don't eat what others have chewed (and other finland swedish wisdom)

here's about 15 aphorisms and expressions i noted down from finlands svenska folkdiktning today.

sayings wax and i were able to understand:

( roasted sparrows don't fly into lazy people's mouths. )

saying that left me and wax confused: "they don't go so fast as to cut the tail off the dog." (inte går de så hastigt som att hugga svansen av hunden.) we've speculated a bit, the leading theory being that if you leave in a hurry and slam the door behind you and the dog is right at your heels you might shut its tail in the door. other theories gladly accepted.



eta: ( på svenska )