Literal translation
who pecks fills the crop
Meaning
small gains, gathered often, add up to plenty
Explanation
This saying means that by repeated small gains, one ends up accumulating a great deal, much like birds that, through successive little pecks, gradually fill their crop. The verb used for pecking also means to bite, in a fishing sense, or to gulp, while the second word precisely denotes the crop, that pouch in the bird's throat where food is temporarily kept before being digested. The image, drawn directly from observing farmyard or field birds, perfectly illustrates the principle that patience and the repetition of small gestures are, in time, enough to build up a substantial reserve. The saying echoes the well known principle of small streams making great rivers, but through a bird related image proper to the Provençal world. It is used to encourage perseverance in saving, in work, or in any modest effort repeated steadily, assuring that the final result, far from negligible, can prove considerable.