The Proverbs of Scotland Part 66

Kings are kittle cattle to shoe behint.

"'Kittill to scho behind,' not to be depended on; not worthy of trust."--_Jamieson._

King's cheese gaes half away in parings.

For a greater part of the income is absorbed in the expenses of collecting it.

King's cauff's worth ither folk's corn.

"'I am sure,' said Ritchie, composedly, 'I wish Laurie a higher office, for your lordship's sake and for mine, and specially for his ain sake, being a friendly lad; yet your lordship must consider that a scullion--if a yeoman of the king's most royal kitchen may be called a scullion--may weel rank with a master-cook elsewhere; being that king's cauff, as I said before, is better than ----.'"--_Fortunes of Nigel._

Kings hae lang hands.

Kiss and be kind, the fiddler is blind.

Kiss a sklate stane, and that winna slaver you.

"'Ah! bonny la.s.s,' says he, 'ye'll gies a kiss, An' I sall set ye richt on, hit or miss.'

'A hit or miss I'll get, but help o' you, Kiss ye sklate-stanes, they winna weet your mou'.'

An' aff she gaes, the fallow loot a rin, As gin he ween'd wi' speed to tak her in, But as luck was, a knibblich took his tae, An' o'er fa's he, an' tumbled doun the brae."--_Ross's Helenore._

Kissing gaes by favour.

Kissing is cried down since the shaking o' hands.

Kelly says (1721), "There is a proclamation that n.o.body should kiss hereafter, but only shake hands." Spoken by a woman who is asked for a kiss, but who is unwilling to allow it.

Kiss my foot, there's mair flesh on't.

A sharp reply to those who obsequiously ask permission to kiss the hand.

Kiss ye me till I be white, an' that will be an ill web to bleach.

Knock a carle, and ding a carle, and that's the way to win a carle; kiss a carle, and clap a carle, and that's the way to tine a carle.

"Both these are joined together, and signify that people of mean breeding are rather to be won by harsh treatment than civil."--_Kelly._

Kythe in your ain colours, that folk may ken ye.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Lacking breeds laziness, but praise breeds pith.

"Discommend a boy, and you discourage him; but commend him, and it will spur him on."--_Kelly._

Lads will be men.

Laith to bed, laith oot o't.

Laith to drink, laith frae't.

Meaning that although some people are slow or "laith" to begin a thing, still, when they do commence, it is difficult to get them to leave off.

Lang and sma', gude for naething ava.

Jocularly applied to those who are tall and of "genteel" build.

Langest at the fire soonest finds cauld.

Lang fasting gathers wind.

Lang fasting hains nae meat.

Lang leal, lang poor.

Lang lean maks hamald cattle.

That is, poorly kept cattle makes homely, domestic, or common meat.

Lang look'd for come at last.

Lang mint, little dint.

"Much ado about nothing."

Lang noses are aye taking till them.

Lang or ye saddle a foal.

Lang or you cut Falkland wood wi' a pen-knife.

Spoken when people enter into extensive undertakings without sufficient preparations or means.

Lang sick, soon weel.

Lang sport turns aft to earnest.

Lang standing and little offering maks a poor priest.

"Lang straes are nae motes," quo' the wife when she haul'd the cat out o' the kirn.

Lang tarrowing taks a' the thanks awa.

"He loses his thanks that promises, but delays."--_English._