The Proverbs of Scotland Part 88

Sturt pays nae debt.

"Spoken with resentment to them who storm when we crave of them our just debts."--_Kelly._

Sudden friends.h.i.+p's sure repentance.

Sue a beggar and gain a louse.

Sunday wooin' draws to ruin.

Supp'd out wort ne'er made gude ale.

"Spoken when one asks us for a drink of our wort, for what is drunk in wort will never be ale, good or bad."--_Kelly._

Suppers kill mair than doctors cure.

Surfeits slay mair than swords.

Swear by your burnt s.h.i.+ns.

Sweet at the on-taking, but soor in the aff-putting.

In allusion to the contraction of debt and other liabilities.

Sweet i' the bed and sweer up i' the morning was ne'er a gude housewife.

"A jocose reproof to young maids when they lie long a-bed."--_Kelly._

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Tak a hair o' the dog that bit you.

This is a familiar rendering of the great law of Hom[oe]opathy, _Similia similibus curantur_; but is usually interpreted thus: Sober yourself by taking another gla.s.s.

Tak a piece; your teeth's langer than your beard.

Addressed to children who are diffident in accepting a "piece."

Tak a seat on Maggie Shaw's Crocky.

"_Maggy Shaw's Crocky_ is a broad flat stone, near to the brink of a precipice, overhanging the sea-sh.o.r.e, about a mile to the north of Eyemouth. This stone was placed over the remains of an old woman who had hanged herself, and who is said to be frequently seen at night sitting upon it, in the shape of a white sea-mew--sitting lonely on the

"'glitty stane, Green wi' the dow o' the jauping main.'"--_G. Henderson._

Tak a tune on your ain fiddle; ye'll dance till't afore it's dune.

"'I can hear no remonstrances,' he continued, turning away from the Bailie, whose mouth was open to address him; 'the service I am on gives me no time for idle discussions.' 'Aweel, aweel, sir,' said the Bailie, 'you're welcome to a tune on your ain fiddle; but see if I dinna gar ye dance till't afore a's dune.'"--_Rob Roy._

"But sen ze think it easy thing To mount aboif the mune, Of our awin fidle tak a spring, And daunce quhen ze haif done."--_Cherrie and the Slae._

Tak care o' that man whom G.o.d has set his mark upon.

"I went once to a conventicle on a mountain side, in company of a very sage intelligent gentleman, who, seeing the preacher want two joints of each ring finger, having a nail upon the third, he immediately took horse and rode away. I asked him what ailed him? He said, 'G.o.d had set a mark upon that man, and he was sure it was not for nothing.' This man proved a great plague to his country, was the death of a great many, and came to a violent end himself."--_Kelly._

Tak a man by his word and a cow by her horn.

Tak him up on his fine eggs, and ane o' them rotten.

Tak nae mair on your back than ye're able to bear.

Tak pairt o' the pelf when the pack's dealing.

Tak the bit and the buffet wi't.

"What tho' sometimes, in angry mood, When she puts on her barlik hood, Her dialect seems rough and rude, Let's ne'er be flee't, But tak our bit, when it is gude, An' buffet wi't."--_Allan Ramsay._

Bear patiently taunts and ill usage, if advantages come with them.

Tak the head for the was.h.i.+ng.

Tak the readiest to serve the needfu'ist.

Tak the will for the deed.

Tak time ere time be tint.

"Tak tyme, in tyme, or tyme be tint, For tyme will not remain."--_Cherrie and the Slae._

Tak your ain will and ye'll no dee o' the pet.

Tak your ain will o't, as the cat did o' the haggis--first ate it, and then creepit into the bag.

This and the preceding proverb, Kelly says, "are spoken to them who obstinately persist in an unreasonable design."

Tak your meal wi' ye an' your brose will be thicker.

Used sarcastically by those who take a good meal _before_ they go to partake of one with a friend; signifying that they do not expect to be too well treated.

Tak your thanks to feed your cat.

Tak your venture, as mony a gude s.h.i.+p has done.

Tak your will, you're wise enough.

Tak wit wi' your anger.