destitute brings a female child and that on Friday under the star Pūrāṭam.” The compilers explanation says, “The condition of the parent, the sex of the child, the day if its birth and its ruling star are alike inauspicious.”

Another example of such proverb reads like this: மாலை சுற்றிப் பிறந்தால் மாமனுக்கு ஆகாது. The compiler translates it thus: “For a girl to be born with a garland round her neck is ominous to her maternal uncle”⁹³ It is interesting to note that this belief is present even today among the Hindus. Time has not erased it.

A proverb which depicts another deep-rooted belief which reveals simultaneously the differences among the extremes of caste says: பார்ப்பான் கறுப்பும் பறையன் சிகப்பும் ஆகாது.⁹⁴ “A black brahmin and a fair pariya are not trustworthy.”

Percival has gathered proverbs which pertain to particular castes. அக்கிராரத்தில் பிறந்தாலும் நாய் வேதம் அறியுமா? The author translates it as “will a dog understand the Vedas although born in a Brahmin village.” So also another, which when translated reads thus “should sheep come into a Brahmin village, each person will get but a hair.” Percival says that the “Percival says that the “interpretation of the latter proverb is disputed.”⁹⁵

Some proverbs which he gives mirror, the advent of Islam in the Tamil country and the spread of its influence. For instance: துட்டுக்கு ஒரு குட்டி விற்றாலும் துலுக்கக் குட்டி மாத்திரம் ஆகாது. “Though girls may be had at a pie a head, a Mohammadan girl is undesirable.”⁹⁶

Another translated reads:–

“If I have money, pachcha
If not money........Pakkiri.”⁹⁷

93. Ibid. Proverb 5240, P. 490

94. Ibid. 4678, P. 439

95. Ibid. 38, P. 5

96. Ibid. 3873, P. 363

97. Ibid. 4493, P. 421