On n'engraisse pas les cochons à l'eau de farine.
“You cannot fatten pigs on watered-down flour.”
Thin, half-hearted effort produces thin, half-hearted results — real reward requires real substance.
— Traditional Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon Wisdom, Saint Pierre & Miquelon
Source: Traditional Norman proverb, ancestral heritage of Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon's Norman founding fishermen, public-domain oral tradition
More Proverbs from Saint Pierre & Miquelon
He who sees Ouessant sees his own blood; he who sees Sein sees his end; he who sees Groix sees his cross.
A sailors' warning that the waters around these Breton islands are so treacherous that merely sighting them foretells shipwreck and death.
When the seagulls have their feet on the ground, it is time to turn back.
Seabirds seeking refuge on land signal an approaching storm, so sailors should head home.
A dappled sky and a powdered woman do not last long.
Fine weather under a mottled sky changes as fast as makeup fades — nothing about it can be trusted to hold.
Fog in the valley, fisherman, go make your catch.
Morning fog low in the valleys is a sign of a fair day at sea, so the fisherman should set out.
By gazing at the sea long enough, one day you end up taking to it.
A life spent watching the sea eventually draws a person into becoming a sailor themselves.
When the horizon isn't clear, stay at the tavern.
A hazy or uncertain horizon is a sign to stay ashore rather than risk putting out to sea.