A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

The MOTHER of mischief is no bigger than a midge’s wing

a 1628 J. CARMICHAELL Proverbs in Scots no. 1468 The mother of mischief, is na

mair nor [than] a midgewing. 1796 M. EDGEWORTH Parent’s Assistant (ed. 2) 149 ‘The

mother of mischief’, says an old proverb, ‘is no bigger than a midge’s wing.’ 1858 D. M.

MULOCK Woman’s Thoughts about Women viii. Fatal and vile as her [Gossip’s] progeny

may be, ‘the mother of mischief, says the proverb, ‘is no bigger than a midge’s wing.’

2005 Times Magazine 5 Nov. 13 (heading) ‘The mother of mischief is no bigger than a

midge’s wing’. beginnings and endings; great and small; trouble

mother see also DILIGENCE is the mother of good luck; NECESSITY is the mother of
invention; PRAISE the child, and you make love to the mother.

If the MOUNTAIN will not come to Mahomet, Mahomet must go to the mountain

Quot. 1625 gives the anecdote behind this saying.

1625 BACON Essays’Of Boldness’ xii. Mahomet cald the Hill to come to him.. And

when the Hill stood still, he was neuer a whit abashed, but said; If the Hill will not come

to Mahomet, Mahomet wil go to the hil. 1732 T. FULLER Gnomologia no. 2707 If the

Mountain will not come to Mahomet, Mahomet must go to the Mountain. 1975 D.

BAGLEY Snow Tiger xvii. You couldn’t go to see him, so the mountain had to go to

Mahomet. It was.. important to him. 2001 Washington Times 27 Jan. F23 (Herb &

Jamaal comic strip)’I’ve waited too long for Jamaal to ask me out. It’s time for me to

take action! As they say, “If the mountain won’t come to Mohammed, then Mohammed

will go to the mountain”.’ necessity; obstinacy

mountain see also FAITH will move mountains.

The MOUNTAINS are high, and the emperor is far away

Chinese proverb, comparable to the Russian GOD is high above, and the tsar is far away.

1910 P. W. SERGEANT Great Empress Dowager of China 153 ‘The mountains are

high,’ say the Chinese, ‘the Emperor is far away.’ A brief lull in the persecution was

followed in 1895 by an extremely violent outburst. 1974 P. J. SEYBOLT Through

Chinese Eyes 73 This is wild hill-country: As they used to say in the old days, ‘the