Ch'n'est pas Ôve du vinaigre que nous attrâpe des mouques.
“You do not catch flies with vinegar.”
Harshness and roughness win nothing; kindness and gentleness accomplish far more.
— Traditional Guernsey Wisdom, Guernsey
Source: Traditional Guernsey proverb, public-domain oral tradition
More Proverbs from Guernsey
A small packet becomes a heavy burden on a long journey.
Even a minor load feels heavier the further and longer you must carry it.
As fat as a lump of suet.
A vivid rural simile describing someone who is very well-fed or stout.
Two big bones cannot boil in the same pot.
Two strong-willed rivals cannot easily share the same small space.
There is enough left for all the Tostevins.
Said when plenty of food remains at the table; Tostevin, a common Guernsey surname, stands in for "everyone".
It is not those who plough nearest the hedge who are the richest — economy can be carried too far.
Squeezing every last inch out of your land through excessive thrift or caution does not make you the wealthiest; economy carried too far defeats itself.
When it rains with a west wind, it feeds a man and his horse; when it rains with an east wind, it is a wonder if anything comes to good.
A westerly rain nourishes both man and livestock, while rain from the east threatens ruin to crops and fortune alike.