230. Eka ũlenga ta nzingi ũkũlengala ĩthĩĩ. Stop hovering about like a vulture over a carcass.

An old proverb coined by hunters, this encodes memories of vultures that are now rare. The vulture and carcass symbolize dependency on free and unreliable sources. The proverb calls the listener to do something valuable and refrain from indecisiveness.

231. Ĩsũni yĩkwĩtũũa yonekaa kwacha. A bird with diarrhoea is seen at dawn.

Circulating in northern and central Kitui, this ancient proverb means bad traits cannot be concealed. It shows the supremacy of the day and sunlight, where all things become clear.

232. Ĩsũni yĩ mũnuka mũasa ĩyĩĩsawa. A bird with a long beak is not eaten.

Among long-beaked birds in Ũkambanĩ only hornbills were eaten. The beak was the determining factor whether a bird was good for consumption or not. Symbolically, long beaks can mean talkative people cannot be trusted with confidential matters.

233. Ĩsũni ya kĩvĩsĩ yĩoeaa mokonĩ. A boy’s bird rots in his hands.

Birds were sometimes retrieved from nests when they were young, fed to maturity, and then eaten. Such a bird was valuable, so if it died it was a big loss. Likewise, if one is not careful, time and resources can be wasted, leading to financial ruin in today’s conditions.

234. Ĩsũni yaũlekya nĩyoneaa nzevenĩ. I spot in the sky a bird about to lay eggs.

Ancient hunters could tell birds that were about to lay eggs by the way the birds flew. This proverb means that some things are easily predictable through observation.

235. Ĩsũni yilũ yĩ maa me mũyo. A black bird has delicious intestines.

This was drawn from a riddle that poses a question to be answered and the answer is the pot. The pot is black from the outside but its contents always gratify. It points to the value of those things or individuals who are unattractive. Unattractive people may be more romantic and morally sound than attractive ones.

236. Ĩkoto ĩvũthasya na mũũlũkĩle wayo. The hornbill disgraces itself by the way it flies.

The yellow-billed hornbill, Kamba believe, has a disgraceful flight style not matching its beautiful appearance. The ancient proverb castigates people who have no restraint despite their age and social status.