Note 137 — Little Dictionary of Creole Proverbs.

This ridiculous observation is unsuitable for translation. Nevertheless we have an English, or perhaps an American, proverb equally vulgar, which may have inspired, or been derived from, the Creole one. In the English saying, the words “joking” and “provoking” are used as rhymes. The moral is precisely similar to that of No. 322.

In old days the Creole story-teller would always announce his intention of beginning a tale by the exclamation “Tim-tim!” whereupon the audience would shout in reply, “Bois sec;” and the story-teller would cry again, “Cassez-li,” to which the chorus would add “. . . . dans tchu (bonda) macaque.” Thus the story-teller intimated that he had no intention of merely “joking,” but intended to tell the whole truth and nothing else—“a real good story”—tois fois bonne conte!