Vente enflé, mouces zaune té pique li. (Le ventre enflé, les mouches jaunes l’ont piqué.)[139]

. . . . . . . . --[_Mauritius._]

[139] This proverb is scarcely suitable for English translation; but
the forcible and picturesque irony of it will be appreciated in M.
Baissac’s explanatory note: “_Comment se l’expliquer autrement, en
dehors du mariage?_”

331. Vide éne boutéye pour rempli laute, qui li? (Vider une bouteille pour en remplir une autre, qu’est-ce?)

“What’s the good of emptying one bottle only to fill
another?”[140]--[_Mauritius._]

[140] Same signification as Prov. 138.

332. * Vie cannari ka fé bon bouillon. (Les vieux pots font les bonnes soupes.)

“It’s the old pot that makes the good soup.”--[_Martinique._]

333. Vié coq, zène poule. (Vieux coq, jeune poule.)

“An old cock, a young hen.”--[_Mauritius._]

334. Volè pas ainmein vouè canmarade yo pòté sac. (Les voleurs n’aiment pas voir leurs camarades portant le sacs.)

“Thieves do not like to see their comrades carrying the
bags.”[141]--[_Martinique._]

[141] Probably truer to human nature than our questionable statement
concerning “honor among thieves.” Mr. Bigelow, in his contribution to
_Harper’s Magazine_, cited a similar proverb in the Haytian dialect.

335. Vous napas va montré vié zaco fère grimaces. (Vous ne montrerez pas à un vieux singe à faire des grimaces.)

“You can’t teach an old monkey how to make
faces.”[142]--[_Mauritius._]

[142] “Teach your granny to suck eggs.”

336. Voyé chein, chein voyé lakhe li. (Envoyez le chien, et le chien envoie sa queue.)

“Send dog, and dog sends his tail.”--Refers to those who obey orders
only by proxy.--[_Trinidad._]

337. Yo ka quimbé[143] chritiens pa langue yo, bef pa còne yo. (On prend les Chrétiens par la langue, les bœufs par les cornes.)

“Christians are known by their tongues, oxen by their horns.”
(Literally, are taken by or caught by.)--[_Martinique._]

[143] _Quimbé_ is a verb of African origin. It survives in Louisiana
Creole as _tchombé_ or _chombo_:

_Caroline, zolie femme,
Chombo moin dans collet._

[“Caroline, pretty woman; put your arm about my neck!”--lit.: “take me
by the neck.”]

There are other African words used by the older colored women, such as
_macayé_, meaning to eat at all hours; and _Ouendé_, of which the
sense is dubious. But the Congo verb _fifa_, to kiss; and the verbs
_souyé_, to flatter; _pougalé_, to abuse violently; and such nouns as
_saff_ (glutton), _yche_ or _iche_ (baby), which are preserved in
other Creole dialects, are apparently unknown in Louisiana to-day.

In Chas. Jeannest’s work, _Quatre Années au Congo_ [Paris:
Charpentier, 1883], I find a scanty vocabulary of words in the Fiot
dialect, the native dialect of many slaves imported into Louisiana and
the West Indies. In this vocabulary the word _ouenda_ is translated by
“partir pour.” I fancy it also signifies “to be absent,” and that it
is synonymous with our Louisiana African-Creole _ouendé_, preserved in
the song:

_Ouendé, ouendé, macaya_;
Mo pas, ’barassé, _macaya_!
_Ouendé, ouendé, macaya_;
Mo bois bon divin, _macaya_!
_Ouendé, ouendé, macaya_;
Mo mangé bon poulé, _macaya_!
_Ouendé, ouendé, macaya_;..etc.

This is one of the very few songs with a purely African refrain still
sung in New Orleans. The theme seems to be that, the master and
mistress of a house being absent, some slave is encouraging a
slave-friend to eat excessively, to “stuff himself” with wine,
chicken, etc. “They are gone, friend: eat, fill yourself; _I’m_ not a
bit ashamed; stuff yourself!--I’m drinking good wine; stuff
yourself!--I’m eating good chicken; gorge yourself,” etc. Here
_ouendé_ seems to mean “they are out; they are gone away,”--therefore
there is no danger.

There is another Creole song with the same kind of double refrain, but
the meaning of the African words I have not been able to discover.

Nicolas, Nicolas, Nicolas, ou dindin;
Nicolas, Nicolas, Nicolas marché ouaminon:
Quand li marché
_Ouarasi, ouarasa!_
Quand li marché
_Ouarasi, ouarasa!_

[“Nicholas, etc., you are a turkey-cock! Nicholas walks _ouaminon_:
when he walks, it is _ouarasi, ouarasa_.”] The idea is obvious enough;
viz.: that Nicholas struts like a turkey-cock; but the precise
signification of the three italicised words I have failed to learn.

338. Yon doègt pas sa pouend pice. (Un seul doigt ne peut pas attraper des puces.)

“One finger can’t catch fleas.”--[_Martinique._]

339. * Yon lanmain douè lavé laute. (Une main doit laver l’autre.)

“One hand must wash the other.”--You must not depend upon others to
get you out of trouble.--[_Martinique._]

340. Yon mauvais paòle ka blessé plis qu’coupd’roche. (Une mauvaise parole blesse plus qu’un coup-de-pierre.)

“A wicked word hurts more than a blow from a stone.”--[_Martinique._]

341. Zaco malin, li-méme té montré noir coment voler. (La singe est malin; c’est lui qui a montré au noir comment on vole.)

“The monkey is sly; it was he that first taught the black man how to
steal.”--[_Mauritius._]

342. Zaco napas guétte so laquée; li guétte pour son camarade. (Le singe ne regarde pas sa queue; il regarde celle de son voisin.)

“Monkey never watches his own tail; he watches his
neighbor’s.”--[_Mauritius._]

343. * Zaffaire ça qui sotte, chien mangé dìné yo. (Des choses [qui appartiennent] aux sots les chiens font leur dîner.)

“Dogs make their dinner upon what belongs to fools.”--[_Louisiana._]

344. * Zaffé cabritt pa zaffé mouton. (L’affaire de la chèvre n’est pas l’affaire du mouton.)

“The goat’s business is not the sheep’s affair.”[144]--[_Martinique._]

[144] Seems to be the same in all Creole dialects, excepting that the
rabbit is sometimes substituted for the sheep.

345. Zaffére qui fine passé narien; laute qui pour vint qui li! (L’affaire passée n’est rien; c’est l’affaire à venir qui est le hic.)

“What’s past is nothing; it’s what’s to come that’s the
rub.”--[_Mauritius._]

346. Zamais béf senti so corne trop lourd. (Jamais le bœuf ne sent ses cornes trop lourdes.)

“The ox never finds his horns too heavy to carry.”--[_Mauritius._]

347. Zamés disel dire li salé. (Le sel ne dit jamais qu’il est salé.)

“The salt never says that it is salty.” True virtue never
boasts.--[_Mauritius._]

348. Zaureille pas tini couv éti. (Les oreilles n’ont pas de couverture.)

“There is no covering for the ears.”--[_Martinique._]

349. Zié beké brilé zié nèg. (Les yeux du blanc brûlent les yeux du nègre.)

“The white man’s eyes burn the negro’s eyes.”[145]--[_Martinique._]

[145] _Béké_ is translated by _blanc_ in Turiault’s work; but the
witty author of _Les Bambous_ writes: _Nèg_ se dit pour _esclave_, et
_béké_ pour maître. Therefore perhaps a more correct translation would
be: “The master’s eyes burn the slave’s eyes.” The phrase recalls a
curious refrain which used to be sung by Louisiana field-hands:

_Tout, tout, pays blanc--Danié qui commandé,
Danié qui commandé ça!
Danié qui commandé._

[“All, all the country white” (white-man’s country); “Daniel has so
commanded,” etc.] I do not know whether the prophet Daniel is referred
to.

350. Zié rouge pas boulé savann. (Les yeux rouges ne brûlent pas la savane.)

“Red eyes can’t burn the savannah.” A better translation might be:
“Red eyes can’t start a prairie-fire.” The meaning is that mere anger
avails nothing.[146]--[_Martinique._]

[146] In the Guyane patois, they say: “_Ça qui gadé gran boi yé kôlé
pa brûlé yé_.” (_Celui qui regarde les grands bois avec des yeux
colères ne les brûle pas._)

351. Zouré napas ena lentérement. (Les jurons n’ont pas d’enterrement.)

“Curses don’t make funerals.”--[_Mauritius._]

352. Zozo paillenqui crié là-haut, coudevent vini. (Le paille-en-cul crie la-haut, le coup de vent vient.)

“When the tropic-bird screams overhead, a storm-wind is
coming.”--[_Mauritius._]

INDEX TO VARIOUS DIALECTS.

I.--PROVERBS IN THE CREOLE OF FRENCH GUYANA:--60, 223, 242, 244, 291,
322.

II.--IN THE CREOLE OF HAYTI:--11, 26, 47, 51, 61, 63, 77, 78, 87, 88,
96, 100, 115, 116, 117, 120, 139, 145, 153, 172, 190, 220, 225, 226,
239, 250, 277, 302.

III.--IN THE CREOLE OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA:--23, 34, 40, 57, 67,
86, 89, 90, 95, 97, 99, 107, 112, 123, 130, 134, 137, 147, 148, 157,
159, 162, 166, 171, 185, 186, 198, 203, 204, 208, 209, 228, 235, 241,
248, 251, 253, 264, 266, 268, 271, 282, 286, 295, 303, 305, 308, 310,
317, 321, 323, 343.

IV.--IN THE CREOLE OF MARTINIQUE:--1, 2, 4, 5, 10, 18, 20, 24, 28, 29,
30, 31, 33, 36, 37, 41, 42, 43, 49, 50, 52, 56, 58, 59, 62, 66, 75,
76, 82, 84, 85, 91, 92, 93, 94, 104, 122, 133, 149, 150, 151, 152,
154, 160, 164, 175, 188, 189, 199, 202, 205, 206, 207, 210, 211, 213,
222, 224, 227, 230, 237, 238, 240, 245, 252, 254, 267, 269, 270, 272,
279, 281, 283, 288, 289, 294, 296, 298, 299, 301, 311, 312, 313, 314,
315, 318, 319, 320, 324, 325, 328, 329, 332, 334, 337, 338, 339, 340,
344, 348, 349, 350.

V.--IN THE CREOLE OF MAURITIUS:--3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 16, 17, 19, 22,
25, 32, 38, 44, 45, 46, 48, 53, 54, 55, 65, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73,
98, 101, 102, 105, 106, 108, 109, 114, 118, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128,
129, 131, 136, 138, 143, 155, 156, 161, 163, 165, 167, 168, 169, 170,
173, 174, 176, 177, 178, 179, 180, 182, 183, 191, 195, 196, 197, 200,
212, 214, 215, 216, 217, 218, 219, 243, 246, 247, 249, 255, 256, 257,
258, 259, 260, 261, 262, 263, 265, 273, 274, 275, 276, 278, 287, 290,
304, 326, 327, 330, 331, 333, 335, 341, 342, 345, 346, 347, 351, 352.

VI.--IN THE CREOLE OF TRINIDAD:--12, 13, 15, 21, 27, 35, 39, 64, 74,
79, 80, 81, 83, 103, 110, 111, 113, 119, 121, 132, 135, 140, 141, 142,
144, 146, 158, 181, 184, 187, 192, 193, 194, 201, 221, 229, 231, 232,
233, 234, 236, 280, 284, 285, 292, 293, 297, 306, 307, 309, 316, 336.

INDEX TO SUBJECTS OF PROVERBS.

ACOMA-TREE.--1.
ADVISERS.--101, 142.
ALLIGATOR (or Crocodile).--198, 229, 293.
ARMS.--262.
ARRACK.--46, 305.
“AVOCADO.”--5.

BAG, SACK, “MACONTE.”--51, 115, 288.
BAGASSE.--14.
“BALAOU.”--210.
BEANS.--278.
BEARD.--10.
BED.--33, 182.
BELLY.--39, 44, 252, 253, 274, 275, 330.
BENGALEE.--290.
BIG AND LITTLE.--249, 311, 312.
BIRD.--154, 241.
BLOWS.--19.
“BONDA.”--34, 49, 320.
BORROWERS.--138, 190, 331.
BROOM.--16.
BOUNDARY.--183 (note).
BUZZARDS.--228.

“CALALOU.”--220 (note).
“CALINDA.”--280 (note).
CALABASH.--96, 116, 117, 297.
CANARY.--290.
CANNON.--255.
CAT.--70, 71, 72, 73, 85, 86, 151, 171, 200.
CHARACTER.--309.
CHEESE.--215.
CHEST.--260.
CHICKEN, OR HEN.--80, 125, 150, 245, 246, 247, 272, 283.
CHILDREN.--15, 48, 184, 187, 193, 242, 243, 313.
CHRISTIAN.--250, 337.
CLOTHES-PRESS.--260.
COAL.--69.
COCK.--29, 102, 129, 173, 333.
COCKROACH.--65, 283, 284.
CODFISH.--205.
COON.--133.
CONSPIRACY.--100.
CONTENTMENT.--208.
CORN.--136.
COWARD.--67, 132.
CURSES.--351.
CRAB.--75, 111, 199.

DEVIL.--9, 82, 149, 256, 257, 259, 270.
DOG.--28, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 118, 119, 137, 152, 201, 314,
336, 343.
DONKEY.--167, 258.
DUCK.--43, 66, 128.
DRAWERS.--113, 126.
DRUM.--61, 78, 306.

EARS.--74, 107, 285, 348.
EATING.--45, 194, 238.
EGGS.--13, 56, 128, 129, 150, 247, 280.
ELEPHANT.--297.
EYES.--58, 183, 276, 293, 326, 350.

FAT PEOPLE.--144.
FAULTS.--213.
FAVORS.--281, 286.
FEVER.--211.
FINE CLOTHES.--6, 23, 252, 253.
FIREFLY.--84.
FISHES.--295.
FLEAS.--328.
FLY.--11, 20, 263.
FLOUR.--65, 69.
FOOT.--33, 50, 264, 265.
FRIENDS.--127.
FROG.--34, 79, 113, 166, 293.

GAB.--25, 27.
GIFTS.--258, 277.
GOAT.--40, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 175, 190, 206, 251, 344.
GOD.--30, 31, 257.
GODMOTHER.--237.
GOMBO.--147, 299.
GOOD ACTIONS.--42, 53.
GOOD FORTUNE.--35.
GOOSE.--43.
GUN.--255.

HARE.--3, 191.
HEART.--58, 174, 212.
HIGHWAY.--139, 224, 226, 291.
HORSE.--94, 107, 109, 167, 204, 206, 222.
HOG.--97, 176.
HOUSEKEEPING.--32.
HUSBAND.--195, 294.

IDLENESS.--34, 35, 140, 141, 180.
“IF-I-ONLY-KNEW.”--298.
ITCH.--178.

JEWELRY.--329.

KICKS.--105.
KNIFE.--76, 139.

LAGNIAPPE.--157.
“LANGOUTI.”--6.
LARD.--53.
LEECH.--217.
LIANA.--218.
LIZARD.--282, 301.

“MAN LISON.”--317.
MANURE.--216.
MARRIAGE.--118, 179, 195, 196, 197, 215.
MASTER AND SLAVE.--266, 349.
MAT.--98.
MEADOWS.--21, 296, 350.
MILLET.--47.
MISERY.--162, 207.
MISFORTUNE.--192, 302.
MONEY.--125, 168, 169, 170, 307.
MONKEY.--2, 4, 5, 12, 108, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 207, 320, 323,
335, 341, 342, 350.
MOSQUITO.--198, 214, 319.
MOTHERS.--2, 4, 5, 184, 187, 193, 242.
MOUNTAINS.--174, 212.
MOURNING.--121, 124, 134.
MOUSSA.--299 (note).
MUD.--155.
MULATTO.--204, 206, 267.
MULE.--107, 169, 324.

NEEDLE AND THREAD.--143.

OUANGA.--100.
OX.--20, 21, 22, 81, 160, 236, 277, 346.

PADDLE.--6.
“PALIACA BIRDS.”--177.
PANTALOONS.--292.
PARTNERSHIP.--52.
PETTICOAT.--294.
PETTICOAT STRINGS.--292.
POT OR KETTLE.--3, 8, 64, 254, 325, 332.
POVERTY.--163, 239.
PRESENT AND THE FUTURE.--310, 344.
PUDDLE.--155.
PUMPKIN.--76, 96.

RABBIT.--40, 164.
RAGS.--145.
RAIN.--22, 81, 165, 166, 192, 352.
RAT.--85, 287, (musk-rat) 200.
RIGHT AND WRONG.--213, 240, 284.
RUNNING AWAY.--33, 103.

SABRE.--18.
SALT.--347.
SEA.--295.
SECRETS.--296.
SERPENT, OR SNAKE.--24, 189, 269, 289, 291, 292.
SHEEP.--59, 175.
SHINGLES.--17, 156.
SHOES.--83, 223, 304.
SIGHING.--300.
SKILLET.--53.
SLEEP.--45, 98.
SLOW AND SURE.--131, 241.
SNAILS.--108, 165.
“SO MUCH THE WORSE.”--308.
SPURS.--318.
SPOON.--77, 270.
SPRING.--148.
STARING.--235.
STICK.--18, 201, 209.
STRANGERS.--126.
SUGAR.--38.
SULKING.--44.
SUN.--302, 303.
SUNDAY.--95, 325.
SWEET POTATO.--271.

TAIL.--12, 20, 36, 81, 167, 336, 342.
TALKING.--37, 74, 104, 112, 120, 135, 146, 161, 164, 202, 231, 232,
234, 235, 244, 340.
TEETH.--30, 120, 121, 122, 194.
THANKS.--203.
“TAZARD.”--210.
TIGER.--314.
TIYON.--23.
TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW.--41, 153, 210.
TONGUE.--79, 104, 161, 236.
TOO MUCH OF A THING.--228, 229, 273, 327.
TORTOISE.--99, 191, 315.
TROPIC-BIRD.--352.
TURKEY.--205.

VALET.--36.
VETIVERIA.--156, 195.
VISITING.--77.

WANT (AND WASTE).--41.
WAR.--158, 159.
WATER.--114, 121, 130, 131, 148.
WEEK OF FOUR THURSDAYS.--57.
WHITE MAN.--26, 349.
WOMAN.--9, 23, 48, 65, 259, 294.
WOODLICE.--116, 117.
WORK.--132, 141.

YAM.--181.

ZAMBA.--78.

LA CUISINE CREOLE.

A compilation of many original Creole and other valuable recipes obtained from noted Southern housewives, with a number of _chefs d’œuvre_ from leading _chefs_, who have made New Orleans famous for its cuisine.

Published by WILL H. COLEMAN,

70 ASTOR HOUSE, NEW YORK.

Transcriber’s Notes:

Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation have been retained.

Footnote [38]: The last paragraph lacks a closing quote mark; this has not been changed, since it is not clear where the quote ends.

Prov. 139: gambette may be a misspelling of jambette (jack-knife) in Bigelow’s work.

Prov. 177: zozos pariaca may be an error for zozos paliaca.

Changes made to the text:

Footnotes have been moved to directly under the proverb they refer to.

Obvious punctuation errors and missing punctuation have been corrected
silently.

i.e. and i. e. have been standardised to i.e.

Introduction: gomo filé changed to gombo filé

Bibliography: Academique changed to Académique

Prov. 4: nourish it young changed to nourish its young

Footnote [12]: _tiyon_ the true changed to _tiyon_ is the true

Footnote [14]: little bird does’nt changed to little bird doesn’t

Prov. 49: Ceux qui mangent ne savent pas changed to Ceux qui mangent
des œufs ne savent pas

Prov. 54: le prix de la grasse changed to le prix de la graisse

Prov. 82: qui le diable emporte changed to que le diable emporte

Prov. 114: aime á boire changed to aime à boire

Footnote [45]: _oti and outi_ changed to _oti_ and _outi_

Prov. 117: resister changed to résister

Prov. 127: etrangers changed to étrangers

Prov. 172: li rouge changed to li ronge

Prov. 204: his mother was’nt changed to his mother wasn’t

Prov. 221: morte changed to mort

Prov. 248: demandre changed to demander

Prov. 253: ’evite changed to évite

Prov. 260: les coffre changed to le coffre

Prov. 268: Quand n’a pas changed to Quand on n’a pas

Footnote [124]: Mousse changed to Moussa as in proverb

Footnote [125]: _Moun_, _or moune_ changed to _Moun_, or _moune_

Footnote [136]: _commeree_ changed to _commerce_

Footnote [139]: Comment se l’expliquer autrement en dehors du mariage
changed to Comment se l’expliquer autrement, en dehors du mariage? (as
in the original text by Baissac)

Footnote [143]: _ourasi, ouarasa_ changed to _ouarasi, ouarasa_ as in
verse

Prov. 344: Z ffé changed to Zaffé

Prov. 349: brûle changed to brûlent

Index to Dialects, III.: 267 changed to 266; IV.: 147 and 329
inserted; V.: 333 inserted.