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Spanish speaking countries | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Spanish Proverbs or Folk Sayings on Aging -- Older Women*
o Be happy while you're living, for you will be a long time dead.
o The best mirror is an old friend.
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.
*For folk sayings or proverbs on aging that are not gender-specific see "Italy Revisited/Folk Sayings on Aging/Around the World." | Contributed by: Image courtesy of the New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #826853
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Spanish speaking countries | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Spanish Proverbs or Folk Sayings on Death and Dying -- Women*
o A widow with big breasts must be either married, buried or sent to a nunnery.
*For Spanish proverbs or folk sayings on death and dying that are not gender-specific see "Italy Revisited/Folk Sayings on Death."
| Contributed by: Image courtesy of New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #826401
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Spanish speaking countries | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Spanish Proverbs or Folk Sayings on Good and Evil -- Women*
o in English translation: You look prettier when you're quiet.
- Meaning: If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.
- Spanish original: Calladita se ve mas bonita.
For Spanish proverbs or folk sayings on good and evil that are not gender specific see "Italy Revisited/Folk Sayings on Good and Evil/Around the World."
| Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #826745
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Spanish speaking countries | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Spanish Proverbs or Folk Sayings on Health -- Women*
o The fear of women is the basis of good health.
*For Spanish proverbs or folk sayings on health that are not gender-specific see "Italy Revisited/Folk Sayings on Health/Around the World."
| Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #1577475
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Spanish speaking countries | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Spanish Proverbs or Folk Sayings on Marriage -- Women*
o A blind man's wife needs no make-up.
o Both mules and women do what is expected of them.
o Choose a wife on a Saturday rather than a Sunday. Or, if you want a fine wife, don't pick her on a Sunday.
o Every woman has something of a witch about her.
o The first wife is a broom, and the second a lady.
o He that marries a widow will often have a dead man's head thrown into the dish.
o He who does not honor his wife, dishonors himself.
o He who has a bad wife can expect no happiness.
o He who has a good wife can bear any misfortune or wrong done to him.
o in English translation (literally): If your wife wants to throw you off the roof, make sure the roof is as low as possible.
- Spanish original: Si tu mujer quiere tirarte de un tejado, procura que sea uno bajo, mayormente.
o The man who does not love a horse cannot love a woman.
o A mistress in a high place is not a bad thing.
o in English translation: A mother-in-law would be bitter even if made of sugar.
o Spanish original: Suegra ni aun de azucar es buena.
o No woman can make a wise man out of a fool, but every woman can change a wise man into a fool.
o The old wife, if she does not serve for a pot, serves for a cover.
o The only chaste woman is the one who has not been chased.
o A rose too often smelled loses its fragrance (Meaning: A "loose woman loses her charm).
o Smoke, a dripping roof, and a scolding wife, are enough to drive a man out of his life.
o There is no answer for God out of my house, and What have you to do with my wife?
o in English translation (literally): Two breasts pull more than two wagons.
- Meaning: The ability of women to get things in their favor due to their beauty and sexuality.
- Spanish original: Dos tetas tiran mas que dos carretas.
o The well-dressed woman draws her husband away from another woman's door.
o What is whispered in your ear tell not to your husband.
o When our daughter is married sons-in-law are plenty.
o A widow with big breasts must be either married, buried or sent to a nunnery.
o The wife of a shoemaker and the horse of a blacksmith have the worse shoes.
o in English translation: A woman's place is in the home.
- Spanish original: La mujer honrada la pierna quebrada y en casa.
o in English translation (literally): A woman's pubic hair pulls more than a tractor.
- Meaning: The ability of women to get things in their favor due to their beauty and sexuality.
- Spanish original: Pelo de cuca jala mas que un tractor.
*For Spanish proverbs or folk sayings on marriage that are not gender-specific see "Italy Revisited/Folk Sayings on Marriage/Around the World." | Contributed by: Courtesy of The Library of Congress #3b20726
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French speaking countries | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: French Proverbs or Folk Sayings on Love -- Women*
o in English translation: At night all cats are gray.
- Meaning: When the lights are out (i.e., in bed) women all look the same.
- French original: La nuit tous les chats sont gris.
o Beauty without virtue is a flower without perfume.
o A covetous woman deserves a swindling gallant.
o Fair, good, rich and wise is a woman four stories high.
Meaning: If a woman is not only rich and wise but is good-looking and nice to boot she is a true giant among women.
o Fortune is a woman; if you neglect her today do not expect to regain her tomorrow.
o The handsomest woman can only give what she has.
o in English translation (literally): Look for the woman.
- Meaning: A woman is probably at the heart of the quarrel.
- French original: Cherchez la femme.
o in French translation: The most beautiful girl in the world can only give as much as she has.
- French original: La plus belle fille du monde ne peut donner que ce qu'elle a.
o Never choose your women or lien by candlelight.
o in English translation: Never coward shall have fair lady for a friend.
- Meaning: Faint heart never won fair lady.
- French original: Jamais couard n'aura belle amie.
o in English translation: Often women change.
- Equivalent: Women are fickle.
- French original: Souvent femme varie.
o The prettiest girl in the world can only give what she has.
o in English translation (literally). That which a woman wishes, God wishes.
- Meaning: A woman's will is God's will.
- French original: Ce que femme veut, Dieu le veut.
o in English translation: There is no Jenny who does not find her donkey.
- Meaning: every Jack has his Jill.
- French original: Il n'y a pas d'anesse que ne trouve son ane.
o There never was a mirror that old a woman she was ugly.
o in English translation (literally) A woman laughs when she can and weeps when she wants.
- French original: Femme rit quand elle peut et pleure quand elle veut.
o Women, money and wine have their balm and their harm.
*For French proverbs or folk sayings on love that are not gender-specific see Italy Revisited/Folk Sayings on Love/Around the World." | Contributed by: Image courtesy of The Library of Congress #3g03215r
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French speaking countries | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: French Proverbs or Folk Sayings Marriage -- Women*
o The clever wife makes her husband an apron.
o Choose a wife with your ears, not your eyes.
o A deaf husband and a blind wife are always a happy couple.
o in English translation: Eat your fish while it is fresh, marry your daughter while she is young.
o French original: Mange ton poisson a present qu'il est frais, marie ta fille a present qu'elle est jeune.
o [Sarcastic] Happy is the man who has a beautiful spouse close to an abbey.
o He that tells his wife everything must be newly married.
o He who has a wife is sure to have strife.
o He who marries for love is happy at night, and unhappy during the day.
o in English translation: Love and poverty do bad housework together.
- French original: L'amour et la pouvrer font ensemble mauvais manage.
o Love is the dawn of marriage and marriage is the sunset of love.
o The man has neither sense nor reason who leaves a young wife at home.
o Marriage is a lottery.
o Marriages are written in heaven.
o Married today, married tomorrow.
o in English translation: One does not go to the mill with the beauty of one's wife.
- Meaning: One can't trade in a wife's beauty for food.
- French original: On ne va pas avec la beaute de sa femme au moulin.
o One should choose a wife with the ears, rather than with the eyes.
o Smoke, floods and a troublesome wife are enough to drive a man out of his life.
o There is no perfect marriage, for there are no perfect men.
o To eat and drink, and sleep together, is marriage, methinks.
o To make a happy couple, the husband must be deaf and the wife blind.
o When a man's friend marries, all is over between them.
o With an old husband's hide one buys a young one.
o Where rosemary grows the wife wears the trousers.
o You can't marry a hen and a fox (Meaning: Different strokes for different folks).
| Contributed by: Image courtesy of The Library of Congress #3b20730r
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French speaking countries | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: French Proverbs or Folk Sayings on Family -- Women*
o The child may be rocked too hard.
o Children have more need of models than critics.
*For folk sayings or proverbs that are not gender-specific from French speaking countries on "Family" see "Italy Revisited/Folk Sayings on Family/Around the World"
| Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #1577636
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French speaking countries | | Date: Centuries old | Notes: Folk Sayings or Proverbs on Aging -- Older Women*
o Better be an old man's darling than a young man's slave.
o in English translation (Literally): A dappled sky and the beauty of a woman does not last long.
- French original: Ciel pommele et fille fardee ne son pas de longue duree.
o in English translation (literally): It's in old kettles that one makes the best soup.
- English equivalent: Women get better with age.
- French original: C'est dans les vieilles marmites qu'on fait les meilleurs soupes.
*For folk sayings or proverbs on aging from French-speaking countries that are not gender-specific see Italy Revisited/Folk Sayings on Aging/Around the World. | Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #100179-885
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French speaking countries | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: French Proverbs or Folk Sayings on Death and Dying -- Women*
o Sorrow for a widow is like pain in the elbow, sharp and short.
* For French proverbs or folk sayings on death and dying that are not gender-specific see "Italy Revisited/Folk Sayings on Death." | Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #826389
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