A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

Cf. Q. CURTIUS De Rebus Gestis Alexandri Magni VII. iv. 13 canem timidum vehementius
latrere quam mordere, a timid cur barks more furiously than he bites [said there to be a
Bactrian saying]; 13th-cent. Fr. chascuns chiens qui abaie ne mort pas, the dog that barks does
not bite.

c 1550 Thersytes E1 Great barking dogges, do not most byte And oft it is sene that

the best men in the hoost Be not suche, that vse to bragge moste. 1595 Locrine (1908) IV.

i. Soft words good sir... A barking dog doth sildome strangers bite. 1629 Book of Merry

Riddles 22 A barking dog seldome bites. 1837 F. CHAMIER Arethusa III. X. Our dogs

which bark, Abdallah, seldom bite. 1980 Daily Telegraph 1 May 18 A canvassing

candidate came to a house where there was an Alsatian who barked ferociously. His agent

said: ‘Just go in. Don’t you know the proverb “A barking dog never bites”?’ ‘Yes,’ said

the candidate, ‘I know the proverb, you know the proverb, but does the dog know the

proverb?’ words and deeds

BARNABY bright, Barnaby bright, the longest day and the shortest night

St. Barnabas’ Day, 11 June, was reckoned the longest day of the year under the Old Style
calendar. Cf. 1595 SPENSER Epithalamion 1. 266 This day the sunne is in his chiefest hight,
With Barnaby the bright.

1659 J. HOWELL Proverbs (English) 20 Barnaby bright, the longest day and

shortest night. 1858 Notes & Queries 2nd Ser. VI. 522 In some parts of the country the

children call the lady-bird Barnaby Bright, and address it thus:—‘Barnaby Bright,

Barnaby Bright, The longest day and the shortest night.’ 1906 E. HOLDEN Country Diary

of Edwardian Lady (1977) 72 Barnaby bright All day and no night. 1978 R. WHITLOCK

Calendar of Country Customs vii. Barnaby bright, Barnaby bright, The longest day and

the shortest night, is a reminder that, before the change in the calendar in 1752, 11 June

was the longest day of the year. calendar lore

basket see don’t put all your EGGS in one basket.

bathwater see don’t THROW the baby out with the bathwater.

battalion see PROVIDENCE is always on the side of the big battalions.

battle see the RACE is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong.