478. Strength does not last

கால்சோரா தென்றுநம்பிக் கல்லிற் சுவடிட்டான்கால்சோர்ந்த நாள்சுவடு காண்

kaalsoraa thendrunambik kallir suvadittaankaalsornda naalsuvadu kaan

Sure that his legs would never give out, he set his prints in stone. On the day his legs gave out, look at the prints.

The prints still lie in the stone, but the legs that made them can no longer carry him to them.

479. Abandoned when help matters

கைத்தாங்கல் வேண்டும் மரமென்றே கைவிடுவர்கைத்தாங்கல் தந்த மரம்

kaithaangal vendum maramendre kaividuvarkaithaangal thanda maram

They let go of the tree that gave them something to lean on, saying it needs something to lean on.

480. What elders know

வலைமுடிக்கும் நான்காம் விரலின் மடிப்புகடலறியும் பாட்டியின் கை

valaimudikkum naankaam viralin madippukadalariyum paattiyin kai

The fold in the fourth finger that finishes the net: the hand of a grandmother who knows the sea.

Years of tying off the last knots of a net press a lasting fold into the finger.