The Proverbs of Scotland Part 41

"He loved mutton well that dipped his bread in wool."--_English._

He looks as if he could swallow a cow.

This saying and the four which follow are expressive of peculiarities in the appearance of persons.

He looks as if the wood were fu' o' thieves.

He looks like a Lochaber axe fresh frae the grundstane.

He looks like the far end of a French fiddle.

"Gin ye wad thole to hear a friend, Tak tent, and nae wi' strunts offend, I've seen queans d.i.n.k, and neatly prim'd Frae tap to middle, Looking just like the far-aff end O' an auld fiddle."--_The Farmer's Ha'._

He looks like the laird o' fear.

He loses his time that comes sune to a bad bargain.

Help for help in hairst.

Farmers in time of harvest occasionally give each other a "day's shearing," or the use of the whole reaping staff for a day. Of course, the favour is returned, and the benefit rendered mutual.

Help is gude at a'thing, except at the cog.

"At the cog," signifies in taking our food.

He maks nae bairn's bargains.

He maun be a gude friend when you dinna ken his value.

He maun be soon up that cheats the tod.

He maun hae leave to speak that canna haud his tongue.

Addressed to people who talk foolishly or without purpose.

He maun lout that has a laigh door.

He maun rise soon that pleases a'body.

He may be trusted wi' a house fu' o' unbored millstanes.

Meaning that such a person cannot be trusted at all.

He may find fault that canna mend.

He may laugh that wins.

He may tine a stot that canna count his kine.

"The man may ablens tyne a stot That cannot count his kinsch, In zour awin bow ze are owre-schot Be mair than half-an-inch."--_Cherrie and the Slae._

He may weel soom wha has his head hauden up.

Meaning that a task is easy when a.s.sistance is given.

He needs a lang-shanket spoon that sups kail wi' the deil.

"He that has to do with wicked and false men had need to be cautious and on his guard."--_Kelly._

He needs maun rin that the deil drives.

He ne'er did a gude darg that gaed grumbling about it.

"A gude darg" means here a good day's work.

He ne'er tint a cow that grat for a groat.

Literally, he never lost a cow who cried for the loss of a groat.

He never lies but when the holly's green.

The holly being an evergreen, that is to say, a person never speaks truth at all.

He picked it up at his ain hand, as the cow learned flinging.

He puts his meat in an ill skin.

Meaning that although a person takes plenty of food and nourishment, his appearance belies it.

He puts in a bad purse that puts in his pechan.

He reads his sin in his punishment.

Henry Clark never slew a man till he come at him.

"A ridicule upon them that threaten hard and dare not execute."--_Kelly._

Hen's are aye free o' horse corn.

Hen scarts and filly tails, make lofty s.h.i.+ps wear lowly sails.

"Certain light kinds of clouds are thus denominated, from their supposed resemblance to the scratches of hens on the ground and the tails of young mares. They are held as prognosticative of stormy weather."--_Robert Chambers._

Here-awa, there-awa, like the Laird o' Hotch Potch's lands.

"Castle fa'an?--na', but the sute's fa'an, and the thunners come right down the kitchen-lumm, and the things are a' lying here-awa, there-awa, like the Laird o' Hotch Potch's lands."--_Bride of Lammermoor._

Here's the wine, but where's the wa-nuts?