As They Say In Zanzibar. David Crystal

of saints ITALY

      7 A young doctor makes a full graveyard CHINA

      8 A full cabin is better than an empty castle IRELAND

      9 The sweeter the perfume, the uglier the flies which gather round the bottle CHINA

      10 One buffalo brings mud and all the herd are smeared with it MALAYSIA

      11 A bull does not enjoy fame in two herds ZAMBIA

      12 Goats cannot live in a herd of leopards MALI

      13 If you get into the pack you need not bark, but wag your tail you must RUSSIA

      14 Hit one ring and the whole chain will resound SOUTH AFRICA

      15 One hand can’t tie a bundle LIBERIA

      16 Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable KENYA

      17 If we knew where we would fall, we would spread straw there first FINLAND

      18 One sprinkles the most sugar where the tart is burnt NETHERLANDS

26 CONTENTS

      1 Every raisin contains a pip LIBYA

      2 Every train has a caboose USA

      3 A shroud has no pockets SCOTLAND

      4 Different holes have different fish MALAYSIA

      5 Every cloud has a silver lining ENGLAND

      6 Little houses have fat mice TANZANIA

      7 The tongue has no bones, yet breaks its own skull ALBANIA

      8 The basin must hold what the cauldron cooks ESTONIA

      9 Even the bottom of a basket finds something to hold MADAGASCAR

      10 A book holds a house of gold CHINA

      11 Old sayings contain no lies SPAIN: BASQUE

      12 Charity covers a multitude of sins ENGLAND

      13 The house with an old grandparent harbours a jewel CHINA

      14 It takes dough to have crust USA

      15 No day so long but has its evening FRANCE

      16 A worn-out boat still has three thousand nails in it CHINA

      17 It is easy to hurt yourself on a stone that has sharp corners KOREA

      18 Not every abyss has a parapet GERMANY

      19 The basket that has two handles can be carried by two EGYPT

      20 Every song has its end SLOVENIA

27 KINDS

      1 A beautiful bird is the only kind we cage CHINA

      2 Three kinds of men fail to understand women – young men, old men, and middle-aged men IRELAND

      3 It isn’t every kind of wood that can make a whistle LATVIA

      4 Not every sort of wood is fit to make an arrow FRANCE

      5 Three sorts of people are always to be found, soldiers, professors, and women GERMANY

28 ALWAYS HAPPENING

      1 There is always a boss above the boss NETHERLANDS

      2 The cork is always bigger than the mouth of the bottle ESTONIA

      3 The cobbler always wears the worst shoes FRANCE

      4 Lovers have much to relate – but it is always the same thing GERMANY

      5 Those who are in a hurry are always late GEORGIA

      6 Gossips always suspect that others are talking about them NIGERIA

      7 Those who are always nice are not always nice POLAND

      8 In every house there are always cobwebs SERBIA

      9 The person who steals once is always a thief SPAIN

      10 Dead fish go always with the stream ENGLAND

      11 There are many paths to the top of the mountain – but the view is always the same CHINA

      12 Those who make the first bad move always lose the game JAPAN

      13 Eating pears always cleans one’s teeth KOREA

      14 If you look in a chief’s bag you will always find something UGANDA

      15 When it rains, the roof always drips the same way LIBERIA

      16 The crossroads always confuse the stranger NIGERIA

      17 The used key is always bright ENGLAND

      18 The absent always bear the blame NETHERLANDS

      19 Ashes will always blow back into the face of the thrower NIGERIA

      20 Three sorts of people are always to be found, soldiers, professors, and women GERMANY

      21 The toughest broncs is always them you’ve rode some other place USA

      22 The grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence ENGLAND

      23 Those in love always know the time GERMANY

      24 Error is always in a hurry ENGLAND

      25 The tongue always goes to the aching tooth BULGARIA

      26 There is always something to be cut off young trees if they are to grow well GERMANY

      27 Stars shine always in a clear sky ESTONIA

      28 The other side of the road always looks cleanest ENGLAND

      29 However long the procession, it always returns to the church PHILIPPINES

      30 The string of our sack of patience is generally tied with a slip knot JAPAN

      31 Abundance does not spread, famine does SOUTH AFRICA

      32 Once a crook, always a crook USA

      33 A bit of fragrance always clings to the hand that gives you roses CHINA

      34 Those who have once had luck cannot always call themselves unlucky BELGIUM

      35 Boldness, and again boldness, and always boldness FRANCE

      36 Not even Apollo keeps his bow always at full stretch LATIN

      37 A debt is always new ESTONIA

      38 Be always a little afraid so that you never have need of being much afraid FINLAND

      39 To always win brings suspicion, to always lose brings contempt GERMANY

      40 Those who have lost their oxen are always hearing bells SPAIN

      41 Rather once cry your heart out than always sigh CHINA

      42 It is better to be once in the church sleigh than always in the back runners FINLAND

      43 The world will not conquer him who is always rubbing his beard INDIA

29 CONFORMITY

      1 Example is a great orator CZECH REPUBLIC

      2 A white cloth and a stain never agree NIGERIA

      3 Not every sort of wood is fit to make an arrow FRANCE

      4 Donkey’s lips do not fit onto a horse’s mouth CHINA

      5 If the cap fits, wear it ENGLAND

      6 If the shoe fits, wear it ENGLAND

      7 Words shake but examples attract SERBIA

      8 Strange bread makes the cheeks red SWITZERLAND

      9 It is not common for hens to have pillows SCOTLAND

30 REPETITION

      1 Shut your door in such a way that you can open it again DENMARK

      2 A whitewashed crow soon shows black again CHINA

      3 No one can call again yesterday ENGLAND

      4 Cut bread cannot be put together again LATVIA

      5 Where