Page:Hausa Proverbs.djvu/64

276 Dunia rawwali yan mata ne, na galDa shi koma baya. The world is like the play of children, the one in front often becomes the one behind. 277 Alhaki da romo, ashigga iyaka wuya. The lawful wage, with a little added, will make a man Avork his hardest. A tip is a good thing to make ^ man work his best. Romo, tit-bit. 278 A wanki kifi da ruanslii. Washing a fish with its own water. Giving a present in return which is of less vakie than the one which has been given j;ou. Or giving in return some present which has cost you nothing. 279 A dauki kanwa'n baki (jIj), a ba awaki'n baki. To accept the present of potash which one stranger gives you and to give in return the goat which some other stranger has given you. The custom of a traveller giving his host a present is universal. It is merely the equivalent of paying for board and lodging, only it is done in advance. 280 Laifi'n babba, rowa, laiii'n yaro, kiwuya. The boy complains that his master is stingy, the master that his boy is lazy. These are the two faults which masters and servants respectively find most objectionable. 281 Kai ka ja rowa, ni kua ja mako. You are stingy, but I will wear you out. 282 Chiwu mai tauri'n liantchi, ka nuna ka ki fadua. chiwu, you are hard at the fork, you ripen but you do not fall, Chiwu, a shrub very tough where the branches join. Said to a stingy man.