Proverbs

Traditional wisdom in the Marches is often contained in pithy, short phrases full of meaning that contain practical advice. There are many more of these than any one person could hope to collect.

Widespread sayings include:

• Pride in small things, loyalty to great ones.
• When a dog barks, you don't bark back.
• sword and shears alike.
• Know a body by their March; judge'em by their company.
• Every wife has two husbands, every husband two wives.
• The best soil is thirsty soil."
• Meaning that the best soil is watered with tears, sweat and blood.
• A meal without spice is better than a meal without bread.
• Sow, tend and reap; fight, toil and weep.
• One boy’s a boy, two boys is half a boy and three boys is no boy at all. Referring to the way that the more people you have on a job, the slower it goes
• The answer lies in the soil.
• Lost time is never found.
• Liars and gossips sleep in the same bed.
• Nothing dries faster than a tear.
• Having a beard doesn't make you wise.

Making Your Own

The easiest way to make your own sayings is simply to adopt one that isn't especially well known in modern times. Many websites exist with lists of folk sayings to help you out. A more ambitious option is to take a more common saying such as "A rolling stone gathers no moss" and give it a Marcher twist.

Some useful websites includ American Folksayings, proverbs and maxims;