Mendis Senaka Alexander. Athetha wakya deepanya, or, A collection of Sinhalese proverbs, maxims, fables

Publisher: Printed at the Catholic Press
Date: 1901
Pages: 86The following work is a collection of proverbs, maxims, fables etc. (current at the present day
among the Sinhalese), the majority of which have heen handed down orally from time immemorial.
A few however are of recent introduction as is evidenced by their form, though their origin is
beyond the renijmbrance of that mythical personage, "the oldest inhabitant." The present work is substantially the same as the "Athethi wakya deepenya" published by my late lamented father A. Mendis Mudaliyar. A considerable amount of new matter has been added in the present work besides an English translation and a few notes intended to explain obsolete terms, allusions to antiquated customs &c. which are not known to the generality of readers. Our readers will find that several proverbs &c. have been left untranslated. This has been the case with those which lose their point and beauty when translated into English and thu3 appear either utterly tame or entirely meaningless to one who is unable to read the Sinhalese original. Additions made in the proofs have for the most part no English translation subjoined.