The Proverbs of Scotland Part 59

"It's a bauld moon," quo' Bennygask--"Anither pint," quo' Lesley.

This saying has nothing to recommend it but its antiquity. It expresses the reluctance of a convivial party to break up.

"'Hout, awa, Inverashalloch,' said Galbraith;--'Mind the auld saw, man--It's a bauld moon, quo' Bennygask--Anither pint, quo'

Lesley;--we'll no start for anither chappin.'"--_Rob Roy._

It's a cauld stamach that naething hets on.

It's dry tale that disna end in a drink.

It's a far cry to Lochow.

That any speaking or application is useless. The person addressed either will not or cannot hear.

It's a friend that ruses you.

It's a gude goose that draps aye.

It's a gude maut that comes wi' will.

It's a gude poor man's blade; it will bend ere it break.

"Spoken of an ill-tempered knife, that will stand as it is bent, or the like."--_Kelly._

It's a gude tongue that says nae ill, but a better heart that thinks nane.

It's a gude tree that has neither knap nor gaw.

That is, a good thing that is without fault.

It's a gude enough warld if it haud.

A jocular reply to those who complain that this world is a "weary"

one.

It's a gude warld, but it's ill divided.

"It's hardly in a body's pow'r To keep at times frae being sour, To see how things are shar'd,-- How best o' chiels are whiles in want, While coofs on countless thousands rant, And kenna how to wair't."--_Burns._

It's a gude warld, but they're ill that are in't.

It's a gude wood that hath ne'er a withered branch in it.

It's a lamb at the up-takin', but an auld sheep or ye get it aff.

In allusion to the unconscious contraction of bad habits.

It's an ill bargain where nane wins.

It's an ill bird that files its ain nest.

"Where's the use o' vilifying ane's country, and bringing a discredit on ane's kin, before Southrens and strangers? It's an ill bird that files its ain nest."--_Rob Roy._

It's an ill cause that the lawyer thinks shame o'.

It's an ill fight where he that wins has the warst o't.

It's an ill kitchen that keeps the bread awa.

Or an ill master that starves his servants.

It's an ill pack that's no worth the custom.

It's an ill thow that comes frae the north.

It's an ill turn that patience winna owercome.

It's an ill wind that blaws naebody gude.

It's a' outs an' ins, like Willie Wood's wife's wame.

It's a pity fair weather should e'er do harm.

It's a poor tongue that canna tell its ain name.

"'Nane o' your deil's play-books for me,' said Lucky Dods; 'it's an ill world since sic p.r.i.c.k-my-dainty doings came into fashion. It's a poor tongue that canna tell its ain name, and I'll hae nane o' your scarts upon pasteboard.'"--_St Ronan's Well._

It's a poor world that winna gie a bit and a brat.

It's a rare thing for siller to lack a maister.

It's a sair dung bairn that mayna greet.

It's a sair field where a's dung down.

It's a sair time when the mouse looks out o' the meal barrel wi' a tear in its ee.

It's a sairy collop that's ta'en aff a chicken.

It's a sairy flock where the ewie bears the bell.

That is, a "sairy," uncomfortable, or poor house where the wife commands, "though," as Kelly slily remarks, "there are some such houses in the world."

It's a sairy mouse that has but ae hole.

It's a shame to eat the cow an' worry on the tail.

To "eat the cow," &c., is to overlook very great faults, and make a severe example of a trifling one.