It is evident from the Urdu words embedded in it that they cropped up only after the Muslim invasions.

Occasionally, we see in Percival’s list that there are a few verses from the Kuṟaḷ which are included as proverbs. It is apparent that these verses of the sacred Kuṟaḷ were so popuḻar and frequently cited that they became proverbs almost.⁹⁸

Some proverbs pertaining to certain characteristics of particular towns are also found and they reflect the peculiar features of that town which made it noteworthy. Kumbakonam, Tenkaci and Tirunelvely are a few instances of towns mentioned in such proverbs.⁹⁹

Religion has its own proverbs. For example “What has a naked mendicant to do with the friendship of a washerman.”¹⁰⁰ Another illustration is: “If one says Hari the Saiva mendicant is angry, If one says Hara the Vaishanava mendicant is angry.”¹⁰¹

Many if the proverbs found in Percival’s collection are found in literature also.

Proverbs have played the part of idioms as evident from the vast number of them handled by Sundaram Pillai in his masterpiece “Maṉōṉmaṇiam” (A drama). They have also been greatly used by Henry Bower in his prose writings.

Such a collection reveals the silent features of the Tamil people’s mind and also helps Tamil writers especially prose writers to write in good style loaded with idioms.

One Nicholis translated from the English many proverbs into Tamil and had them illustrated too. This book was edited by the Rev. A. F. Caemmera. Another work entitled “A classical Collection Of Tamil Proverbs” was written by Nerman Jensen. It was printed in 1897.¹⁰²

98. Ibid. 1536, 5680; Pp. 148, 531

99. Ibid. Kumbakonam proverb 218; Tenkaci & Tirunelvely proverb 1947

100. Ibid. Proverb 3789, P. 355

101. Ibid. 294 P. 32

102. Lehman, Arno, Tamil Culture, Vol. IX, No. 2. 1961, P. 110