Part 16

She that gangs to the well wi' an ill will, either the pig breaks or the water will spill.

She that taks a gift, hersel she sells; and she that gies ane, does naething else.

She wadna hae the walkers, and the riders gaed by.

"It is recorded of a celebrated beauty, Becky Monteith, that being asked how she had not made a good marriage, having replied, 'Ye see, I wadna hae the walkers, and the riders gaed by.'"—Ramsay's Reminiscences.

Shod i' the cradle, and barefit i' the stubble.

Applied to people who dress out of keeping with their work.

Shored folk live lang, an' so may him ye ken o'.

"'Force our way with the king's keys, and break the neck of every living soul we find in the house, if ye dinna gie it ower forthwith!' menaced the incensed Hobbie. 'Threatened folks live lang,' said the hag, in the same tone of irony; 'there's the iron gate—try your skeel on't, lads—it has kept out as good men as you or now.'"—The Black Dwarf.

Short accounts mak lang friends.

Short rents mak careless tenants.

Shouther to shouther stands steel and pouther.

Show me the man and I'll show you the law.

Sic a man as thou wad be, draw thee to sic companie.

Sic as ye gie, sic will you get.

Sic faither, sic son.

Sic reek as is therein comes out o' the lum.

Sic things maun be if we sell ale.

"This was the good woman's reply to her husband when he complained of the exciseman's too demonstrative gallantry."—W. K. Kelly.

Silence and thought hurt nae man.

Silence grips the mouse.

Silly bairns are eith to lear.

Sins and debts are aye mair than we think them.

Sit down and rest you, and tell us how they drest you, and how you wan awa.

A jocular way of asking a person about people whom he has been to see.

Sit on your seat, and nane will rise you.

"Sit in your place, and none can make you rise."—English.

Skill is nae burden.

Slander leaves a sair behint.

Slighted love is sair to bide.

Slipshod's no for a frozen road.

Slow at meat, slow at wark.

A reverse of this saying is common to many countries—"Quick at meat, quick at work."

Sma' fish are better than nane.

Sma' winnings mak a heavy purse.

Smooth water rins deep.

"Tweed said to Till, 'What gars ye rin sae still?' Till said to Tweed, 'Though ye rin sae wi' speed, And I rin slaw, Where ye drown ae man, I drown twa.'"—Berwickshire Rhyme.

Sober, neighbour! The night's but young yet.

A remonstrance with a person who is doing a thing too hurriedly, signifying that there is plenty of time to spare for the purpose.

Sodgers, fire, and water soon mak room for themsels.

Some ane has tauld her she was bonny.

Some are gey drouthy, but ye're aye moistified.

An insinuation that a person is very much addicted to tippling. "'Moistify,' a low word, generally used in a ludicrous sense in regard to topers."—Jamieson.

Some are only daft, but ye're red-wud raving.

Somebody may come to kame your hair wi' a cutty stool.

"Spoken by mothers to stubborn daughters, intimating they will come under the hands of a stepmother, who, it is likely, will not deal too tenderly with them."—Kelly.

Some can stand the sword better than the pintstoup.

Some folk look up, and ithers look down.

And, we presume, the proverb would have the reader to understand they prosper or fail accordingly.

Some fork low, but ye fork ower the mow.

That is, some people do not do their work sufficiently, but you overdo it.

Some hae a hantel o' fauts, ye're only a ne'er-do-weel.

Some, though very bad, still have some redeeming qualities; the party addressed has none.

Some hae hap, and some stick i' the gap.

Meaning that some have and some have not good fortune.

Some hae little sense, but ye're aye haverin'.

Some show a gliff o' the gowk, but ye're aye goavin.

To "show a gliff of the gowk" is to behave foolishly.

Some strake the measure o' justice, but ye gie't heapit.

Some tak a', but ye leave naething.

Some that hae least to dree are loudest wi' "waes me."

"Those who are least hurt cry loudest."—English.

"So on and accordingly," quo' Willie Baird's doggie.

Soon enough if well enough.

Soon enough to cry "Chuck" when it's out o' the shell.

Soon gotten, soon spent.

Soon ripe, soon rotten.

"Soor plooms," quo' the tod when he couldna climb the tree.

Sorrow an' ill weather come unca'd.

Sorrow be on your hands that held sae well to your head.

An imprecation on a person who has surpassed another in an undertaking.

Sorrow is soon enough when it comes.

Sorrow shake you out o' the wabster's handiwark.

Literally, sorrow shake you out of your clothes.

Sorrow's sib to a' body.

Souters and tailors count hours.

That is, tradesmen and commercial persons are aware of the value of time.

Souters shouldna gae ayont their last.

Spare at the spigot, and let out at the bunghole.

"Spoken to them who are careful and penurious in some trifling things, but neglective in the main chance."—Kelly.

Spare to speak, spare to speed.

Spare weel and hae weel.

Spare when ye're young, and spend when ye're auld.

Speak gude of pipers, your faither was a fiddler.

Speak o' the deil and he'll appear.

Jocularly applied to a person who approaches those who have just been inquiring for him.

Speak when ye're spoken to, and drink when ye're drucken to.

Speak when ye're spoken to, do what ye're bidden, come when ye're ca'd, an' ye'll no be chidden.

A sharp remark to those who join in the conversation of others unsolicited or impertinently.

Speir at Jock Thief if I be a leal man.

Spoken by rogues, who, when their respectability is questioned, refer to persons equally bad.

"Ask my comrade, who is as great a liar as myself."—French.

Spend, and God will send; spare, and be bare.

Spilt ale is waur than water.

Spit in your loof and haud fast.

This means, simply, take a firm hold of a thing.

Spit on a stane and it will be wat at last.

Stable the steed, and put your wife to bed when there's night wark to do.

"'Am I no gaun to the ploy, then?' said Maggie, in a disappointed tone. 'And what for should ye?' said her lord and master; 'to dance a' night, I'se warrant, and no to be fit to walk your tae's-length the morn, and we have ten Scots miles afore us? Na, na. Stable the steed, and pit your wife to bed when there's night wark to do.'"—Redgauntlet.

Standers-by see mair than gamesters.

Staunin' dubs gather dirt.

"Standing pools gather filth."—English.

Stay and drink o' your ain browst.

"Take a share of the mischief that you have occasioned."—Kelly.

"But gae your wa's, Bessie, tak on ye, And see wha'll tak care o' ye now; E'en gae wi' the Bogle, my bonnie— It's a browst your ain daffery did brew."—Old Ballad.

Stay nae langer in a friend's house than ye're welcome.

Step by step climbs the hill.

Stickin' gangsna by strength, but by the right use o' the gully.

Stretching and gaunting bodes sleep to be wanting.

Strike as ye feed, and that's but soberly.

Strike the iron while it's hot.

Stuffing hauds out storms.

"Advising men to take some good thing before they travel in a bad day."—Kelly.

Sturt pays nae debt.

"Spoken with resentment to them who storm when we crave of them our just debts."—Kelly.

Sudden friendship'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 shins.

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.

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 glass.

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-shore, 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 God 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, 'God 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 washing.

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 ship has done.

Tak your will, you're wise enough.

Tak wit wi' your anger.

Tam-tell-truth's nae courtier.

Tappit hens like cock-crowing.

Tarry breeks pays nae freight.

Persons in the same trade are generally willing to oblige one another. "Pipers don't pay fiddlers."—English. "One barber shaves another."—French.

Tarry lang brings little hame.

Tell nae tales out o' schule.

Tell the truth and shame the deil.

Thank ye for cakes, I have scones in my pocket.

That bolt came ne'er out o' your bag.

That is, such a thing is better done or told than you could do it.

That'll be a sap out o' my bicker.

Or will injure me by reducing my income or prospects.

That's abune your thoom.

Spoken to a person who is about to attempt a thing of which he is considered incapable.

That's a piece a stepmother never gied.

A hearty expression accompanying a substantial "piece" or meal.

That's a sair hair in my neck.

"I canna but think I maun hae made a queer figure without my hat and my periwig, hanging by the middle like bawdrons, or a cloak flung ower a cloakpin. Bailie Grahame wad hae an unco hair in my neck an he got that tale by the end."—Rob Roy.

That's as ill as the ewes in the yaird and nae dogs to hunt them.

The "yaird" being the safest place where the ewes could be, the proverb means that a thing is quite right.

That's a tale o' twa drinks.

That's a tee'd ba'.

That's but ae doctor's opinion.

That's equal aqual.

"Mr Novit, ye'll no forget to draw the annual rent that's due on the yerl's band—if I pay debt to other folk, I think they suld pay it to me—that equals aquals.—Jock, when ye hae naething else to do, ye may be aye sticking in a tree; it will be growing, Jock, when ye're sleeping. My father tauld me sae forty years sin', but I ne'er fand time to mind him."—Heart of Midlothian.

That's felling twa dogs wi' ae stane.

That's for that, as butter's for fish.

Meaning that such a thing is exactly what is wanted.

That's for the faither, and no for the son.

"Spoken when a thing is done with slight materials, and, consequently, will not be lasting."—Kelly.

That's Halkerston's cow, a' the ither way.

Halkerston, a lawyer and landed proprietor, gave permission to one of his tenants to graze an ox. The tenant's ox was gored to death by a heifer belonging to the lawyer. The tenant went to Halkerston, and told the story the reverse of what had occurred. "Why, then," said the lawyer, "your ox must go for my heifer—the law provides that." "No," said the man, "your heifer killed my ox." "Oh," said Halkerston, "the case alters there," and forthwith reversed his tactics.

That's ill paid maut siller.

"Metaphorically, a benefit ill requited."—Jamieson.

That's like seekin' for a needle in a windlin o' strae.

That's my gude that does me gude.

That's my tale, whaur's yours?

Spoken by a person who has forestalled another by telling the same news or story which the other was about to do.

That's no a heel to my shoe.

That's the ane the souter killed his wife wi'.

That's the best gown that gaes up and down the house.

That's the way to marry me, if ere you should hap to do it.

A sharp reply to those who presume to be too familiar.

That's waur and mair o't.

That which God will gie the deil canna reeve.

"Spoken when we have attained our end in spite of opposition."—Kelly.

That will be when the deil's blind, and he's no bleer-ee'd yet.

That winna be a mote in your marriage.

The ass that's no used to the sunks bites his crupper.

"'Sunks,' a sort of saddle made of cloth, and stuffed with straw, on which two persons can sit at once."—Jamieson.

The back and the belly hauds ilka ane busy.

The ba' maun aye row some way.

The banes bear the beef hame.

The banes o' a great estate are worth the picking.

The best is aye the cheapest.

The best laid schemes o' mice and men gang aft agley.

The best o' wabs are rough at the roons.

The best that can happen to a poor man is that ae bairn dee and the rest follow.

Kelly is democratically angry at the questionable sentiment of this proverb,—"A cursed distrustful proverb!" he says. "God is able to maintain the poor man's child as well as the young master or young miss, and often in a more healthy and plump condition."

The better day the better deed.

The jocular answer of a person who is blamed for doing something on Sunday.

The biggest horse is no aye the best traveller.

The biggest rogue cries loudest out.

The bird maun flicher that has but ae wing.

The bird that can sing, an' winna sing, should be gar'd sing.

The black ox ne'er trod on his foot.

"The black ox is said to tramp on one who has lost a near relation by death, or met with some severe calamity."—The Antiquary.

"Auld Luckie cries, 'Ye're o'er ill set, As ye'd hae measure, ye sud met; Ye ken na what may be your fate In after days, The black cow has nae trampet yet Upo' your taes.'"—The Farmer's Ha'.

The blind horse is aye the hardiest.

The blind man's peck should be weel measured.

The blind mear's first in the mire.

The bonny moon is on her back, mend your shoon and sort your thack.

"When the new moon is in such a part of the ecliptic as to appear turned much over upon her back, wet weather is expected."—Robert Chambers.

The book o' may-be's is very braid.

The breath o' a fause friend's waur than the fuff o' a weasel.

The cart doesna lose its errand when it comesna hame toom-tail.

"To come back toom-tail is to go away with a load and come back empty."—Jamieson.

The proverb is applied to those who accomplish more than their errand.

The cat kens whase lips she licks.

The cat's oot o' the pock.

The cause is gude, and the word's "fa' tae."

A profane grace of hungry persons who sit down to a good meal.

The clartier the cosier.

Literally, the dirtier the more comfortable. Whether true or not we cannot say.

The cost owergangs the profit.

The cow may dee ere the grass grow.

"While the grass is growing the steed is starving."—German.

The cow may want her tail yet.

"You may want my kindness hereafter, though you deny me yours just now."—Kelly.

The cow that's first up gets the first o' the dew.

Used as an incentive to diligence and industry.

"The early bird catches the worm."—English.

The cure may be waur than the disease.

The day has een, the night has lugs.

Prudence and caution are necessary at all times.

The day you do weel there will be seven munes in the lift and ane on the midden.

The inference is, that the person addressed has a very remote chance indeed of ever doing well.

The death o' ae bairn winna skail a house.

The death o' his first wife made sic a hole in his heart that a' the lave slippit easily through.

"It is supposed that he who has lost the wife of his youth and love will easily bear the loss of a second or third, who are commonly married rather for convenience than love."—Kelly.

The deil and the dean begin wi' ae letter; when the deil gets the dean the kirk will be better.

The deil aye drives his hogs to an ill market.

The deil bides his time.

The deil doesna aye show his cloven cloots.

The deil gaes awa when he finds the door steekit against him.

The deil gaes ower Jock Wabster.

"The deil gaes ower Jock Wabster, hame grows hell; And Pate misca's ye mair nor tongue can tell."—Gentle Shepherd.

The deil gae wi' ye and a sixpence, and ye'll neither want money nor company.

The deil made souters sailors that can neither steer nor row.

Applied to those who undertake work of which they are incapable.

The deil ne'er sent a wind out o' hell but he sail'd wi't.

The deil's a busy bishop in his ain diocese.

The deil's aye gude to his ain.

The deil's cow calves twice in ae year.

The deil's greedy, but ye're mislear'd.

The deil's greedy, sae are ye.

The deil's gude when he's pleased.

The deil's journeyman ne'er wants wark.

The deil's no sae black as he's ca'd.

"'Hout tout, neighbour, ye maunna tak the warld at its word,' said Saddletree; 'the very deil is no sae ill as he's ca'd; and I ken mair than ae advocate that may be said to hae some integrity as weel as their neighbours; that is, after a sort o' fashion o' their ain.'"—Heart of Midlothian.

The deil's ower grit wi' you.

"Ower grit," too familiar.

The deil's pet lambs lo'e Claverse's lads.

A saying of the Covenanters, that the followers of Graham of Claverhouse were on affectionate terms with the favourites of the Evil One.