This proverb speaks to the loss of something sacred and precious. The ’lamba mena’ is a red silk cloth used to wrap the deceased during traditional funeral rites. Using such a sacred object to tread on the tomb is an act of reverence and respect. However, when such an object is stolen, it represents the violation of a major cultural taboo and results in great misfortune for the community or family involved. An equivalent proverb in English would be: ‘A small spark can start a great fire,’ suggesting that even a small act of wrongdoing can lead to significant consequences.