Literal translation for this proverb could be “Rat eats sugar cane. Lizard dies innocent.”

In Haitian society, ‘rats’ represent professional and astute people. In that, to describe the degree of professionalism, experience and resources of someone in doing something, we use the expression “tankou rat”, meaning, “like a rat”. People can say that someone ‘speaks English like a rat’ or ‘steals like a rat’, for example.

Therefore, “zandolit’, meaning lizard is the symbol of innocence and inoffensiveness, someone without resources or experience.

Haitian people use this proverb to describe a situation where justice condemns an innocent person while they know perfectly that he/she is not the perpetrator. Sometimes because they do/can not find the culpible part or they cannot touch him/her or they just do not want to or they know that the innocent person does not have the means to defend himself/herself. It could also be any situation where the blame/charge/guilt falls on the wrong person. Or even when an innocent person is a victim of revenge.

May we have a fair society one day.