The Proverbs of Scotland Part 72

"Mair whistle than woo," quo' the souter when he sheared the sow.

The saying, "Great cry and little wool," is common to all nations; the Scottish version, however, is the most expressive and humorous we have met with.

Maister's will is gude wark.

For the master himself is sure to be pleased with it.

Maistry maws the meadows doun.

"The captain's a queer hand ... he keeps a high hand ower the country, and we couldna deal with the Hielandmen without his protection, sin' a' the keys o' the kintray hings at his belt; and he's no an ill body in the main; and maistry, ye ken, maws the meadows doun."--_Heart of Midlothian._

Mak ae wrang step and down ye gae.

Mak ae pair o' legs worth twa pair o' hands.

"He freed Rashleigh from my hold, and securing me, notwithstanding my struggles, in his own Herculean gripe, he called out, 'Take the bent, Mr Rashleigh--make ae pair o' legs worth twa pair o' hands; ye hae done that before now.'"--_Rob Roy._

Mak a kiln o't, and creep in at the logie.

We surmise that this is intended as an advice to a person who has become possessed of an article, and does not know what to do with it, like the old lady who won the princ.i.p.al prize in the lottery, said prize consisting of a live elephant! A "killogie" is, says Jamieson, "a vacuity before the fireplace in a kiln for drawing air."

Mak a kirk or a mill o't.

Similar to the preceding proverb. Equivalent to saying such a thing is entirely in your own control; you may do what you please with it.

Mak friends o' fremit folk.

Mak hay while the sun shines.

Mak nae bauks in gude bear-land.

To "bauk" is to leave small strips of land unturned in ploughing.

Kelly says of this proverb that it is "spoken when it is proposed to marry the youngest daughter before the eldest."

Mak nae orts o' gude hay.

Literally, do not throw aside good hay.

Mak nae toom ruse.

"Toom ruse" means empty praise, and the proverb signifies that we should not praise indiscriminately, or without knowledge of the subject.

Mak the best o' a bad bargain.

Mak your wife a gowdspink, and she'll turn a water-wagtail.

That is, if you indulge a person freely to a certain extent, the probability is he will exceed the limits.

Malice is aye mindfu'.

Man proposes, G.o.d disposes.

Man's twal is no sae gude as the deil's dizzen.

No, because "man's twal" is twelve, while the "deil's dizzen" is thirteen.

March comes like a lion and gangs like a lamb.

March comes wi' adders' heads and gangs wi' peac.o.c.ks' tails.

March dust and March win', bleaches as weel as simmer's sun.

March dust and May sun mak corn white and maidens dun.

March water and May sun makes claes clear and maidens dun.

The explanation of this saying, which belongs to the Mearns, is, that water in the month of March is supposed to be of a more cleansing quality than in any other month. The same idea is also expressed in the following saying:

March water's worth May soap.

March whisquer was ne'er a gude fisher.

Marriage and hanging gae by destiny.

Married folk are like rats in a trap--fain to get ithers in, but fain to be out themsels.

Marriage wad tame the sea, if a match could be got for her.

"Of all comforts I miscarried, When I played the sot and married: 'Tis a trap, there's none need doubt on't; Those that are in would fain get out on't."--_Tea-Table Miscellany._

Marry abune your match, and get a maister.

Marry for love, and work for siller.

Marry in haste, and repent at leisure.

Marry your son when you will, but your dochter when you can.

Maun-do is a fell fallow.

"Necessity is a hard master."--_German._

May-be's are no aye honey bees.

"An answer to them that say, 'Maybe it will fall out so or so.'"--_Kelly._

May-be's flee na at this time o' the year.

Maybe's a big book.