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Katherine Dotterer

Weaving cozy tales of fantasy romance

Sleeping Dragon
Idioms & Proverbs of Damensea

Idioms & Proverbs of Damensea

When writing fantasy, I attempt to avoid idioms and proverbs, especially more modern ones. However, I like to create idioms and proverbs with Damensea flair and use those every so often. These help give my world a different feel than ours. Here’s some of the idioms and proverbs of Damensea:

  • basilisk never loses its spots, even when molting = people can’t change their personality (typically negative)
  • busy as a melissa in summer = extremely busy
  • can’t judge a girl by her glamour = don’t judge on appearance
  • cool as an arctic elf = extremely calm
  • curiosity killed the sprite = curiosity can be dangerous
  • don’t count your faebirds before they hatch = don’t depend on something that has yet to happen
  • don’t look a gift unicorn in the mouth = don’t be ungrateful for a gift
  • don’t rouse sleeping dragons = leave things alone
  • don’t torment firekittens unless you want to get burned = don’t be reckless
  • early firebird gets the gold apple = being first improves the chances of success
  • faebirds of a feather flock together = those with similar tastes congregate
  • fit as a brownie = in good health
  • if wishes were pegasi, beggars would fly = wishing doesn’t solve things
  • no sense in crying for spilt unicorn water = futile to regret what cannot be changed
  • Ormas wasn’t built in a day = great things require time
  • proud as a mama roc = extremely proud
  • rarer than a faebird’s teeth = extremely rare
  • steal someone’s cantrip = take undue credit
  • when naga fly = something that will never happen

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