Goan Proverbs & Sayings

Goan Proverbs & Sayings

'Voilem paan khuim khailea paanank hansta'

Literal trans: The top leaf, it seems, is laughing at the down leaf.'

Meaning, relevance and application: This has a very good meaning in the real world, and in the real sense. The top leaf of a tree or plant is young and upright. The lower leaf on the same tree is older and appear slumped. If the top leaf starts laughing at the disposition of the lower leaf today, little does it realize that it will meet with the same fate when its own turn comes as the tree grows in height and when age begins to take its toll, as the top leaf will one day become a down leaf itself. Also both the top leaf and the down leaf need the tree to survive. If the tree dies, the leaves will die. The same thing can be applied to the pride and disposition of humans in treating their subordinates or the less fortunate.