Rain, Dew, Snow, and Cloud in Arab Proverb

Rain, Dew, Snow, and Cloud in Arab ProverbAuthor(s): Edward RobertsonSource: Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 52, No. 2 (Jun., 1932), pp. 145-158Published by: American Oriental SocietyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/593168 .

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RAIN, DEW, SNOW, AND CLOUD IN ARAB PROVERB

EDWARD ROBERTSON

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF NORTH WALES BANGOR, WALES

Works cited appear in the following list under their authors' names:

Al'Askarl - ,9' J aO 1 o

( ed- ) ..* 9 6 5 Bombay (1306 A. H.) 5 )I

B~jfurl -O5 rl

5)Y cAA Un' I _5 1 2T0 lro

Cairo (1311 A.H.).

Baldensperger "Peasant Folklore of Palestine" (Pal. Expl. Fund Quart. Stat., 1893).

Barthilemy "Cent Proverbes Arabes recueillis en Syrie, in Revue de Linguistique 23, 1890, 349 sq.

Bashdra _J l 111

Beirut, n. d. {*l 614l at ;1 w &J I Bauer, B. - "Bemerkungen zu Dr. T. Cana'an, Der Kalendar des

Paliistinensischen Fellachen," von Leonhard Bauer, ZDPV 38, 1915, 54 sq.

Bauer, V. L. B. - Volksleben im Lande der Bibel, von Leonhard Bauer, 2nd. ed., Leipzig, 1903.

Baumann -" Volksweisheit aus Paliistina," von Eberhard Baumann, ZDPV 39, 1916, 153 sq.

Berggren - Guide Francais-Arabe Vulgaire des voyageurrs et des Francs en Syrie et en Algypte, par J. Berggren, Upsala, 1844.

B. M. 3035 - British Museum, Sloan 3035 (1696 A. D.) juA01 -~L , j I H L I of Sulaiman ibn Ya'qfib ash-

Shami as-Salihaini (1727 A. D.), ed. Rostgaard (vide Br. M. Codices Arabici, p. 335 B).

Burckhardt Arabische Sprilchw6rter oder Die Sitten und Gebrduche der neuen Aegyptier, erklart aus den zu Kairo umlauf- enden Sprfuchwortern, tubersetzt und erliutert von J. L. Burckhardt, Weimar, 1834.

145



146 Edward Robertson

Burton - Unexcplored Syria, by R. F. Burton and C. F. T. Drake, London, 1872. (I, p. 263 sq.)

Cal. Cord. - Le Calendrier de Cordoue de l'ann.e 961, ed. by R. Dozy, Leyden, 1873.

Canaan - Der Kalendar des Paldstinensichen Fellachen, von Dr. Med. T. Cana'an, in Jerusalem. ZDPV 36, 1913, p. 266 sq.

Cheneb - Proverbes Arabes de t'Algerie et du Maghreb, recueillis, traduits, et commentxs par Mohammad Ben Cheneb. Publications de I'Licole das Lettres d'Alger, Bulletin de Correspondance Africaine, 30-32, Paris, 1905-7.

Dalil - Ed-Dalil, ou Guide de l'Arabisant qui e6tudie les Dia- lectes parl6s en Alg6rie et en Tunigie.-Recueil de Textes varihs publics par un Comite d'Arabisants sous la direction de L. Machuel, Algiers, 1901. (Arab. text, p. 60 sq., French translation, p. 59 sq.)

Dalman Palastinensischer Divan als Beitrag zur Volkskunde Paldstinas, von G. H. Dalman, Leipzig, 1901.

Destaing "Fetes et Coutumes saisonnieres chez les Beni-Snous," par E. Destaing, Revue Africaine, 50, 1906, p. 362 sq.

Doutt, - Magie et Religion dans P'Afrique du Nord, par E. Douttk, Algiers, 1907.

Dozy - Supplemrent aux Dictionnaires Arabes, par R. Dozy, Leyden, 1881.

Einsler -"Arabische Sprichw~rter," gesammelt, ubersetzt und erlautert, von Lydia Einsler in Jerusalem, ZDPV 19, 1896, p. 65 sq.

E~ris -

.O J b K. L0Z I I 4- 1 4-dU1U1 -yI . p L t

(Cairo, 1892.) Lpti {@0

Freytag -Arabum Proverbia . . . , edidit G. W. Freytag, 3 vols., Bonn, 1838.

Ghanim - , 0-L & l jLep J oe C,4 ,I Al-Magriq, 9, 1906, p. 555 sq. Cop

Habicht Maidanii, Aliquot Proverbia Arabioa, edidit C. M. Habicht, 1826.

Hanauer - Folklore of the Holy Land, Moslem, Christian, a'nd Jewish, by J. E. Hanauer, London, 1907.

Harfouch - Le Dragoman Arabe, ou Guide pratique de l'Arabe parid pour la Syrie, la Palestine, et lVggypte, par J. Har- fouch, Beyrouth, 1901.

Jaussen - Couttumes des Arabes au Pays de Moab, par A. Jaussen, Paris, 1908.



Rain, etc., in Arab Proverb 147

Jemayyel - J W31 y ,. ')y3)

Al-Magriq 8, 1905, p. 664 sq., 687 sq., 865 sq. Landberg -Proverbes et Dictons du Peuple Arabe, . . . par C. Land-

berg, Vol. 1. Proverbes et Dictons de la Province de Syrie, section de Sayda, Leyden, 1883.

Machuel - Mthode pour 7t'1'tude de l'Arabe parl6, 5th ed., Algiers, 1900.

Majini-l-Adab - ,y4"3 N. '.y3 ' J @ VI

(6 vols. Beirut.)

Maid&rn! - 1y J 1 9, al } V (Cairo, 1310, A. H.) .9 o4 )s

Ma'lHif - q 4J r1 J~i L .i) Jo , (Al-Masriq 12, 1909, pp. 41 sq., 103 sq., 261 sq., 359 sq., 437 sq.)

Nauphal - Guide de la Conversation arabe et franVaise, par G. Nauphal, 6e ed., Beyrouth, 1892.

Reinhardt Ein Arabischer Dialekt gesprochen in Oman und Zan- zibar, . . . von C. Reinhardt (Friedrich-Wilhelm's Universitdt-Seminar fur Orientalischen Sprachen-Lehr- bilcher, vol. 13, Berlin, 1894).

Rostgaard Ara-bum Philosophia Popularis . . . a Jacobo Salomone Damasceno, . . . edidit F. Rostgaard, Hafniae, 1764.

Shuqair - J )J r I (r V. 9 lW::roJ

(Cairo, 1894.) < i Socin - Arabische Sprichworter und Redensairten,... von A.

Socin, Tubingen, 1878. Stumme -Mdrchen, und Gedichte aus der Stadt Tripolis in Nord

Afrika, . . . H. Stumme, Leipzig, 1898. Tallqvist -Arabische Sprichwiirter und Spiele.. von K. L. Tall-

qvist, Helsingfors, 1897. Vassalli -Motti, aforismi e proverbii maltesi, . . . da M. A. Vas-

salli, Malta, 1828. Westermarek -Ceremonies and Beliefs connected with Agriculture,

certain dates of the solar year and the weather in Morocco, by E. Westermarck, Helsingfors, 1913.

Rain

ON THE NAMES given to the different kinds of rain, see the Kitab al-matar of Abu Zaid al-Ansdri, edited by L. Cheicho in Al-Massriq




8 (1905). 162 sq. On magic and rites for rain-producing, see Doutte, 582 sq. (N. Africa); Westermarek, 105 sq. (Morocco);

Dalman, 56 sq. (Syria and Palestine). On songs for rain, see

Destaing, 254 sq. (Amnmi-Mousa); Stumme 62 sq. (181 sq.) (Tripoli); Cana'an, 290 sq.; Dalman, 1. c. (Palestine). On rain

processions, see Baldensperger, 218 sq. (Palestine); Jaussen, 326 (Moab). On rites for preventing rain, see Doutte, 305 sq. (N.

Africa) ; Westermarck, 12 a sq. (Morocco). Seasonal rains are given special names. Lisain al-'Arab, s. v.

, , gives Al-Asmai as the authority for the names of the well- recognised seasonal rains. The first at the approach of winter is

followed in order by <OC3I (at the approach of Spring)

isJJI, FU and , According to Abu Zaid the first rain is followed by Hull, zJ), J 1

According to Cal. Cord. the rain of spring is called O and the end of it I or U IJ1 (p. 8). The rain of summer is called as well as cLOJ3) and 1 Autumn rain is

known as oI [A ., u ,pV) {Eli )] and the last of it is called j9;). Winter's rain is known as A (p. 10). The names, however, vary in different countries and in different districts.

Thus in Moab or is the term applied to heavy rain after the first of January, whilst the rain that falls at the end

of February and beginning of March is called jll ,

(Jaussen, 324sq.). In Syria the rain of (,3 (Dec.-Jan.) is called 8,s I (foundation, i. e., for the harvest). In Moab the

rain of February is known as ,j and that which falls on the fifth of the month is I ., 1 . It lasts about nine days (Jaussen, 1. c.). Jaussen also mentions that there falls in Moab in the month of April a rain called .sJL, (pronounced samtitch) and also S L)I Is (324 sq.). In Syria the spring rains are

known as IJ or more commonly Avs<. In Palestine at the

end of September or beginning of October there falls the rain called

C:)a o:y. , a rain which is reckoned harmful to sheep and goats in the Jordan, valley (Bauer, B, 55 sq.). The light rain which




falls there at this time is also known as CLj o s To the

nomads of Moab it is Ole (Jaussen, 323). Similarly the rain at the beginning of November goes by a special name olI 3LJI Alit and if it falls abundantly it is dreaded. In modern Pales-

tine the Virgin Mary and St. Nicholas are especially entreated for rain (Cana'an, 289, note 1). Jaussen remarks that all the different kinds of rain are included under the term 16.zJ I " a but it seems probable that F.JI here is the general name for 'winter season ' and not for rain.

Rain enters into many an Arab proverb and popular saying. It is used, for instance, in similes as

1. " More serviceable than rain in its season "- r 4 5 J0 S.

&1f1 @ 11 (Freytag I, 335 (No. 191); (Majdni-'l-adab, V. 55). Said of something that is particularly good.

2. "Colder than after rain" - JI I (Maiddni, vide Majdni-'1-adab, V. 54).

3. "Wetter than the rainy night" -J1: LOJI AJ Ii) r (B. M. 3035, fol. 108. Rev.: Freytag II. 794, No. 141); var.

Cr0'1 A, 70, cr a, 4. "Softer than the tears of the clouds" - I .. * I)1

(Freytag III, 198, No. 1184; 'Askarl, 112).

Two prognostics may be here quoted.

5. "When the South wind blows rain is near"- I~ I .4sI (Syria, Sfiq al-Gharb). The South wind is the rainy wind

and is often poetically described as coming bearing its water-jar on its shoulder.2

6. In Algeria-Tunis, the East wind is the bringer of raili.

1 In Palestine the fruit (grapes and figs) spread by the peasant on the flat roof of his house to dry in the sun is called C:Lo. Rain spoils such

fruits, Cana'an, 274 (1).

2 Liz -- _, w "- LA I




Rain brought by it falls copiously -jA (3S our L.dJl (Cheneb,

No. 1773: Dalil, 60, var. A -

The proverbs and proverbial sayings in which rain occurs are

sufficiently numerous and interesting.

7. Corresponding to our "It is raining cats and dogs" or "in buckets", the Arabs say " One of its hours will suffice for

its needs "-& al; L. c As L.

This proverb, although based upon rain, has a general application.

8. "Luck in the cloud but intelligent anticipation in the

earth " c I- j Jif c A l (Freytag I, 415, No. 223). Rain is not sufficient of itself. Whether it rains or not may be a

mLatter of good or bad fortune but to benefit from it the soil must be intelligently prepared.

9. "The damp day causes rheumatism" - 1

5 (Egypt). 10. "No one lends his roof-pipe on a rainy day"- [I]L0

JL<JI ~ dAi "jr >a. M&sul-MArdln, Socin, 30).3 The water that falls is drained by the design of the roof towards one part whence it is led away by a pipe which projects from the roof one or two feet.

11. "He fled from the rain and stood under the roof-pipe "-

_..1 "hJI 5J i Jo (a. Egypt, Cairo: Burckhardt, 213 (No. 474) ; Bdjuirl, 117; Maiddn! II, 25. var. _

b. Algeria, Algiers: Cheneb, No. 1912; Machuel, 327. crO hi>

,13eOJI Ad Sl. JiHiI; c. 'Iraq, M5sul-Mardcn: Socin 148.

r~j OJI~k 0 C1l4 d. Palestine, Jerusalem:

Ein e r 11. b vIcpJI Ki FUJ 0 ; e. Syria, Sidon

Landberg, 21: . . .xy a JI z I>; f. Syria, Brum-

mana: Tallqvist, 177. a.Il 0: A i <; g. Syria: Nauphal, 627; Shuqair, 48, Harfouch, 318 as f with a&lJ) for JI JI: h. Egypt: Fqris, 201; Bashdra, 90; and Syria: Sa'ad,

a Socin gives it mi Irad jit'i merzibu jom emaotar reading v2L4 instead

of id




321 as g with for 0. Cf. also Baumaun, ZDPV 39,

1898, 258 (223, No. 572); i. Malta: Vassalli, 373. pro qSJ.#I Aft) 8tlL.U)I , This proverb corresponds to

our "Out of the frying-pan into the fire ".

12. "Sleeping in water and fearful of rain" - C

.J4JI (>(Egypt: Shuqair, 109, 39). A proverb with a general application similar to the preceding.

13. " Where there is rain there is cloud " (If it wants to rain, it clouds over)- .s Ad jL0 . , (a. Syria, Beirut; b. Egypt, Cairo: Burckhardt, 263, No. 584, var. DJ?; c. Rost- gaard, 169, 451, var, d. Syria, 'Akkdr: Ghdnim 559, 77;

~ Pl Ha?lot G (lD; e. Freytag III. 495, 2972;

/A z C._;4 f. Egypt: Bdjilr, 144, . * 3 &.W

A proverb the equivalent of " Where there is smoke there is fire ".

14. "Does one look for rain without a cloud?" - 3

.,--b 6 *12.0 (Freytag, III. 190, 1132). The equivalent of the preceding.

15. " The rain preceded the cloud "- i

.1,Jl (Egypt: Bdjfui, 129). The unexpected happened.

16. " Knowledge without its application is like a cloud without rain - k .I j Jp A )j 5 (Syria: Barthelemy, 361, 63; var. is l

17. "Death and rain God knows when" DI WJI . .,A: l(Malta: Vassalli, 63, 566; var. l ; , A see

Vassalli, 84, 780). 18. " I see a cloud and no rain " .L, VY V (Freytag

I, 555, 100). Said of anything which does not realise expectations. 19. "A prince without equity is like a cloud without rain "

. , A, , ! j (Freytag, III, 18, 103).

'Although Freytag so reads and translates in the 2nd pers. the imper- sonal form is much more probable.

6 Ehem beld amal mitel ghenv beld matar.




20. "Every cloud does not produce rain" - L , A3 A ('Iraq, Moul-Mardin: Socin, 389).

21. " The sun rising and the rain descending "

.J~3 3L038, SJU6 (iRostgaard, 101, 220). When things turn out contrary to expectation and hopes are blighted.

22. "The sun rises and the rain falls on everyone" - e

.J t 5 LH A , J (Malta: Vassalli, 83, 779).

23. "What follows the thunder save rain" -. I VI app 13 Lo (Syria, Shumldn). What could you expect?

24. " His rain preceded his flood" dX h (Frey- tag I, 613, 35). Due warning was given; it has happened as

threatened.

25. "Thunder and lightning, but it is a rainless cloud which

sheds (its water)" l C i) s (Freytag I, 566, 151). When acts do not correspond with words.

26. " Rainlessness behind the thun(iercloid "--- 1

8,s3YI (Muhit al-Muht , s. v. al). Said of a man who boasts much but does little.

27. "Rain makes good what the hail destroys" - A 5

.,5rJI 1 Lo (Habicht, No. 17; Freytag I, 724, 36, a, II, 96, 59

.J~jl l.O Ups .^. c b. III, 385, 2299). Lo .

28. "He raises his eyelid and down falls the rain "- h

05 i6.oj I C-n & I (Cheneb, 2027). He weeps much; he wishes someone to take pity on him.

29. " No rain without winds and no assembly without uproar -

.C; sj an. 6 >9 L~C:U JL (Palestine, Jerusalem:

Einsler, 100, 201; Baumann, 257, 221 and 551. u ' Y JL to

*.L~s V I LL vJrc Everything has its appropriate cause.

30. "He who is rained on thinks that all are rained on "

6 Socin (see Einsler, 1. c.) suggests ;,t instead of {me, but this is

highly improbable, as Baumann's reading indicates.




slop ;jf 1 L>JI SX (Freytag, II, 914, 39). Said of the opulent who forget that all others are not in like state.

31. "He who has fallen into the river does not fear the rain" -

6:l.L. 0 (IO I (Algeria, Medea: Cheneb, No. 228; see also Cheneb, I, 296 sq.). a. Soudan: Shuqair, 130

., Cro L,,, b. Oman-Zanzibar: Illeinhardt, 412, 154 V 43L L.. aJlrJ1; c. Palestine, Jerusalem: Baumann, 243, 178 and 166 .LoJI &) LO A Lo J,4

32. "He who does not want to be wet should not go out in

the rain" .IJ1 e . j, a A (Malta: Vassalli, 67, 604).

33. "A land on which rain falls tells its neighbour "

V i. S 8LJ Loj1 ('Iraq, Mosul-Mdrdln: Socin, 74). "Good news travels fast " or " Beggars tell each other

34. "Has that cloud caused the rain?" 1,._ "lA? {I 1l

1Jao I (Syria, Berggren, 589, s. v. nuage; 'Iraq: Socin, 306). All this due to such a trifle !

35. "It has passed on the wind without rain"- . (Malta: Vassalli, 70, 633). The good prospects have not

materialised.

36. " The rain falls and the sky pours "- 1 yJl <5J (Algeria, Chelif: Cheneb, 3038). One can get too much of a good thing.

Dew

37. "He is cold like the locusts on the dew ". I A

.k&J} ,51; (Palestine, Jerusalem: Baumann, 24a, 185, No. 222). The use of _id suggests an Egyptian source for the proverb).

38. " Will you carry the dew on your back? " i ?k1 .?i~.g.1 451s k&W1 (Palestine, Jerusalem: Baumann, 246, 186, No. 239.) Why travel before sunrise?

39. "Until the big well fills with dew "-.J1 : 5:. .I 70JI Co U (Palestine, Jerusalem: Baumann, 247, 191,

No. 285). You will wait till doomsday. 4




40. "A cistern is not filled with dew " -

ACe (Egypt, Cairo: Burckhardt 73, 185; a. Palestine: Bauer, V. L. B. 253, 89 &W.3 I b. Syria: Burton, 282, 114 k k21 a V KIJI I Said to

a person who lives beyond his income.

41. " His face gives no dew "L to z (Palestine, Jeru-

salem: Baumann, No. 606). Said of one who is shameless. The

Arab does not blush but " sweats " from shame.

42. " Dew is the bed of rain "- vJ1 kXJ1 (Palestine:

Cana'an, 286). Heavy dew is to the peasant a harbinger of rain.7

Snow

43. There are self-evident similes such as

a. "whiter than snow" 51 o

b. "colder than snow"- I I

44. "If it snows there will follow good weather"- - I1t

S (Syria, 'Akkdr: Ghanim, 559, 83).

45. "Tomorrow the snow will melt and the black earth

appear " -1I1 CLI t Ad 1X (Syria, 'Akkdr: Ghdnim,

559, 84; a. Syria: Burton 293, 182; var. (kt5FIJ >a& V 'ANJI) FIJI; b. 'Iraq, M6sul-Mdrdln: " when the snow melts the

dung appears"- ,;1,11 +x Jal > (Syria: Ma'if, 262. (dung) A31~ll~ CI,>. 141 Said of a man who

makes much fuss about business of no importance.

46. "He to whom fortune is kind can raise fire from snow

559, ). l k l ably.. JAI (Syria, 'Akk.r: Ghdnim,

559,7 85).

How important dew is for the grain in summer when rain has ceased to fall is shown by the following petition "(Give us) the dew, 0 Lord, at

the earing of the corn, may then the olives ripen or not"- I l 9J I

or an alternative form (Beth-Rima)- JS l-roJl) kXb31 C) t

, 41ll M; A;yo I (see Cana'an, 295).




Cloud

47. "The cloud foreboded rain, but there was no prognos- ticator " { . l , (Freytag, I, 632, 98). Said of him who possesses wealth but there are none to proclaim it.

48. "Summer clouds which have no raindrops " -

JIUas le3 lo (Freytag, II, 64, 14). Said of one who, although he has the means, is not generous to others.

49. "Not every lightning cloud is profuse with its rain"

glamp s H (Freytag, II, 720, 446). Appearances are deceptive.

50. " Had it not been for this cloud, this rain had not come" -

Lb Ld Lo Lb Vl (Syria, 'Akkdr: Ghdnim, 559, 76). See the consequences!

51. "The barking of dogs does not harm the clouds " RX V .Yt21 H _l(Syria, 'Akkdr: Ghdnim, 559,80; a. Syria,

Shuqair, 56, 63; var. cLJ). The exalted are too far removed to listen to your complaints or be affected by them.

52. "Promise is cloud, its fulfilment rain" _ I .3x0 )JI (Syria, 'AkkdT: G~hdnim, 559, 81). 53. "Like the cloud, far and near" Am .."9 l

(Egypt: Shuqair, 85, 32). You never quite know where to get him. 54. " He is only a rainless cloud"- U ao3 As VIY_ Lo

(Freytag, II, 641, 17T; a. Freytag, I, 555, 100 i6, V, Y k 531) Said of a man who is miserly.

55. " Clouds fit for rain, the greater part of which is vapor "

.'..ArJI l> I < (Freytag, II, 655, 245). Freytag explains that the vapor is the midday mist of the desert which has all the appearance of holding moisture, but actually has none. The proverb is used of one whose deeds do not accord with his words.

56. "The day of cloud passes unobserved - I

'U 3.< .j Jo V (Freytag, II, 910, 28; Egypt: Bdjiarl, 219). Said of one who suffers the opportune moment to slip past.




57. "An honourable man fulfils what he promised and the storm cloud pours when it thunders" J- a , Ah an

. 1 (Fleischer, Kleinere Schriften I, 453, quoting De Sacy; a. Freytag, II, 747, 6. s to ha l

58. "Before the clouds (appeared), the rain surprised me"--

.*11 8 Exto I J I (Egypt, Cairo: Burckhardt, 243, 529). Unheralded good fortune.

59. " Opportunities pass as clouds pass" jo id 1/A~h *.lJl (Freytag, II, 239, 127; Syria: Shuqair, 34, 9). Lost

opportunities cannot be recovered.

60. "He came with a cloud thundering and crashing "

. >11 I JsJl < ?1 (Freytag, I, 312, 119). He came threatening and blustering.

Miscellaneous

61. "He thunders and lightens"- AD A (Freytag, ILi. 910, 29). Said of a man hurling threats.

62. "Light rain is of no use in the wide river-bed)' - L *sJJI e~3I 5J~1 d 11(Freytag, II, 586, 1; a. var. (.9i

(restore); b. var. (Qdm-ds) CAZ stagnate). Said of one who gives another a small present of which he can make no use.

63. "Swifter than the gleaming flash of lightning " E-

.(_ $Al tfxi<) >J ala(Freytag, III, 224, 1340; a. Syria: Shu-

qair, 11, 53; Bdjfirl, 21. <J#ll i> Cr4Z ).

64. "The day thunder roars, addles eggs "- J :p W y *jyJI c_:O. (Rheinhardt, 400, 30).

65. " Mist in the evening requires faggots for the fire "-

-<O L.tJ As { ai{h (Syria, S-dq-al-Gharb). 66. " Four days for four occupations: a day of cloud for the

chase, a day of wind for sleep, a day of rain for entertaining guests, and a clear (sunny) day for trade (profit)" - &j1 31

8Burckhardt explains that the word fI for rain is no long er used in Cairo.




1~?Ii ).1cJ1 {d (Freytag, III, 182, 1099).

Sun and Rain together

67. "The lizard is giving his daughter in marriage"- j3 (Syria, STiq al-Gharb: Palestine: Hanauer, 282; var.

C11 ' 3sJ I). This is a curious saying, the origin of which I have been unable to discover. It is used of the occasion when the sun shines through rain, or, more particularly (Sfiq al-Gharb) when the rain falls as the sun is rising. In Algeria (Medea) it is known as "the wolf's wedding" (A NJI L-Jr) and amongst the Kabyles (N. Africa) it is called "the jackal's wedding".

Fantastic conceptions of great variety are found in the folk-lore of Europe to express this particular phenomenon. Many of these are associated with the Devil. Thus he, " marries a wife" (Tuscany); " marries his daughter " (Albret, Ardennes, Bour- gogne, Bretagne, Gironde, Limousin, Poitou, Wallonia); " marries his mother " (Provence) ; " beats his wife " (Bourgogne, Bretagne, Gascogne, Hainaut, Limousin, Normandy, Provence); "beats his mother " (Wallonia); " beats his grandmother " (Germany); "makes love" (Auvergne, Tuscany, Venice); "goes into a coIn- vent" (Venice); "The saints are holding a fete in Paradise" (Hainaut); " There is a feast in Hell " (Holland, Rhineland); "The Virgin is doing her washing" (Loire-Inferieure); "The fairies are doing their washing" (Aveyron); "The witches are doing their washing " (Provence); " The Virgin is baking bread for the angels " (Anjou) ; " The witches light their oven and bake bread" (Bearn, Gascogne, Landes); " The fox is making love " (Corsica); " The wizards hold a council " (Menton); " The witches make butter " (Galicia, Poland, Upper Silesia.); "A tailor gets into Heaven " (Germany) .

See F. Colletti, Proverbi Veneti, Padova, 1853, p. 79; M. Le Roux de Lincy, Le Livre des Proverbes Franoais, 2e ed., Paris, 18,59, p. 131; 0. V. Reinsberg-Dtiringsfeld, Das Wetter im Sprichwort, Leipzig, 1864, p. 52; C. Swainson, A Handbook of Weather Folklore . . . Edinburgh, 1873, p. 213 sq.; F. Mistral, Lou Tresor d6u Felebrige, ou Dictionnaire Provengal- Franqais, Aix en Provence, 1878 (s. v. diable); A. Meyrac, Traditions, Legendees et Contes de& Ardennes, Charleville, 1890, p. 139; P. Sebillot, Le Folklore de France, Paris, 1904, p. 83 sq.; Guiseppe Giusti, Raccolta




68. "Rain and sun (together); it is as if a Jew was being baptised " - J I AdA4 s 0 AJ)` 1-: I (Malta: Vas- salli, 84, 783).

di Proverbi Toscani, 3 ed., Firenze, 1911, p. 194; W. 0. Streng, Himmel und Wetter im Volksglaube und Sprache in Frankreich (Suomalaisen Tiedeakatemian Toimituksia, Ser. B 13, 4) Helsinki, 1914, p. 21 sq.



Rain, Dew, Snow, and Cloud in Arab Proverb

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