The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

PROVERBIAL METAPHOR

YOU CAN CATCH MORE FLIES WITH HONEY THAN YOU CAN WITH VINEGAR.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT SAID THAT HER MOTHER AND TWO AUNTS SAID THIS TO HER
WHEN SHE WAS GROWING UP IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY DURING THE 1940S.
THEY MEANT THAT SHE WOULD GET WHAT SHE WANTED BY BEING PLEASANT,
RATHER THAN BEING MEAN. THEY ALSO MEANT THAT SHE COULD GET PEOPLE
TO DO WHAT SHE WANTED TO BY TREATING THEM IN A NICE WAY. THE
INFORMANT ALSO SAID THAT SHE HEARD THIS FROM A DISTANT COUSIN,
MRS. MINERVA REED, "COUSIN MINERVA," WHO WAS FROM RICHMOND,
KENTUCKY, IN 1968.

Where learned: KENTUCKY ; LOUISVILLE ; RICHMOND

Date learned: 00001940 CA ; 00-00-1968