Many at the Banquet.—How happy we are when we are fed like the birds by the hand of some one who throws them their crumbs without examining them too closely, or inquiring into their worthiness! To live like a bird which comes and flies away, and does not carry its name on its beak! I take great pleasure in satisfying my appetite at the banquet of the many.

Meaning: A satisfactory outcome can make earlier trouble feel less important. People may judge a difficult experience more positively once its main problem has been resolved.

Meaning: The saying gives married men a more intense laugh than bachelors, extending it until their hearts ache. The apparent praise carries a possible hint of pain.

Meaning: A hopeful or generous expectation can shape how someone approaches a situation. The proverb links belief with a favourable result, but its useful reading treats that link as encouragement rather than a guarantee that thoughts control events.

Meaning: When richer options are unavailable, a simple provision can be welcome. The saying describes satisfaction shaped by circumstances, without proving that people need no more or should be denied better choices.