Robert Christy, comp. Proverbs, Maxims and Phrases of All Ages. 1887.
Absurd
He calls for a shoeing horn to help on his gloves.
He catches the wind with a net.
He chastises the dead.
He cleaves the clouds.
He draws water with a sieve.Modern Greek.
He gives grass to the lion—meat to the horse.Turkish.
He gives straw to his dog—and bones to his ass.
He hides the sun with a sieve.Modern Greek.
He is building a bridge over the sea.
He is making clothes for fishes.
He is making ropes of sand.
He numbers the waves.
He ploughs the air.
He pounds water in a mortar.
He seeks water in the sea.
He seeks wool on an ass.
He sees a glow-worm and thinks it a conflagration.Turkish.
He takes a spear to kill a fly.
He takes oil to extinguish the fire.
He tries to support an egg upon his nose.Modern Greek.
To commit as many absurdities as a clown in eating an egg.
To dig a well to put out a house on fire.Tamil.
To dig a well with a needle.Turkish.
To drink from a colander.Latin.
To swim a river with a bridge close by.
To the dog straw and to the ass bones.Modern Greek.
To throw oil on the fire.Dutch.
To throw pearls before swine.
To twist a rope of sand.
You ask an elm tree for pears.
You dance in a net and think nobody sees you.
You go to a goat to buy wool.
You look for hot water under the ice.
You use a lantern at noon day.Latin.