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Folk Sayings Animals
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Spanish speaking countries
Date: Centuries-old
Notes: Spanish Proverbs, Axioms or Folk Sayings on Horses
     
      B
     
      o in English translation: Big horse, whether or not it can trot.
      - Meaning: A good thing, even if it can't do something basic.
      - Spanish original: Caballo grande, ande o no ande.
     
     
      D
     
      o in English translation: Do not check the teeth of a horse given as a present.
      - Meaning: Don't criticize gifts.
      - Equivalent: Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
      - Spanish original: Caballo regalado no se le mira el diente.
     
     
      M
      o The man who does not love a horse cannot love a woman.
     
      S
      o A short horse is soon curried (butchered for meat).
     
      W
     
      o A weak colt may yet make a good horse.
     
      o The wife of a shoemaker and the horse of a blacksmith have the worse shoes.
     
     
Contributed by: Image Courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #76720

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French speaking countries
Date: Centuries-old
Notes: French Proverbs, Axioms or Folk Sayings on Horses
     
      C
     
      o The cart leads the horse; the young instruct the old.
     
      o A cold may break, but an old horse you never can.
     
      o A colt you may break, but an old horse you never can.
     
      H
     
      o He who does not venture gets neither a horse nor a mule, and he who ventures too much will lose a horse and a mule.
     
     
      M
      o Money makes the mare to go.
     
      R
     
      A ragged colt may make a good horse.
     
     
     
     
     
Contributed by: Image Courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery # 488614

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English speaking countries
Date: Centuries-old
Notes: Proverbs or Idioms or Folk Sayings on Donkeys and Mules
     
      A
     
      o An ass is but an ass though laden with gold.
     
      D
     
      o Donkey work (Meaning: A boring job or task.).
      o Donkey's years (Meaning: A long time.).
     
      E
     
      o Even if an ass goes traveling he'll not come home a horse.
      o Every ass loves to hear himself bray.
      o Every donkey thinks itself worthy of standing with the king's horses.
     
      H
     
      o Honey is not for the ass's mouth.
     
      I
     
      o I don't break bread with a jackass. (Archaic)
      o If an ass bray at you, don't bray at him.
     
      J
     
      o Jest with an ass and he will flap you in the face with his tail.
      N
      o Nothing is gained by having one donkey call another, "Long Ears."
Contributed by: Image Courtesy of the New York Public Library, Digital Gallery # 62551

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French speaking countries
Date: Centuries-old
Notes: French Proverbs, Idioms or Folk Sayings on Donkeys and Mules
     
      o in English translation (literally): One does not make a donkey drink if it isn't thirsty.
      Equivalent: You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.
      French original: On ne fait pas boire un ane qui n'a pas soif.
     
      o in English translation (literally): There is more than one donkey at the fair called Martin.
      English equivalent: There's plenty more fish in the sea.
      French original: Il y a plus d'un ane a la foire qui s'appellent Martin. Or, Tous les anes ne s'appellent pas Martin.
Contributed by: Image Courtesy of the New York Public Library, Digital Gallery # 822469

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German speaking countries
Date: Centuries-old
Notes: German Proverbs or Folk Sayings on Donkeys and Mules
     
     
      o An ass in Germany is a professor in Rome.
     
      o A woman has the form of an angel, the heart of a serpent, and the mind of an ass.
Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #66616

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Spanish speaking countries
Date: Centuries-old
Notes: Spanish Proverbs or Folk Sayings on Donkeys and Mules
     
      o in English translation: (Literally) For an old donkey, a new bridle.
      - Meaning: No matter how well you dress, you can only hide your age so much.
     
     
      o in English translation: (Literally) Where a jaguar roars, there are no donkeys with rheumatism.
      - Meaning: If there's trouble, people will find a way to get out of it.
      - Spanish original: Donde ronca tigre, no hay burro con reumatismo.
Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #6207

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English speaking countries
Date: Centuries-old
Notes: Proverbs, Idioms or Folk Sayings on Chickens, Hens, Roosters, Capons, Ducks and Geese
     
      A
      As the old cock crows, the young cock learns.
     
      C
      o A chicken and egg situation (Meaning: When one doesn't know which came first).
      o Chickens come home to roost. Or, the chickens have come home to roost. (Meaning: Being haunted by one's past misdeeds).
      o Chicken feed (Meaning: A small amount of money, often said when one is not adequately paid for one's labor.).
      o A cock is valiant on his own dunghill.
      o Curses like chickens, come home to roost.
     
      D
      o Don't count your chickens before they're hatched.
     
      G
      o A goose quill is more dangerous than a lion's claw (Equivalent: The pen is mightier than the sword.).
     
      H
      o He steals a goose, and gives the giblets in alms.
      o He that steals an egg will steal an ox.
      o He that eats of the king's goose shall be choked with feathers.
      o A hen is heavy when carried far.
      o A hen party (Meaning: An all-girl's party).
     
      I
      o If a hen does not prate she'll never lay.
      o It is a bad hen that does not scratch herself.
     
      K
      o Kill not the goose that lays the golden eggs.
     
      L
      o Like a headless chicken.
      o Like water off a duck's back.
     
      o
      Never sell a hen on a wet day.
     
      O
      o Opportunities, like eggs, come one at a time.
     
      S
      o Strut like a rooster (Meaning: being vain).
      o Stupidity is sending the goose on a mission to the fox's den.
     
      W
      o What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander (Meaning: What's right for one, is fair for the other.).
      o Wouldn't say boo to a goose. (Archaic)
Contributed by: Image Courtesy of the New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #822482

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Spanish speaking countries
Date: Centuries-old
Notes: Spanish Proverbs, Idioms or Folk Sayings on Chickens, Hens, Roosters, Ducks and Geese
     
      D
     
      o in English translation: Don't count your chickens before they are hatched.
      - Spanish original: No cantes victoria antes de gloria.
     
      o Don't put all your eggs in one basket.
     
     
      N
     
      o Never offer your hen for sale on a rainy day.
     
Contributed by: Image Courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery # 1599674

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German speaking countries
Date: Centuries-old
Notes: Folk Sayings, Idioms and Proverbs on Chickens, Hens, Roosters, Capons, Ducks and Geese
     
      o in English translation (literally): A blind chicken finds a grain once in awhile.
      German original: Ein blindes huhn findet aurch mal ein korn.
     
      o in English translation (literally): Don't worry about eggs that haven't been laid.
      Equivalent: Don't count your eggs before they hatch.
      German original: Sich nicht um ungelegte eir kummern.
     
      *** in English translation ***
     
      o Fat hen lay few eggs.
      o A gosling flew over the Rhine, and came home a goose.
Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #488617

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French speaking countries
Date: Centuries-old
Notes: French Proverbs, Idioms or Folk Sayings on Chickens, Hens, Roosters, Capons, Ducks and Geese
     
     
      B
     
      o in English translation: Better an egg in peace than an ox in war.
      French original: Mieux vant en paix un oeuf qu'en guerre un boeuf.
     
     
      o Better an egg today than a hen tomorrow.
     
      o A black hen lays a white egg.
     
      o A blind hen can sometimes find her corn.
     
     
      C
      o Chickens don't praise their own soup.
     
      F
     
      o Feather by feather the goose can be plucked.
     
      G
     
      o in English translation (literally): Going to bed with the hen and waking with the crow keeps the man from the grave.
      English equivalent: Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.
     
     
      H
     
      o The hen ought not to cackle in presence of the cock.
      o The hen's eyes are with her chickens.
     
     
      I
     
      o It is the hen which sings which has laid the egg (Equivalent: The guilty dog barks the loudest.).
     
     
      N
     
      o Never did a capon love a hen.
     
     
      T
     
      o To get the chicks one must coax the hen.
     
      Y
     
      o You can't marry a hen and a fox (Meaning: Different strokes for different folks.).
     
     
Contributed by: Image Courtesy of New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #1161605

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