mention of corn, hay, oxen, sheep, dogs, pigs, etc., and under "Fishing" are the herring, crab, lobster, sprat, dog-fish, the tides and the wind.
Other objects of most frequent occurrence are God, death, evil, the hand, house, man, poverty, pride, work, wisdom, etc.
The beauty of many of the Manx proverbs is often lost in the English translation. The rhyme is an important feature, rendering them catchy to the ear, and easily remembered. Some Manx words have no exact equivalent in English, and several of the proverbs relate to customs and institutions not familiar here. In some few cases the meaning has become obscure at the present day.
Herrings and potatoes once constituted the staple diet of the Manx peasantry. The herring justifies its importance in the frequency of its occurrence in the proverbs, but, singularly enough, I find no mention of the potato. Would it be too much to claim from this that the dates of the Manx proverbs are at least antecedent to the introduction of that useful vegetable ?
It is worthy of note what frequent use Mr. Hall Caine, the eminent Manx novelist, makes of Manx proverbs in his popular works, notably The Deemster. They are put into the mouths of his characters in a most skilful and appropriate fashion. "Let every pig dig for herself," said Thorkell. "I'll daub grease on the rump of your fat pig no more" (p. 22).[1] "We've been going to the goat's house for wool," grunted one of them. "Aw well man, and what can you get of the cat but his skin?" growled another (p. 23). And again, "Custom must be indulged with custom, or custom will weep" (p. 29), one of the most beautiful of the Manx proverbs. Mr. Hall Caine has evidently made a special point of this, and it contributes in no small degree to the national character of his works. The same feature is to be
- ↑ First edition (3 vols.), 1887.
