Seelie Proverbs

Like most proverbial statements, Seelie proverbs reflect the basic ideals of the culture. They also tend to be interpreted in multiple ways based on how they were passed down, and different families may know altered versions.
“Roots split rock” – This is a shortened and often incorrectly interpreted proverb stemming from a much older one. “A root splits the rock it grows in”. The meaning of the original phrase is changing what you can where you are. Now, it has come to mean persistence creates change.
“Catching a raindrop when the river’s behind you” – There are two schools of thought on the meaning of this phrase. Most who use it intend it to mean the same thing as ‘missing the forest for the trees’. However, it’s also been used to indicate foresight and how an act that appears foolish may in fact be wise, since water from a river is less safe to drink than rain.
“The storm frightens those who do not watch the clouds” – This saying is often used as a reminder to pay close attention to others’ feelings while they are shown subtly and not forge ahead regardless, risking causing a storm of them. It can also have a more general meaning of watching for the small signs of a situation going wrong before everything falls apart.
"The child who has never seen a wolf approaches the wolf without fear" - There is no specific answer to what this rarely used proverb means. Some use it to mean that inexperience is dangerous. Others have interpreted it as meaning that those who see no reason to fear will go boldly into danger, and hold it as a virtue. A much less common interpretation, but still occasionally seen, is the idea that people who lack experience will make mistakes because of that, and through no fault of their own, and that mistakes made because a person did not know better should be judged accordingly.
"Trust no one who beats a horse for straying, a dog for stealing, or a child for crying" - The type of person who would do so is considered to be hardheaded (not trusting the horse to have seen danger), stingy (not giving the dog enough food to be content) or harsh (punishing a child for showing pain).
"A soft bed makes a soft man" - This is a fairly recent addition to Seelie proverbial phrases, it gained popularity during the time when Highland culture began to decline and some fae chose an easier, more comfortable city life over defending their disappearing homeland.