“Hold your tongue, sir, or you are a dead man this instant.”

Fletcher Christian's words to Captain Bligh during the mutiny of 28 April 1789 — the point of no return that, a year later, led the mutineers to found the hidden settlement on Pitcairn Island.

“Never fear the sea, fear the storm.”

Distinguish ordinary difficulty from genuine danger; do not let familiar hardship frighten you, but respect real threats.

“The well-trodden path is not always the right path.”

Popularity is not proof of correctness; question convention rather than following the crowd blindly.

“The canoe ride is pleasant when the paddler is skilled.”

Competence makes any journey smoother; skill and preparation ease every undertaking.

“Catch the bird, but watch for the wave.”

Pursue opportunity without losing awareness of the danger that may be close beside it.

“A wise man does not build his house on the sand.”

Build the foundations of a life, a family, or a plan on what is solid and lasting, not on what looks convenient today.