Part 15
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.
The deil was sick, the deil a monk wad be; the deil grew hale, syne deil a monk was he.
Meaning that promises of amendment made on a sick-bed are seldom kept.
"All criminals preach under the gallows."--_Italian._
The deil will tak little or he want a'.
The dorty dame may fa' in the dirt.
"Dorty," says Jamieson, "is applied to a female who is saucy with her suitors." That she may have to marry a more ineligible person than the one refused is here implied.
The drucken sot gets aye the drucken groat.
The e'ening brings a' hame.
The Englishman greets, the Irishman sleeps, but the Scotchman gangs till he gets it.
"A pretended account of the behaviour of these three nations when they want meat."--_Kelly._
The farther ben the welcomer.
The farther in the deeper.
The farthest way aboot is aft the nearest way hame.
The fat sow's tail's aye creeshed.
Those who have sufficient money or property already are always getting additions to their stores.
The feathers carried awa the flesh.
The feet are slow when the head wears snaw.
The first dish is aye best eaten.
The first fuff o' a fat haggis is aye the bauldest.
Or the first threat of a boaster or coward is always the worst.
The first gryce and the last whalp o' a litter are aye the best.
The fish that sooms in a dub will aye taste o' dirt.
The flesh is aye fairest that's farthest frae the bane.
However, although fairest, it is not the best, for another proverb of our own says, "Nearer the bane the sweeter."
The foot at the cradle and the hand at the reel, is a sign that a woman means to do weel.
The foremost hound grips the hare.
The fu'er my house, the toomer my purse.
The goat gies a gude milking, but she ca's ower the cog wi' her feet.
Spoken of useful people who are, however, as troublesome as they are useful.
The grace o' a grey bannock is in the bakin' o't.
The grace o' God is gear enough.
The grandsire buys, the faither bigs, the son sells, and the grandson thigs.
Alluding to the uncertainty of earthly things; meaning, literally, that the grandsire buys estates on which the father builds, the son sells the property, and forces the grandson again in turn to beg.
The gravest fish is an oyster; the gravest bird's an ool; the gravest beast's an ass; an' the gravest man's a fool.
The greatest burdens are no the maist gainfu'.
The greatest clerk's no aye the wisest man.
The greedy man and the cook are sure friends.
The greedy man and the gileynour are weel met.
The gude dog doesna aye get the best bane.
The gude man's mither is aye in the gait.
"The husband's mother is the wife's devil."--_Dutch._
The gude man's no aye the best man.
The gude or ill hap o' a gude or ill life, is the gude or ill choice o' a gude or ill wife.
"He who has a good wife can bear any evil; he who has a bad wife can expect no happiness that can be so called."--_Spanish._
The happy man canna be herried.
The haughty hawk winna stoop to carrion.
The height o' nonsense is supping soor milk wi' an elshin.
This is equalled by a saying of another country, which has "keeping the sea back with a pitchfork" as its type of nonsense.
The hen's egg gaes to the ha' to bring the goose's egg awa.
"Spoken when poor people give small gifts to be doubly repaid."--_Kelly._
The higher climb the greater fa'.
The higher the hill the laigher the grass.
The higher the tree the sweeter the plooms; the richer the souter the blacker his thooms.
The king lies doun, yet the warld rins round.
Applied to persons who have an exaggerated idea of their own importance.
The king may come in the cadger's gait.
This proverb, which is exclusively Scottish, means that a person who has been slighted, or whose services have been despised, may have an opportunity of retaliating at a future time.
The king may come to Kelly yet, and when he comes he'll ride.
"It signifies that the time may come that I may get my revenge upon such people, and then I will do it to purpose."--_Kelly._
The kirk's aye greedy.
The kirk's muckle, but ye may say mass i' the end o't.
"Spoken when people say something is too much, intimating that they need take no more than they have need for."--_Kelly._
The laird may be laird, and still need the hind's help.
The laird's brither's an ill tenant.
The langer we live we see the mair ferlies.
The langest day has an end.
The lass that has ower mony wooers aft wales the warst.
The lass that lightlies may lament.
To "lightlie" is to despise or treat with contempt.
The lazy lad maks a stark auld man.
The lean dog is a' fleas.
The leeful man is the beggar's brither.
The less debt the mair dainties.
"The less I lee."
This is merely a phrase, but a very expressive one. It implies emphatically that "the _whole_ truth, and _nothing_ but the truth," has been told.
The less wit a man has, the less he kens the want o't.
The loudest bummer's no the best bee.
The lucky pennyworth sells soonest.
The mair cost the mair honour.
The mair dirt the less hurt.
The mair mischief the better sport.
The mair the merrier; the fewer better cheer.
The mair ye steer the mair ye'll sink.
The maister's brither's an ill servant.
The maister's ee maks the horse fat.
A fat man riding upon a lean horse was asked how it came to pass that he was so fat while his horse was so lean? "Because," said he, "I feed myself, but my servant feeds the horse."
"The master's eye puts meat on the horse's ribs."--_Irish._
The maister's foot's the best measure.
The man may eithly tine a stot that canna count his kine.
Or the man who does not know his business cannot look properly after it.
The man wha sits on the silk goun-tail o' the wife wha's tocher bought it, never sits easy.
The maut's abune the meal.
"Donald Bean Lean, being aware that the bridegroom was in request, and wanting to cleik the cunzie (that is, hook the siller), he cannily carried off Gilliewhackit ae night when he was riding _dovering_ hame (wi' the maut rather abune the meal), and with the help of his gillies he gat him into the hills with the speed of light, and the first place he wakened in was the Cove of Vaimh an Ri."--_Waverley._
"The meal cheap and shoon dear," quo' the souter's wife, "I'd like to hear."
The miller mouters best wi' his ain hand.
The morn's the morn.
"When northern blasts the ocean snurl, And gars the heights and hows look gurl, Then left about the bumper whirl, And toom the horn; Grip fast the hours which hasty hurl, The morn's the morn."--_Allan Ramsay._
The moudiwart feedsna on midges.
Them that canna get a peck maun put up wi' a stimpart.
A "stimpart" is the fourth part of a peck. They who cannot obtain luxuries must content themselves with necessaries.
Them that canna ride maun shank it.
"'To shank,' to travel on foot."--_Jamieson._
Them that likesna water brose will scunner at cauld steerie.
"'_Cauld steerie_,' sourmilk and meal stirred together in a cold state."--_Jamieson._
Used as a taunt to those who complain of common food.
Them that winna work maun want.
Them that's ill fleyed are seldom sair hurt.
Them that's slack in gude are eydent in ill.
The muck midden is the mither o' the meal kist.
Them wha gae jumpin' awa aft come limpin' hame.
Them wha stand on a knowe's sure to be noticed.
Or they who elevate themselves to a public position are sure to be conspicuous.
Then's then, but noo's the noo.
"'Weel, Lindy man,' says Colin, 'that's a' true, But then was then, my lad, an' noo is noo; 'Bout then-a-days, we'd seldom met wi' cross, Nor kent the ill o' conters or a loss. But noo, the case is altered very sair.'"--_Ross's Helenore._
The name o' an honest woman's muckle worth.
The nearer e'en the mair beggars.
A jocular salutation to those who drop in to visit a friend.
The next time ye dance, ken wha ye tak by the hand.
"Spoken to them who have imprudently engaged with some who have been too cunning or too hard for them."--_Kelly._
The peasweep aye cries farthest frae his ain nest.
The piper wants muckle that wants the nether chaft.
"Spoken when a thing is wanting which is actually necessary."--_Kelly._
The poor man is aye put to the warst.
The poor man pays for a'.
The poor man's shilling is but a penny.
The post o' honour is the post o' danger.
The proof o' the pudding's the preein' o't.
The proudest nettle grows on a midden.
And a very proud person may have sprung from a poor family.
The rain comes scouth when the wind's in the south.
To rain "scouth," is to rain abundantly or heavily.
There are great stots in Ireland, but they canna get here for horns.
There are mair foxes than there are holes for.
There are mair knaves in my kin than honest men in yours.
There are mair maidens than maukins.
Literally, there are more maidens than young hares. Figuratively, he has lost one sweetheart, but he'll soon get another.
There are mair married than gude house hauders.
Or more persons in the capacity of householders than are competent for the duties of the position.
There are mair wark-days than life-days.
There are nane sae weel shod but may slip.
There belangs mair to a bed than four bare legs.
Spoken to persons about to marry, signifying that more expenses are incurred in housekeeping than they are aware of.
There belangs mair to a ploughman than whistling.
There grows nae grass at the market cross.
There ne'er came ill frae a gude advice.
There ne'er was a bad that couldna be waur.
There ne'er was a fair word in flyting.
There ne'er was a fire without some reek.
There ne'er was a poor man in his kin.
There ne'er was a slut but had a slit, or a daw but had twa.
There ne'er was a five pound note but there was a ten pound road for't.
Such was the reply of a respected lady friend of ours when asked what she did with all the money she got. It does not appear in any previous collection, but it is too good to be lost.
There's a day coming that'll show wha's blackest.
There's a difference between fen o'er and fair well.
"There is a great difference between their way of living who only get a little scrap to keep them alive, and theirs who get every day a full meal."--_Kelly._
There's a difference between the piper and his bitch.
There's a difference between "Will you sell?" and "Will you buy?"
There's a dub at every door, and before some doors there's twa.
A "dub" is a pool or puddle of water. Proverbially, there is a skeleton in every house.
There's ae day o' reckoning and anither day o' payment.
There's a flee in my hose.
"That is, I have some trouble of mind or body about me that takes up my thought."--_Kelly._
There's a gude and a bad side to everything; a' the airt is to find it out.
There's a gude shape in the shears' mouth.
But it requires talent and skill to bring it forth.
There's a het hurry when there's a hen to roast.
"There's a mote in't," quo' the man when he swallowed the dishclout.
There's an act in the Laird o' Grant's court, that no abune eleven speak at ance.
A jocular remark when too many speak at once: that it is founded on fact is questionable.
"There's an unco splutter," quo' the sow i' the gutter.
There's a reason for ye, an' a rag about the foot o't.
The meaning of this is, that a very trifling or lame reason has been given for something having been done.
There's as gude fish in the sea as ever came out o't.
"I jalouse it's neither siller nor the Kirk o' Scotland that's fashing him. If I'm no mista'en, he's vexing himsel' a hantle mair about Miss Migummerie; but he needna be sic a fule--there's as gude fish in the sea as ever yet cam oot o't--that's a' that I'll say."--_The Disruption._
There's a sliddery stane before the ha' door.
"Signifying the uncertainty of court favour, and the promises of great men."--_Kelly._
There's as mony Johnstones as Jardines.
Meaning that there are as many on the one side as there are on the other; that the chances are equal.
There's a storm in somebody's nose, licht where it like.
Spoken when we see a person angry, and about to break into a passion.
There's a time to gley and a time to look straught.
There's a tough sinew in an auld wife's heel.
There's a whaup i' the raip.
There is a knot in the rope--there is something wrong.
There's a word in my wame, but it's ower far down.
Spoken by a person who is at a loss for a particular word to express himself.
There's aye a glum look where there's cauld crowdy.
Glum looks when there is cold shoulder of mutton for dinner, in England, are proverbial.
There's aye a wimple in a lawyer's clew.
"'The judge didna tell us a' he could hae tell'd us, if he had liked, about the application for pardon, neighbours,' said Saddletree; 'there is aye a wimple in a lawyer's clew; but it's a wee bit o' a secret.'"--_Heart of Midlothian._
There's aye enough o' friends when folk hae ought.
"Daft Will Speirs was sitting on the roadside picking a large bone, when the Earl of Eglinton came along. 'Weel, Will,' said the Earl, 'what's this you've got noo?' 'Ay, ay,' said Will, 'anew o' friends when folk has ocht; ye gaed by me a wee sin', an' ne'er loot on ye saw me.'"--_The Scotch Haggis._
There's aye ill-will among cadgers.
Synonymous with "Two of a trade seldom agree."--_French._
There's aye life in a living man.
There's aye some water where the stirkie drowns.
There's aye sorrow at somebody's door.
"There's baith meat and music here," quo' the dog when he ate the piper's bag.
There's beild beneath an auld man's beard.
Beild, that is, shelter or protection.
There's brains enough ootside his head.
There's but ae gude wife in the warld, and ilka ane thinks he has her.
"This rule admits large exceptions, for some are fully apprised of the contrary."--_Kelly._
There's life in a mussel as lang as it cheeps.
There's little for the rake after the shool.
"There is little to be gotten of such a thing when covetous people have had their will of it."--_Kelly._
There's little wit in the pow that lichts the candle at the lowe.
He has little wit who does a thing in a dangerous or extravagant manner. There is an addition to this saying common in the north, "And as little in the croon, that kindles 't ower far doon."
There's little sap in a dry pea-shaup.
"There's little to reck," quo' the knave to his neck.
There's mair ado than a dish to lick.
There's mair knavery among kirkmen than honesty amang courtiers.
There's mair knavery on sea and land than all the warld beside.
"A facetious bull, upon mentioning of some knavish
## action."--_Kelly._
There's mair room without than within.
A churlish remark of one who thinks his company is not wanted.
There's mair ways o' killing a dog than hanging him.
There's mair ways than ane o' keeping craws frae the stack.
There's mair ways to the wood than ane.
There's mair whistling wi' you than gude red land.
Or more play than work.
"'Red land,' ground turned up with the plough."--_Jamieson._
There's measure in a' things, even in kail supping.
"There is reason in roasting of eggs."--_English._
There's mirth among the kin when the howdie cries "A son."
There's mony a true tale tauld in jest.
There's mony a tod hunted that's no killed.
"'Oh, I hae nae friend left in the warld!--O, that I were lying dead at my mother's side in Newbattle kirkyard!'--'Hout, lassie,' said Ratcliffe, willing to show the interest which he absolutely felt, 'dinna be sae dooms doon-hearted as a' that; there's mony a tod hunted that's no killed. Advocate Langtale has brought folk through waur snappers than a' this, and there's no a cleverer agent than Nichil Novit e'er drew a bill o' suspension.'"--_Heart of Midlothian._
There's mony chances, baith o' gude and ill, befa' folk in this warld.
There's muckle ado when dominies ride.
When people engage in a thing to which they are unaccustomed the necessity must be urgent. A Peeblesshire couplet embodies the same meaning:--
"There's muckle ado when muirland folk ride-- Boots and spurs, and a' to provide!"
There's muckle between the word and the deed.
There's muckle hid meat in a goose's ee.
There's muckle love in bands and bags.
"There's meikle good love in bands and bags, And siller and gowd's a sweet complexion; But beauty and wit, and virtue in rags, Have tint the art of gaining affection."--_Tea-Table Miscellany._
There's my thoom, I'll ne'er beguile thee.
This is the name of an old Scottish song, but is often used as a proverb.
There's nae breard like middling breard.
Applied to low-born people who suddenly come to wealth and honour; in allusion to the stalks of corn which spring up on a dunghill.
There's nae birds this year in last year's nest.
There's nae corn without cauf.
There's nae fey folk's meat in my pat.
There's nae friend like the penny.
There's nae friend to friend in mister.
There's nae fules like auld fules.
"Your auntie's no past the time o' day yet for jumping at a man if she just had the offer. There's no fules like auld fules; and tak ye my word for't, Maister James, neither your lass nor mines cares half as muckle about mautrimony as your aunty."--_The Disruption._
There's nae hair sae sma' but has its shadow.
There's nae hawk flees sae high but he will fa' to some lure.
"There's nae ill in a merry mind," quo' the wife when she whistled through the kirk.
There's nae iron sae hard but rust will fret it; there's nae claith sae fine but moths will eat it.
There's nae lack in love.
There's nae reek but there's some heat.
There's nae remede for fear but cut aff the head.
There's nae sel sae dear as our ainsel.
There's nae sport where there's neither auld folk nor bairns.
There's naething for misdeeds but mends.
There's naething sae gude on this side o' time but it might hae been better.
There's naething ill said that's no ill ta'en.
There's naething sae like an honest man as an arrant knave.
There's nae woo sae coorse but it'll take some colour.
There's nane sae blind as them that winna see.
There's nane sae busy as him that has least to do.
There's nane sae deaf as them that winna hear.
There's ne'er a great feast but some fare ill.
There's ower mony nicks in your horn.
That is, you are too knowing or cunning for me.
There's plenty o' raible when drink's on the table.
To "raible" is to speak in a riotous, careless, or loose manner.
There's remede for a' but stark dead.
"For ony malledy ze ken, Except puir love, or than stark deid, Help may be had frae hands of men, Thorow medicines to mak remeid."--_The Evergreen._
There's skill in gruel making.
"There's sma sorrow at our pairting," as the auld mear said to the broken cart.
"'If ye dinna think me fit,' replied Andrew, in a huff, 'to speak like ither folk, gie me my wages, and my board-wages, and I'se gae back to Glasgow--there's sma sorrow at our pairting, as the auld mear said to the broken cart.'"--_Rob Roy._
There's steel in the needle point, though little o't.
"Spoken when a thing, commendable for its kind, is found fault with for its quantity."--_Kelly._
There's the end o' an auld sang.
Or, all the information I can give you.
There's tricks in a' trades but honest horse-couping.
There's twa enoughs, and ye hae got ane o' them.
"That is, big enough and little enough; meaning that he has gotten little enough. An answer to them who, out of modesty, say they have enough."--_Kelly._
There's twa things in my mind, and that's the least o' them.
Spoken by a person who declines to give a reason for a thing which he does not wish to do.
There was anither gotten the night that you was born.
"If one won't another will."--_English._
There was mair lost at Sherramuir, where the Hielandman lost his faither and his mither, and a gude buff belt worth baith o' them.
Spoken jocularly when a person meets with a trifling loss. Sheriffmuir is the name of the field between Stirling and Dunblane, where a disastrous battle between the Scots and English was fought during the rebellion of 1715.
There was ne'er a gude toun but there was a dub at the end o't.
Or never a thing so perfect as to be faultless.
There was ne'er a height but had a howe at the bottom o't.