The Proverbs of Scotland Part 63

It's the barley pickle breaks the naig's back.

It's the best feather in your wing.

It's the best spoke in your wheel.

It's the laird's commands, an' the loon maun loup.

Orders from those in authority, no matter how ridiculous or unreasonable, must be obeyed. "There's nae bailie-courts among them.... But it's just the laird's command, and the loon maun loup; and the never anither law hae they but the length o' their dirks."--_Rob Roy._

It's the life o' an auld hat to be weel c.o.c.ket.

It's the wanton steed that scaurs at the windlestrae.

"Ghaist! my certie, I shall ghaist them--if they had their heads as muckle on their wark as on their daffing they wad play na sic pliskies--it's the wanton steed that scaurs at the windlestrae.

Ghaists! wha e'er heard of ghaists in an honest house!"--_St Ronan's Well._

It's the waur o' the wear.

It's time enough to mak my bed when I'm gaun to lie down.

It's time enough to skreigh when ye're strucken.

It's weak i' the wow, like Barr's cat.

It's weel that our fauts are no written in our face.

It's weel won that's aff the wame.

Or well saved that is won from the belly.

It was but their claes that cast out.

"That is, the quarrel was not real, but only with design, in order to accomplish some end."--_Kelly._

It was my luck, my leddy, and I canna get by it.

It wasna for naething that the cat licket the stane.

It were a pity to put a foul hand on't.

It were a pity to refuse ye, ye seek sae little.

It will aye be a dirty dub between them.

"A dirty dub," a puddle of foul water. That is, it will always be a cause of contention between them.

It will be a feather in your cap.

It will be a feather out o' your wing.

It will be a het day gars you startle.

It will be an ill web to bleach.

It will be lang ere you wear to the knee lids.

It will be the last word o' his testament.

That is, he will delay doing a thing as long as possible.

It will come out yet, like hommel corn.

"Hommel corn," grain that has no beard. The meaning of the proverb is, that on account of particular circ.u.mstances, a certain result may be expected in due time.

It will haud out an honest man, but naething 'll haud out a rogue.

It will mak a braw show in a landward kirk.

Spoken when a person is asked to give an opinion of something which is considered vulgar--that a gaudy article of dress will look well in a country church--but only there.

It would be a hard task to follow a black dockit sow through a burnt muir this night.

It would be a pity to hae spoilt twa houses wi' them.

"Spoken when two ill-natured people are married."--_Kelly._

It would do a blind man gude to see't.

I will add a stane to his cairn.

A "cairn" is a heap of stones thrown together in a conical form to mark the grave, or in memory, of a person. To add a stone may mean, proverbially, that a person will bear testimony to the good qualities of another.

"I winna mak a toil o' a pleasure," quo' the man when he buried his wife.

"A man going under his wife's head to the grave was bid go faster, because the way was long and the day short; answered, 'I will not make a toil of a pleasure.'"--_Kelly._

I wat weel how the world wags; he's best lik'd wha has maist bags.

I winna mak fish o' ane an' flesh o' anither.

I will favour no one, but will treat all alike.

I wish I had a string in his lug.

I wish it may be the first sight ye'll see.

An expression used when a person is telling that he has received a promise of something welcome--it may be payment of an outstanding account.