Oral expression like proverbs, riddles and abusive words are abundant both in Assamese and other local and tribal languages of Assam. The Assamese proverbs are the best specimens of folk wisdom and terse didactic statement. There are proverbs, which may be traced back to Caryapada. For example – Flesh is the enemy of the deer; Does drawn milk enter the dug?
There are also proverbs which can be traced back to Sanskrit
and other ancient traditions. For example – Silence indicates consent; A
sleeping fox is not able to catch ducks.
Many proverbs in Assamese are prescriptive, for example, -
Do not be the first to step in, when the path is watery; Do not be the
son-in-law of a woman, who bears children very often.
These proverbs say a lot about truthfulness and the value of
hard work; but there are proverbs which reveal the power of money in life. For
example - Money is at the bottom of religion; It is poverty that spoils one’s
character.