The Proverbs of Scotland Part 58

An alliterative saying of those who are very much fatigued.

I might bring a better speaker frae hame than you.

I'm neither sma' drink thirsty, nor grey bread hungry.

Spoken when a person is not so freely entertained as he would like to be. Applied generally by those who do not get what they expect, and are offended thereat.

I'm no every man's dog that whistles on me.

I'm no obliged to simmer and winter it to you.

I'm no sae blind as I'm blear-e'ed.

That is, I am not so blind as unwilling to see.

I'm no sae scant o' clean pipes as to blaw wi' a brunt cutty.

I'm no that fu', but I'm gayly yet.

I am not fully satisfied, though I am nearly so.

I'm ower auld a dog to learn new tricks.

I'm speaking o' hay and you o' horse corn.

That is, I am talking on one subject, while you are talking on another.

In a frost a nail is worth the horse.

Because it may save the horse from falling, and perhaps losing its life. A mere trifle may, at an opportune moment, be of very great service.

In a thousand pounds o' law there's no an ounce o' love.

Industry maks a braw man and breaks ill fortune.

I ne'er lo'ed meat that craw'd in my c.r.a.ppie.

Metaphorically, I do not like to interfere with matters which may injure me.

I ne'er lo'ed water in my shoon, and my wame's made o' better leather.

Spoken when a drink of water is offered to a person who is not so fond of it as he is of something stronger.

I ne'er sat on your coat-tail.

That is, I never interfered with or impeded your progress in any way.

In ower muckle clavering truth is tint.

_Anglice_, In too much gossiping truth is lost.

It comes to the hand like the bowl o' a pintstoup.

"It's been the gipsies that took your pockmanky, when they fand the chaise stickin' in the snaw; they wadna pa.s.s the like o' that: it wad just come to their hand like the bowl o' a pintstoup."--_Guy Mannering._

I p.r.i.c.k'd nae louse since I darned your hose, and then I might hae p.r.i.c.k'd a thousand.

Kelly attaches a meaningless remark to this proverb--"An answer of a tailor to him that calls him p.r.i.c.klouse." Is it not meant as a reply of one who may have been under the evil influence of another, and who, having shaken himself free of it, can say honestly that since he has done so he has been perfectly free, however much he may have been under it before?

It canna be worse that's no worth a tinkler's curse.

It doesna set a sow to wear a saddle.

Or vulgar people to wear fine dress.

It gangs as muckle into my heart as my heel.

Ither folk are weel faur'd, but ye're no sae vera.

To be "weel faur'd" is to be good-looking; and the proverb is a jocular allusion to the fact that the person addressed is not an Apollo.

I think mair o' the sight than the ferlie.

I think mair o' your kindness than it's a' worth.

I think you hae taen the grumple-face.

Applied to persons who make a show of displeasure at anything which may be said or done to them.

It keeps his nose at the grundstane.

It maun e'en be ower shoon ower boots wi' me now.

That is, since I have gone so far in the matter, I must go through with it. "In for a penny in for a pound."--_English._

It may be that swine may flee, but it's no an ilka day's bird.

An emphatic expression of incredulity at an extraordinary, or what may be deemed improbable, statement.

It may be true what some men say; it maun be true what a' men say.

It may come in an hour what winna gang in seven years.

It's a bare moor that ye gang through an' no get a heather cow.

A "heather cow," a twig or tuft of heath. Equivalent to the English saying, "It is a long lane that has no turning."

It's a bauch brewing that's no gude in the newing.