Proverb in the local language
Faloo buka sawuŋ a diŋo ye ŋunuma.
A donkey and its child
Proverb's direct translation
A donkey doesn't jump in order for its child to crawl.
Proverb's meaning
A child will learn the habits of its parents.
From: The Mandika
General comments
The Mandika or Malinike live in the Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal and Mali in West Africa. In Uganda, the Banyoro say "If the mother steals while a child is on her back, the child will grow up to be a thief."
