If we assume, then, that the popular mind—­let us say the peasant mind—­in the white race is as capable of abstraction as the mind of the higher classes, but not so specialized in this direction—­and no one can doubt this in view of the academic record of country-bred boys—­the following comparison of our proverbs with those of the Africans of the Guinea coast (the latter reported by the late Sir A.B.  Ellis[259]) is significant: 

  African. Stone in the water-hole does not feel the cold.
  English. Habit is second nature.

  A. One tree does not make a forest.
  E. One swallow does not make a summer.

  A. “I nearly killed the bird.”  No one can eat nearly in a stew.
  E. First catch your hare.

  A. Full-belly child says to hungry-belly child, “Keep good cheer.”
  E. We can all endure the misfortunes of others.

  A. Distant firewood is good firewood.
  E. Distance lends enchantment to the view.

  A. Ashes fly back in the face of him who throws them.
  E. Curses come home to roost.

  A. If the boy says he wants to tie the water with a string, ask
          him whether he means the water in the pot or the water in
          the lagoon.
  E. Answer a fool according to his folly.

  A. Cowries are men.
  E. Money makes the man.

  A. Cocoanut is not good for bird to eat.
  E. Sour grapes.

  A. He runs away from the sword and hides himself in the scabbard.
  E. Out of the frying-pan into the fire.

  A. A fool of Ika and an idiot of Iluka meet together to make
          friends.
  E. Birds of a feather flock together.

  A. The ground-pig [bandicoot] said:  “I do not feel so angry with
          the man who killed me as with the man who dashed me on the
          ground afterward.”
  E. Adding insult to injury.

  A. Quick loving a woman means quick not loving a woman.
  E. Married in haste we repent at leisure.

  A. Three elders cannot all fail to pronounce the word ekulu
          [an antelope]:  one may say ekulu, another ekulu, but
          the third will say ekulu.
  E. In a multitude of counselors there is safety.

  A. If the stomach is not strong, do not eat cockroaches.
  E. Milk for babes.

  A. No one should draw water from the spring in order to supply
          the river.
  E. Robbing Peter to pay Paul.

  A. The elephant makes a dust and the buffalo makes a dust, but
          the dust of the buffalo is lost in the dust of the
          elephant.
  E. Duo cum faciunt idem non est idem.