The Proverbs of Scotland Part 99

They're a' ae sow's pick.

Or all one kind--all bad alike.

"They're a bonny pair," as the craw said o' his feet.

"They're a bonny pair," as the deil said o' his cloots.

They're a' gude that gies.

They're a' gude that's far awa.

They're a' tarr'd wi' ae stick.

"'For my part,' said Macwheeble, 'I never wish to see a kilt in the country again, nor a red coat, nor a gun, for that matter, unless it were to shoot a paitrick. They're a' tarr'd wi' ae stick.'"--_Waverley._

They're aye gude will'd o' their horse that hae nane.

"He's free of his fruit that wants an orchard."--_English._

They're as thick as three in a bed.

"They're curly and crookit," as the deil said o' his horns.

They're fremit friends that canna be fash'd.

That is, they are strange or false friends who will not allow themselves to be troubled in the least about their relations.

They're keen o' company that taks the dog on their back.

They're lightly harried that hae a' their ain.

They're like the grices, if ye kittle their wame they fa' on their backs.

Synonymous with "Give him an inch and he'll take an ell."--_English._

They're no a' saints that get the name o't.

They're no to be named in the same day.

Or they are so different that there is no room for comparison.

They're queer folk that hae nae failings.

They're scant o' horseflesh that ride on the dog.

They're weel guided that G.o.d guides.

They rin fast that deils and la.s.ses drive.

They should kiss the gudewife that wad win the gudeman.

They speak o' my drinking, but ne'er think o' my drouth.

"They censure my doing such a thing who neither consider my occasions of doing it, or what provocations I have had."--_Kelly._

They that bourd wi' cats may count upon scarts.

They that burn you for a witch will lose their coals.

Applied to stupid people who pretend to be very clever. "n.o.body will take you for a conjuror."--_English._

They that come wi' a gift dinna need to stand lang at the door.

They that deal wi' the deil get a dear pennyworth.

They that drink langest live langest.

They that get neist best are no ill aff.

"'Well, my good friend,' said Tyrrel, 'the upshot of all this is, I hope, that I am to stay and have dinner here?' 'What for no?'

replied Mrs Dods. 'And that I am to have the Blue room for a night or two--perhaps longer?' 'I dinna ken that,' said the dame. 'The Blue room is the best--and they that get neist best are no ill aff in this warld.'"--_St Ronan's Well._

They that get the word o' sune rising may lie a' day.

They that hae maist need o' credit seldom get muckle.

They that herd swine think aye they hear them grumphin'.

They that hide ken where to seek.

"What! the siller?--Ay, ay--trust him for that--they that hide ken best where to find--he wants to wile him out o' his last guinea, and then escape to his ain country, the landlouper."--_The Antiquary._

They that laugh in the morning will greet ere night.

They that lie down for love should rise up for hunger.

They that like the midden see nae motes in't.

They that live langest fetch wood farthest.

They that lose seek, they that find keep.

They that marry in green, their sorrow is sune seen.

"It is rather strange that green, the most natural and agreeable of all colours, should have been connected by superst.i.tion with calamity and sorrow.... To this day, in the north of Scotland, no young woman would wear such attire on her wedding day."--_Robert Chambers._

They that love maist speak least.

They that never filled a cradle shouldna sit in ane.