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“Do not make an elephant out of a fly.”

My informant heard this proverb around the age of five from her mother.  My informant had fallen down while playing in the backyard and came in crying to her mother.  She told her mother that she had hurt her knee and began wailing about it.  Her mother looked at her knee, saw only a scrape and said this proverb to her.

My informant says this proverb means not to over exaggerate or not to worry too much.  Although it can be used for either exaggeration or worrywarts, my informant says it is used mostly for exaggeration.  Often times it is used if someone tells a story that has a great deal of exaggeration in it and can no way be true.  She says that this proverb can apply to anyone, not just children.

My informant heard this proverb again from her father after she had gotten a low grade on her homework.  As she told him the grade she got on her homework, she started crying.  Her father gave her a hug and told her this proverb to make her feel better.  My informant says this proverb made her feel better because she realized that one homework grade was not going to affect the rest of her life.