The Proverbs of Scotland Part 37

He daurna say "Bo" to your blanket.

He doesna aye ride when he saddles his horse.

He doesna ken a B frae a bull's foot.

A saying denoting that a person is extremely ignorant.

He doesna ken what end o' him's upmost.

He doesna like his wark that says "Now!" when it's done.

He doubles his gift that gies in time.

He eats the calf i' the cow's wame.

Which means, in other words, he has spent his fortune before he received it; that "He has eaten his corn in the blade."--_French._

Heedna says, or ye'll ne'er sit at ease.

He fells twa dogs wi' ae bane.

"Pate disna fend on that alane; He can fell twa dogs wi' ae bane, While ither folk Must rest themselves content wi' ane, Nor farer trock."--_Fergusson._

He flings the helve after the hatchet.

He fyles his neighbour's cog to get the brose himsel.

Meaning that a person has been wicked enough to injure the character of another that he might supplant him in influence or position.

He gaed for oo' but came hame shorn.

"A camel going to seek horns lost his ears."--_Arabic._

He gangs awa in an ill time that ne'er comes back again.

He gangs far aboot seeking the nearest.

He gangs frae the jilt to the gellock.

To "jilt," to throw or dash water on a person; "gellock" (gavelock), an iron lever or crowbar. Meaning, perhaps, that a man's temper is such that he pa.s.ses from the extreme of playfulness to that of pa.s.sion very quickly.

He gangs lang barefoot that waits for dead men's shune.

He gaes nae whitings without banes.

Or, if he confers an obligation, it is sure to have some condition attached to it.

He girns like a sheep's head in a pair o' tangs.

"Little Andrew, the wratch, has been makin' a totum wi' his faither's ae razor; an' the pair man's trying to shave himsel yonder, an' girnan like a sheep's head on the tangs."--_Hugh Miller._

He got his mother's malison the day he was married.

Spoken of a man who has a bad wife.

He had gude skill o' horse flesh wha bought a goose to ride on.

He harps aye on ae string.

He has a bee in his bonnet-lug.

Applied when a person is very much occupied with a project of his own.

He has a cauld coal to blaw at.

"A' things o' religion hae settled into a method that gies the patronless preacher but little chance o' a kirk. Wi' your oye's ordinar looks, I fear, though he were to grow as learned as Matthew Henry himsel, he would hae but a cauld coal to blaw at."--_Sir Andrew Wylie._

He has a c.r.a.p for a' corn.

He has a gude judgment that doesna lippen to his ain.

He has a hearty hand for a hungry melt.i.th.

He bestows charity liberally.

He has a hole beneath his nose that winna let his back be rough.

Meaning that his extravagance in the matter of food is such that it prevents his back being "rough" or well clothed.

He has a lang clue to wind.

"I might hae been in a state and condition to look at Miss Girzy; but, ye ken, I hae a lang clue to wind before I maun think o'

playing the ba' wi' Fortune, in ettling so far aboun my reach."--_The Entail._

He has an ill look among lambs.

He has a saw for a' sairs.

That is, a salve or "balm for every wound."

He has a slid grip that has an eel by the tail.

"Spoken to those who have to do with cunning fellows whom you can hardly bind sure enough."--_Kelly._

He has been rowed in his mother's sark tail.

Synonymous with being "tied to his mother's ap.r.o.n-string," _i.e._, kept too strictly under parental authority.