If the fish comes out of the water to tell you the crocodile is sick, believe it

The phrase "if the fish comes out of the water to tell you the crocodile is sick, believe it" is a well-known African proverb. It means you should trust warnings from insiders or those close to a dangerous situation, because they risk their safety to tell the truth. If a literal fish comes out of the water, it cannot breathe and will soon die.Meaning of the ProverbFirsthand Knowledge: The fish shares the same water as the crocodile, so it knows the truth.High Risk: Leaving the water puts the fish in extreme danger.Deep Trust: If a vulnerable source takes that big of a risk to speak, the warning is real.What Happens to a Real FishNo Oxygen: Fish need water to pass through their gills.Suffocation: Gills dry out in the air, and the fish cannot breathe.Quick Death: Most fish die very fast if they stay out of water