The Proverbs of Scotland Part 56

"'You have made a most excellent and useful purchase, Cuddie. But what is that portmanteau?' 'The pockmantle?' answered Cuddie: 'It was Lord Evandale's yesterday, and it's yours the day. I fand it ahint the bush o' broom yonder. Ilka dog has its day--ye ken what the auld sang says,

"'"Take turn about, mither," quo' Tam o' the Linn.'"--_Old Mortality._

Ilka land has its ain land-law.

"Jeannie Deans, writing from London to Reuben Butler, says,--'Ye will think I am turned waster, for I wear clean hose and shoon every day; but it's the fas.h.i.+on here for decent bodies, and ilka land has its ain land-law.'"--_Heart of Midlothian._

Ilka land has its ain leid.

"Leid," language.--_Jamieson._

Ilka man as he likes--I'm for the cook.

Ilka man buckles his belt his ain gate.

"'Oh but, sir, what seems reasonable to your honour will certainly be the same to them,' answered Jeanie. 'I do not know that,' replied the Duke; 'ilka man buckles his belt his ain gate--you know our old Scots proverb?'"--_Heart of Midlothian._

Ill bairns are aye best heard at hame.

I'll big nae sandy mills wi' you.

Or I will not join with you in any project.

Ill comes upon waur's back.

Parallel to the saying, "Misfortunes never come single." In this case it is more forcibly expressed, and means literally, a great misfortune is followed by a greater one.

Ill counsel will gar a man stick his ain mare.

I'll do as the man did when he sell't his land.

"That is, I will not do it again, for selling of an estate is a fault that few are twice guilty of."--_Kelly._

Ill doers are aye ill dreaders.

Ill flesh ne'er made gude broo.

Bad meat never made good soup; or, a bad man cannot be expected to do a good act.

I'll gar him draw his belt to his ribs.

Meaning that a person will be compelled to defend himself.

I'll gar his ain garters bind his ain hose.

"That is, what expense his business requires I will take it out of his own money."--_Kelly._

I'll gar ye blairt wi' baith your een.

I'll gar ye claw where its no yeuky.

"Ye bardy loon, gae but the house and mind your wark. Ye thought and they thought; but if it wasna mair for ae thing than anither, I hae a thought that wad gar baith you and them claw where it's no yeuky."--_Sir Andrew Wylie._

I'll gar you sing Port-youl.

That is, cry, weep:--

"I'll make them know they have no right to rule, And cause them shortly all sing up Port-yeull."

--_Hamilton's Wallace._

I'll get a better fore-speaker than you for nought.

Ill getting het water frae 'neath cauld ice.

I'll gie ye a bane to pike that will haud your teeth gaun.

I will give you work to do which will keep you busy for a time.

I'll gie ye a sark fu' o' sair banes.

A s.h.i.+rtful of sore bones: _vulgariter_, a thras.h.i.+ng.

I'll gie ye let-a-bee for let-a-bee, like the bairns o' Kelty.

That is, he will give as good as he gets. "Let-a-bee for let-a-bee,"

generally speaking, is expressive of mutual forbearance; but the "bairns o' Kelty" reversed the usual meaning.

Ill got gear ne'er prospered.

I'll haud the grip I've got.

"'When ye hae gotten the better o' the sore stroke o' the sudden removal of the golden candlestick o' his life from among us, ye'll do everything in a rational and just manner.'

"''Deed, I'll do nae sic things, mother,' was the reply; 'I'm mindit to haud the grip I hae gotten.'"--_The Entail._

Ill hearing maks wrang rehearsing.

Ill herds mak fat tods.

I'll keep my mind to mysel, and tell my tale to the wind.

Ill laying up maks mony thieves.

Answered by people who are blamed for breach of confidence.

I'll learn you to lick, for suppin's dear.

Ill-less, gude-less, like the priests' holy water.