Nissen News - 15.12.1941, Blaðsíða 12

10
NISSEN NEWS
Probing into Proverbs
I wonder if I might be forgiven if I
waxed philosophical. A bad way to start,
you will say; a writer who apologises for
his work before it is begun endangers
the whole structure and has only him-
self to blame if his creation dies at birth.
Of those who read on I would ask:
“Have you ever considered what stumb-
ling-blocks those old fashioned sayings
and saws which have always been con-
sidered such unimpeachable guides to
moral correctness, can be?” Way back
in our youth we collated them under the
serviceable heading of “Proverbs” and
usage has almost made them inviolable.
But these economically-worded and neat-
ly-phrased axioms prove to be at war
one with another and the advice which
one of them so convincingly offers is
brazenly contradicated by its equally wise
neighbour.
For instance, it seems obvious enough
that “Actions speak louder than words”
— until a shadow of douht is cast in
one’s mind by the suggestion that “the
pen is mightier than the sword”. The
hordes of Hitlerite Germany, paying hom-
age to the advice of the former proverb,
march, with bloody determination, deeper
and deeper into Russia. Here is action!
But meanwhile, the resolute, bitingly elo-
quent voice of Churchill gives hope and
encouragement to all the occupied nat-
ions; the voice of subterranean discont-
ent is heard all over stricken Europe;
and the “V” sign, both figuratively and
literally, has become the writing on the
wall. The whisper of coming release
grows stronger. Words! To be one day
converted into action.
It used to be instilled into us, as a
deterrent to mixing in the wrong society,
that “Birds of a feather flock together”.
The moulding of the Italo-German Axis
seems reasonable proof of that. But I can-
not forget that “Two of a trade seldom
agree” — though they may appear to do
so for a time — and it is not unlikely
that there will he an unpleasant scatter-
ing of the intimate flock when the rogues
fall out!
“Look before you leap” was the care-
ful advice I cherished once, as being the
ideal warning against precipitate action.
But now I’m not so sure that “He who
hesitates is lost” is not the better guid-
ance when assaulting the door of oppor-
tunity. Choose for yourself. But it’s as
well to know which way you intend to
leap. Fence-sitting, as Japan may learn
to her regret, can be as dangerous as
faulty action.
So long as it does not rob you of your
initiative (which, by the way, a soldier
should use as freely as his housewife),
you might well cling to the advice that
“Two heads are better than one”. Pro-
vided, of course, that you are not dis-
suaded from doing so by the warning
that “Too many cooks spoil the broth”.
Churchill and Roosevelt, however, are
proving the soundness of the former
view.
“Fortune favours the brave”, I have
come to believe, is rather shaky advice
these days. Heroic, no doubt, but hravery
requires to be fed with “an adequate
sufficiency” of tanks, ’planes and guns.
The proverb which I once rejected as be-
ing cowardly, though a sure guarantee
of longevity — “He who fights and runs
away, lives to fight another day” —
seems to be coming into its own. There’s
something of the “defence in depth” pol-
icy about that; a little of the “scorched
earth” tactics; and a reminder of our
hit-and-run campaign in Libya. The day
is not yet, but when it comes, bravery
will be rewarded by íhe fortune it de-
serves.
Well, there you are! There are more
of these wise opposites, if you care to
look for them, and it’s great fun setting
them off one against the other.
Or don’t you think so? W.