“In the daytime he runs away from the buffalo, but in the night he seizes the devil by the horn.”[25] “Carry your wife your whole life on your back, but, if once you set her down, she will say, ‘I am tired.’” “The just man always goes about with a bruised head.” “Sit crooked, but speak straight.” “Father and mother you will never find again, but wives as many as you list.” “The blessing of many children has broken no man’s roof as yet.” “Better an egg to-day than an ox next year.” “No one throws a stone at a fruitless tree.” “Patience and silence give the grapes time to grow sweet.” “If you seek for a faultless friend you will be friendless all your life.” “There where you cannot catch anything, do not stretch out your hand.” “Who runs after two hares will not even catch one.” “The dog does not run away from a whole forest of trees, but a single stick will make him run.” “A real Jew will never pause to eat until he has cheated you.” “You cannot carry two melons in one hand.” “Who has been bitten by a snake is afraid of a lizard.” FOOTNOTES: [23] There is a story told of a village (but whether Hungarian or Roumanian I am unable to say) which, up to the year 1536, used to be inhabited by cripples, hunchbacks, lame, maimed, and blind men only, and which went by the name of the “Republic of Cripples.” No well-grown and healthy persons were ever suffered to settle here, for fear of spoiling the deformity of their race, and all new-born children unlucky enough to enter the world with normally organized frames were instantly mutilated. The inhabitants of this village, turning these infirmities to account, made a play of wandering over the country begging and singing at all fairs and markets, and trading on the compassion excited by their wretched appearance. They had also their own language, called the language of the blind, and were in so far privileged above the useful and industrious citizens as to be exempted from all taxes. [24] The Council of Constantinople, 869, forbade the members of the Oriental Church to keep the feast of the pagan goddess Kolinda, or Lada, occurring on the shortest day. These Kolinda songs appear to be of Slav origin, since we find the Koleda among the Bohemians, Serbs, and Slavonians, the Koleda among Poles, and the Kolad with the Russians. Yet further proof of this would seem to be that unmistakable resemblance to the Slav words _Kaulo_, _Kul_, _Kolo_, a round dance—applying, no doubt, to the rotation of the sun, which on this day begins afresh. Grimm, however, in his Mythology, makes out the name to be derived from the Latin _Calendæ_. [25] The meaning of this I take to be, that the dangers we recognize and run away from are smaller than those we encounter without knowing it. CHAPTER XXIII. ROUMANIAN POETRY.