A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

one’s dirty linen in public.

lining see every CLOUD has a silver lining.

link see a CHAIN is no stronger than its weakest link.

linstock (a forked staff to hold a lighted match): see the COBBLER to his last and the
gunner to his linstock.

lion see a LIVE dog is better than a dead lion; MARCH comes in like a lion, and goes out
like a lamb; a MOUSE may help a lion; when SPIDER webs unite, they can tie up a lion.

Until the LIONS produce their own historian, the story of the hunt will glorify only
the hunter

West African proverb.

2000 C. ACHEBE Home and Exile 73 ‘Until the lions produce their own historian,

the story of the hunt will glorify only the hunter.’ 2003 N. GORDIMER in Creative

Circle: Artist, Critic, and Translator in African Literature 7 It has been a long haul, and I

am not going to roll-call all the great names of Africa and her diaspora who have

achieved it. Thinking of his appropriate metaphor for the beginning of the African story,

Chinua Achebe recounts a proverb: ‘Until the lions produce their own historian, the story

of the hunt will glorify only the hunter.’ 2004 Road to Democracy in South Africa 1.vii

Thus it was said the ‘The hunters will always be the victors until the lions have their own

historian.’ 2006 on http://www.womenscenter.vt.edu I would like to give special thanks to the

Women’s Center. Their work reminds me of a Benin, Ghana, and Togo proverb: Gnatola

ma no kpon sia, eyenabe adelan to kpo mi sena. (Ewe-mina) Until the lion has his or her

own storyteller, the hunter will always have the best part of the story. Thank you all for

being the storytellers of unequal powers. fame and obscurity; history

lip see there’s MANY a slip between cup and lip.

LISTENERS never hear any good of themselves

Eavesdroppers is now very usual for listeners.