A good head will get itself hats.

A good head will get itself hats.

Someone with a good head i.e. a competent, able person is likely to achieve success and wear the hat signifying their position.

Quite often, in many diverse human societies, rank or social importance has been indicated by the type of headgear a person wore. In the Britain of the Victorian era, lasting to around W.W.II when the fashion for men wearing hats died out, the managerial classes wore bowler hats and the workers a flat cap. The expression going cap in hand to the boss denotes this subservience.

In Native American tribes the war bonnet of eagle feathers showed someone who had demonstrated their courage and achievement in battle. A brave with a cool head in a crisis could get a feather in his cap.

The different ranks in organized armies often have different hats so that the soldiers know who to follow and salute. The ambitious person might aim to get himself promoted with the vision of putting on the coveted hat symbol. In the UK, paratroopers aspire to wear the red beret that shows they have achieved the honor of membership of the Parachute Regiment.

A Scottish Highland chieftain is entitled to have an eagle feather in his bonnet as an insignia of his position and the more important ones have two. The ultimate hat symbol of success is the monarch's crown.

Hats of course are also worn by ladies to enhance and project their femininity. There is an old saying to set one's cap at from the 18th century, when women wore fine, white linen or muslin caps that needed to be tied in place with ribbon. It meant trying to win a man's affections by setting a jaunty angle to their cap and showing off the crowning glory of their hair.

The Easter bonnet is worn by Christian churchgoers and is a colorful way of expressing the joy of the return of spring.

So, if you want to get ahead get a hat.

Work wont kill but worry will

Work wont kill but worry will.

They also say "hard work never harmed anyone, but how true is that? There are many work-related illnesses, and indeed the fingers typing this entry suffer from RSI! So it makes sense to worry about over-work or poor working conditions.

If that isn't bad enough the worry itself can be a problem. Stress, high blood pressure, ulcers, heart attacks, nervous breakdowns can all be linked to stress at work.

Learning good coping mechanisms, sensible working practices and getting appropriate time off for rest and relaxation is imperative. It is often the hardworking conscientious person who suffers most and a good, responsible manager will see to it that this type of person is not unduly and unfairly burdened. Do not kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.

He that would right understand a man must read his whole story

He that would right understand a man must read his whole story

How often have you jumped to conclusions about someone then had to revise your opinion later? If you are a typical human it will have been quite often. First impression can be misleading and it is often necessary to give the benefit of the doubt.

Have you ever watched a TV account of a crime where the story is revealed bit by bit, showing the offense and the accusations. The evidence mounts up, people condemn the suspect, but as the end nears we are told other facts which leave us in no doubt that the person is innocent even though for most of the time we were convinced of their guilt.

Sometimes we need to make up our minds about someone very quickly and it is only human to err on the side of caution, but condemning someone on slight knowledge of the facts can and does lead to injustices. It is because of this our system of justice has developed to demand proof and testable evidence before conviction. This means that some guilty people go free but better that than the totally innocent languishing in jail.

It is important to get the facts and be wary of those with a vested interest in the outcome.


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Light burdens long borne grow heavy

Light burdens long borne grow heavy

The drip, drip drip of water will eventually wear a hole in the hardest stone. The pounding waves relentlessly scouring the shore grind pebbles to sand. The tallest volcano gradually erodes to form soil. Time conquers all.

In relationships, petty aggravations long borne can suddenly flare up and lead to a major row and separation. From time to time you read in the newspapers how someone has flipped after 50 years of marriage and killed their partner. It is important to attend to recurring minor niggles before the last straw breaks the camels back.

A machine with a small fault that is ignored can sometimes cause an accident resulting in death or serious injury because the user has grown complacent. A driver with dodgy brakes crashes and kills someone. A smoker, little by little, damages their lungs until one day they are diagnosed with cancer.

This proverb is counseling you that you should look at the little problems in your life from time to time and see that they are put right. There is no point in tearfully claiming "it worked OK for years, I never thought it would do that!" The burden of your failure to act could weigh on you for the rest of your life.

He that would have the fruit must climb the tree

He that would have the fruit must climb the tree

Taken at face value this is not strictly true - ripe fruit will fall into your hands, and the low hanging fruit is easily grasped. This parallels many life situations where those first on the scene get the easy pickings.

After a new situation has settled down most people find they have to try hard to get what the lucky ones managed with ease. The first settlers in a new land get their pick of the best areas and the latecomers have to work for their share. When a new business opportunity or industry is starting it is often easier to succeed as the low hanging fruit is there for the taking. Have a look at the earliest films and see how easily pleased the first audiences were. Anyone with a cine-camera was assured of an appreciative audience. The acting was hammy and the directing dismal but it was new and exciting. Later, people wanted more sophisticated stuff and film makers had to develop a lot of skills and techniques to please them.

So, if the early birds have got all the worms, or fruit, be prepared to put in the effort to climb the ladder of success.


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He that is a master must serve

He that is a master must serve

We might have an image of the master as a kind of despotic oriental potentate whose every whim is a command, but in most communities the role of master or leader has a purpose.

A group of people cannot easily act together unless there is coordination of their activities and this requires a coordinator. He, it is usually a he, has appeared throughout history in the form of the chief, the king, the captain, or boss of some sort. This is often an extension of the normal position of the father as head of the family. In no way does this negate the position of women who can take the lead when circumstances require it, there have been some brilliant queens, but traditionally the female role has been a powerful supporting one.

To a young member of that society the leader might seem an all powerful, godlike figure but ultimately he is there to serve the needs of the people so that their society can function more efficiently. Tyrants who usurp this natural and necessary power usually don't last long.


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Pleasing goods are half sold

Pleasing goods are half sold

Anything you wish others to acquire must appeal to them. It is an acknowledged truth that we tend to judge a book by its cover when a sensible appraisal of its contents is the better way. An object or service needs to appeal to our senses first - if it looks right then it usually is right.

Our first impressions tend to be lasting so the seller of wares should seek to create a pleasing impact that will linger. Not only should it do what it says on the tin but the tin should tell its own story

The con man knows this too, but he seeks to sell the impression alone with no substance - the proverbial pig in a poke.

Buyers must therefore be aware - by all means follow your eye but make sure to use your other senses and reasoning power to test that it is the real McCoy. Check carefully before making a decision to buy.


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Who'll not save a penny will never have many

Who'll not save a penny will never have many

We all know the importance of earning a living - long gone are the ancestral days when scraping by on what the farm or cottage plot would provide was the only option. The modern economy means the division of labor and a steady income. The problem is your earnings never seem enough. A wage rise is often followed by an expectations rise and soon you are back to square one.

But are you using your existing income wisely? How many things do you buy that are not really necessary? By learning to budget and spend with good sense most people will find their money going a lot further than they thought possible. Remember, a penny saved is a penny gained with no need to pay tax and expenses on the getting of it. So it is worth a lot more than a penny earned.

Resolve to review your spending and expectations level. Be realistic and prudent: organize your life sensibly for the optimum benefit from existing income. Then, who knows, your newfound good sense might just lead your boss to think you are someone worth keeping and worthy of a rise!


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Better short of pence than short of sense.

Better short of pence than short of sense.

Everybody has money worries: there is always another bill to pay, new shoes for the kids, unexpected car repairs - the list is endless. It often seems that the royal road to happiness has to be a large lottery win. With lots of money life would be idyllic - seems obvious - a no-brainer.

The reality often is that lots of cash brings lots of problems and temptations. Stable marriages break up as the newly rich become self-obsessed. Kids with too much spending money are tempted by excess indulgence in alcohol, drugs, and unsuitable relationships. The dream can quickly turn into a nightmare - and spending more money often makes it worse.

A poor person with sense can often find contentment by living within their means and learning to appreciate the things that are free. Good friends, a stroll in the park, pottering in the garden, reading a library book, learning a new skill. Pretty soon they are in danger of becoming wealthy in the things that matter and make life worthwhile.

In an ideal world you would have plenty of money and the good sense to use it wisely, but wisdom rarely comes without experience, and if you have a lot of spending power your learning mistakes will be correspondingly greater.

Perfection is for gods - the rest of us have to manage as best we can.

Be still and have thy will

Be still and have thy will

This sounds like the lazy man's philosophy but is there any truth in it?

How many times have you expended a great deal of time and effort on a project to eventually conclude that it was all a waste of time and you would have been better off doing nothing? It does happen. Everything come to him who waits is another saying in this vein. Masterly inactivity is sometimes seen as the best way to cope with a problem. Very often finding the right time to act is the key, and knowing when to do nothing is a shrewd part of this. You can be too clever for your own good so try looking before you leap and thinking first.

Dozing in your bed can sometimes be the best way to get things done.


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The little which is good fills the trencher

The little which is good fills the trencher

In a world of obese people this old saying should make instant sense. Good health comes from moderation and where there is good health there is likely to be good sense.

How many offers do you see where the seller tries to impress you with the amount that you will get, believing that you will fall for all the bonus offers? What you really want is quality: something that does what it is supposed to do and brings the benefits that you need.

Children who overeat are often told that "their eyes are bigger than their bellies" but at all ages humans can be deceived by quantity versus quality. A little of what you fancy does you good; too much can kill you!

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One today is worth two to-morrows

One today is worth two to-morrows

Procrastination, putting things off till tomorrow is often expressed in the Spanish word manãna. Something postponed till tomorrow very often never gets done.

"Don't put off till tomorrow what can be done today" is much the same idea and "Strike while the iron is hot" conveys a similar concept of "action now". "There is no time like the present". "Just do it".

Many people have recognised and proverbalised our tendency to use a postponement as a lazy excuse to avoid an irksome but necessary task - after all "tomorrow might never come".

Little chips light great fires

Little chips light great fires

Stone Age man discovered this hundreds of thousands of years ago when he used two sticks and a lot of effort to start his tinder smoking. Add little dry pieces of wood and very soon you can burn whole trees.

This principle of starting small and gradually building up has been used countless times through countless ages by countless people - it works. The problem is that it needs patience and persistence so many people give up too soon. If you know that something really does work it is necessary to give it the time and effort it needs.

You too can experience the pleasure and satisfaction of a great blaze in whatever field of interest you choose if you get the little chips working for you.

Better a flawed diamond than a perfect pebble

Better a flawed diamond than a perfect pebble

Financially this is perfectly obvious as even a diamond with a fault will be worth much more than a flawless piece of rounded stone, but taking it as a metaphor we can consider human personalities.

The ordinary person who abides by the rules and gives offence to no one is a worthy citizen but will probably be regarded as predictably boring. The rough diamond type who rubs some people up the wrong way and might not be too fussy about rule breaking seems exciting to most people. The heroes in most novels and stories are those who take risks and bend the rules to their advantage - the maverick cop is a recurring staple of TV.

But you bend the rules at your own peril - in real life the dodger usually gets caught eventually.


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More are slain by suppers than the sword.

More are slain by suppers than the sword.

Feasting in bygone days was an unselfconscious affair: people would eat till they literally burst. Henry the VIII died of a surfeit of lampreys as no one would dare to tell a king to stop being so silly

Today we have a constant stream of media information warning against overeating and what to, and what not to, eat and drink. Yet despite this cornucopia of good advice people are more obese than ever. How many people do you know who are digging their own graves with a spoon?

Death by a sword stroke was a reality for our ancestors so perhaps they liked to "eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow you might die" but as most healthy people can now expect to reach 90 it makes sense to pace yourself and avoid binges - enough is better than a feast.

You must spoil before you spin well.

You must spoil before you spin well.

A few generations ago most of our maternal ancestors would have spun wool as part of their contribution to the family budget. This is where the term spinster came from as unmarried girls would be proving their worth to their parents and siblings with the very useful commodity of wool yarn.

The value of wool revenue in England was such that the Chancellor of the Exchequer sat on the woolsack. Our ancestors would have learned that the process of acquiring skill at spinning meant making many mistakes before proficiency was achieved. The basic principle of the saying applies to most human activities then and now.

Do not be afraid of making mistakes when tackling a new project as this is a part of the learning experience. "The man who never made a mistake never made anything".

Keep no more cats than will catch mice.

Keep no more cats than will catch mice.

Being over-equipped for a task can be a waste of resources. The farmer who has too many cats will have a barn free of mice but a big bill for cat food.

How many of us have too many tools for the tasks we must perform? Too much time spent on education detracts from the time spent applying what we have learned and earning the fruits of labour. A businessman who over-invests will ended up with assets that produce no meaningful returns. A healthy athlete should be lean and fit, carrying no excessive fat or muscle that is not needed to reach optimum efficiency for their chosen sport.

Acquire the assets or tools you need and invest your time becoming proficient in their use and you will reap the rewards.

A Diligent Scholar and the Master is Paid.

A Diligent Scholar and the Master is Paid.

This probably gives an idealised image of the schoolmaster of a bygone age, but proverbs should contain eternal truths, so what are they?

Job satisfaction is an important part of any occupation and the fruits of a schoolmaster's labours is a well educated, well rounded, young person equipped for life and able to be a worthy part of their community. These are noble ideals but no doubt many young people reading them will snort in disgust - old so and so only does it for the money!

Exceptional teachers are by definition exceptions but most will seek to help their students and gain satisfaction when they get a positive response. Teachers and pupils must work to learn and learn to work. Success will then come to all.

A lean dog shames its master

A lean dog shames its master

If your dog's bones are showing it is likely that you are either cruel and negligent, ignorant as to the proper foodstuffs or very poor. Whatever, you really need to do something about it.

This old Japanese proverb tells us a lot more than that though. Apply the basic ideas to any walk of life or situation and it is teaching us the importance of looking after your responsibilities properly. If you neglect your children's education and it shows in bad behaviour it is to your shame. If your work is skimped and shows a lack of attention and care it reflects on you.

Do right by those you have a duty to or it will soon become apparent to your peers that you are not worthy of respect.

Lend your money to a city but never to a man.

Lend your money to a city but never to a man.

This is an old Japanese proverb that echoes the sentiments of "Don't put all your eggs in the one basket". Spreading your risk to allow for the fact that disasters and difficulties will always hit some members of a group is generally regarded as a good thing to do. Insurance works on the same principles of shared risk. Unit trusts were invented with the same idea - spread the risk of calamities amongst enough people, and for a small sum you get the opportunity of recompense when a loss occurs

On the other hand, if you are willing to take a risk and back a talented individual you might get spectacular gains that do not have to be shared with others. But if it goes wrong you might very well lose everything. High reward usually involves high risk.