The Proverbs of Scotland Part 2

A doucer man ne'er brak warld's bread.

A saying expressive of unqualified respect.

A drap and a bite's but a sma' requite.

Used to induce a friend to sit down to dinner or tea, meaning that such is but a poor requital of the friend's past services.

A dreigh drink is better than a dry sermon.

A drink is shorter than a tale.

An excuse for drinking during the telling of a story.

A drudger gets a darg, and a drucken wife the drucken penny.

A willing labourer gets a day's work, and people fond of drink, however poor they are, contrive to get it some way or other.

A dry summer ne'er made a dear peck.

"Drought never bred dearth."--_English._

A duck winna dabble aye in ae hole.

A dumb man hauds a'.

That is, figuratively, makes no disclosures.

A dumb man ne'er got land.

A dumb man wins nae law.

A loquacious advocate is more likely to gain his case than a taciturn one.

Ae beggar's wae that anither by the gate gae.

He is sorry that another beggar should overtake him while pursuing his calling. This feeling is not strictly confined to the begging fraternity.

Ae fine thing needs twa to set it aff.

Ae gude friend is worth mony relations.

Ae gude turn deserves anither.

Ae gude turn may meet anither, an' it were at the brig o' London.

Meaning that a favour done may be returned at a time when least expected, and perhaps when very much required.

Ae half o' the warld disna ken how the ither half lives.

Ae hand winna wash the ither for nought.

Ae hour in the morning is worth twa at night.

Ae hour's cauld will drive oot seven years' heat.

Ae lawsuit breeds twenty.

Ae man may tak a horse to the water, but twenty winna gar him drink.

"'Reuben Butler! he hasna in his pouch the value o' the auld black coat he wears--but it doesna signify.' And, as he spoke, he (the Laird of Dumbiedikes) shut successively, and with vehemence, the drawers of his treasury. 'A fair offer, Jeannie, is nae cause o'

feud--ae man may bring a horse to the water, but twenty wunna gar him drink. And as for wasting my substance on other folks'

joes----'"--_Heart of Midlothian._

Ae man may steal a horse where anither daurna look ower the hedge.

A man with a bad character is liable to be blamed for any misdeed which may be done; while a person who is not open to suspicion may commit depredation without challenge.

Ae man's meat is anither man's poison.

Ae scabbit sheep will smit a hirsel.

One bad character may pollute a whole company.

Ae scone o' that baking's enough.

Ae shook o' that stook's enough.

One specimen of a bad article is sufficient.

Ae swallow disna mak a summer.

Ae word before is worth twa behint.

Ae year a nurse and seven years a daw.

Does this very old proverb mean, that if a woman nurses for one year, it takes seven years to recover from the effects of it? Ray has a very ungallant note on the English version of this: "Because, feeding well and doing little, she becomes liquorish, and gets a habit of idleness."

A' fails that fools think.

A fa'ing maister maks a standin' man.

A fair maid tocherless will get mair wooers than husbands.

A fair offer is nae cause o' feud.

A' fellows, Jock and the laird.

"Spoken when unworthy fellows intrude themselves into the company of their betters."--_Kelly._