Robert Christy, comp. Proverbs, Maxims and Phrases of All Ages. 1887.

Folly (in Conduct)

A cucumber being offered a poor man he refused it because it was crooked.Turkish.

Bolts a door with a boiled carrot.

Hard by the river he digs a well.Latin.

He baked snow in the oven.German.

He brings a staff to break his own head.

He expects that larks will fall ready roasted into his mouth.French.

He expects to find water at the first stroke of the spade.Spanish.

He has given the hen for the egg.German.

He has killed the goose that laid the golden egg.

Lay on more wood, ashes give money.

The egg hurls itself against the stone.Chinese.

The glass-dealer’s horses fell out and he looked on to see which kicked hardest.Spanish.

To bind a dog with the gut of a lamb.Latin.

To cut down an oak and plant a thistle.

To cut down an oak and set up a strawberry.

To fight with one’s own shadow.

To fill bags with meal against the wind.German.

To find a mare’s nest.

To fish in the air, to hunt in the sea.Latin.

To foul the stream and expect the stream to be pure.Chinese.

To go mulberry gathering without a crook.French.

To go rabbit hunting with a dead ferret.Spanish.

To go to the vintage without baskets.

To kill the hen by way of getting the egg.French.

To pull down the house for the sake of the mortar.Italian.

To put bread into a cold oven.Latin.

To put the cart before the horse.

To put water into a basket.Dutch.

To take one foot out of the mire and put the other foot into it.Spanish.

To take out of one pocket to put in the other.