The Proverbs of Scotland Part 113

Ye're gude to fetch the deil a priest.

The two last sayings are applied to persons who take a long time to do anything about which they are sent.

Ye're like a bad liver--the last day there's aye maist to do wi' ye.

Ye're like a hen on a het girdle.

Ye're like an ill shilling--ye'll come back again.

Jocularly addressed to a person who is about to go away.

Ye're like a singed cat--better than ye're bonny.

Ye're like a Lauderdale bawbee, as bad as bad can be.

"The obnoxious Duke of Lauderdale, who was at the head of affairs in Scotland's 'persecuting times,' had, it appears, a princ.i.p.al hand in some detested coinage. The _bawbee_, or halfpenny so issued, soon became base money, and these Lauderdale bawbees were branded with a bad name."--_G. Henderson._

Ye're like a rotten nit--no worth cracking for the kernel.

Ye're like Macfarlane's geese--ye hae mair mind o' your play than your meat.

"Macfarlane (of that ilk) had a house and garden upon the island of Inch-Tavoe. Here James VI. was on one occasion regaled by the chieftain. His majesty had been previously much amused by the geese pursuing each other on the loch. But when one, which had been brought to table, was found to be tough and ill fed, James observed, 'That Macfarlane's geese liked their play better than their meat,'--a proverb which has been current ever since."--_Note to The Monastery._

Ye're like a sow--ye'll neither lead nor drive.

Ye're like Brackley's tup--ye follow the lave.

Ye're like laird Moodie's greyhounds--unco hungry like about the pouch lids.

Ye're like me, and I'm nae sma' drink.

Ye're like Piper Bennet's b.i.t.c.h--ye lick till ye burst.

Ye're like the cooper o' Fogo, ye drive aff better girs than ye ca' on.

"Said of those who attempt to reform anything, but who, instead of that, make matters worse."--_G. Henderson._

Ye're like the corbie messenger--ye come wi' neither alms nor answer.

"He send furth Corbie Messingeir, Into the air to espy Gif he saw ony mountains dry.

Sum sayis the Rauin did furth remane, And com nocht to the ark agane."--_Sir David Lyndsay._

Ye're like the cow-couper o' Swinton, ye'll no slocken.

Ye're like the dead folk o' Earlstoun--no to lippen to.

"This is founded on a popular story, kept up as a joke against the worthy people of Earlstoun. It is said that an inhabitant of this village, going home with too much liquor, stumbled into the churchyard, where he soon fell asleep. Wakening to a glimmering consciousness after a few hours, he felt his way across the graves; but taking every hollow interval for an open receptacle for the dead, he was heard by some neighbour saying to himself, 'Up and away! Eh, this ane up an away too! Was there ever the like o' that?

I trow the dead folk o' Earlstoun's no to lippen to!'"--_Robert Chambers._

Ye're like the dog o' Dodha', baith double an' twa-faced.

Ye're like the dogs o' Dunraggit--ye winna bark unless ye hae your hinder end to the wa'.

Spoken to persons who will not complain or "make a noise" about a thing, unless they are guaranteed against any consequences that may ensue.

Ye're like the Kilbarchan calves--like best to drink wi' the wisp in your mou'.

Ye're like the lambs--ye do naething but sook and wag your tail.

Ye're like the man that sought his horse, and him on its back.

Ye're like the miller's dog--ye lick your lips ere the pock be opened.

"Spoken to covetous people who are eagerly expecting a thing, and ready to receive it before it be proffered."--_Kelly._

Ye're like the minister o' Balie, preaching for selie.

Ye're like the swine's bairns--the aulder ye grow ye're aye the thiefer like.

Ye're like Towy's hawks--ye eat ane anither.

"I was ance gain to speir what was the matter, but I saw a curn o'

camla-like fallows wi' them, an' I thought they were a' fremit to me, an' sae they might eat ither as Towy's hawks did, for onything that I cared."--_Journal from London._

Ye're looking ower the nest, like the young craws.

Ye're minnie's milk is no out o' your nose yet.

Ye're mista'en o' the stuff; it's half silk.

"Jocosely spoken to them that undervalue a person or thing, which we think indeed not very valuable, yet better than they repute it."--_Kelly._

Ye're nae chicken for a' ye're cheepin.

Ye're never pleased, fu' nor fasting.

Ye're new come ower--your heart's nipping.

Ye're no light where you lean a'.

Ye're no worth ca'ing out o' a kail-yaird.

Ye're o' sae mony minds, ye'll never be married.

Ye're out and in, like a dog at a fair.

Ye're ower auld farrant to be fley'd wi' bogles.