The proverb ‘Valala voatango ka very fanahy mbola velona’ describes a person who is deeply distressed by life’s events. Compared to a grasshopper whose legs and wings have been torn off, they are still alive but have lost all ability to decide and act. This expression conveys a profound state of despair and vulnerability, reminding us that even the strongest can be rendered helpless by hardships. It is similar to the English proverb ‘Crippled before having fought’.