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Stall Notes

Bathroom Stall Proverbs

Proverbs of the seated tradition, collected by the Bureau's standing folklore survey and annotated by region of collection and approximate age.

A folklore-survey cover plate beneath the embossed seal of the Bureau of Renewable Discourse, an engraved open field notebook flanked by a pencil and a folding rule, a banner reading COLLECTED PROVERBS.

From the Bureau's standing folklore survey. Proverbs are grouped by region of collection and dated on the survey's approximate-age scale (I, recent; IV, immemorial).

Northern district

  • "A patient seat outlasts a proud one." (age III)
  • "The wall keeps what the mouth will not." (age II)
An engraved sampler panel with a decorative border of pipes and laurel and a short stitched motto at center.
Fig. 1 —Sampler rendering of a northern-district proverb, age unknown, wisdom disputed.

Eastern district

  • "Two-ply promises; single-ply arrives." (age II)

Southern district

  • "Say it, and leave it." (age IV)
A shaded district map with tally marks and a legend showing proverbs collected per capita.
Fig. 2 —Collection density by district. The southern district speaks less and means more.