The Proverbs of Scotland Part 96

There's mirth among the kin when the howdie cries "A son."

There's mony a true tale tauld in jest.

There's mony a tod hunted that's no killed.

"'Oh, I hae nae friend left in the warld!--O, that I were lying dead at my mother's side in Newbattle kirkyard!'--'Hout, la.s.sie,' said Ratcliffe, willing to show the interest which he absolutely felt, 'dinna be sae dooms doon-hearted as a' that; there's mony a tod hunted that's no killed. Advocate Langtale has brought folk through waur snappers than a' this, and there's no a cleverer agent than Nichil Novit e'er drew a bill o' suspension.'"--_Heart of Midlothian._

There's mony chances, baith o' gude and ill, befa' folk in this warld.

There's muckle ado when dominies ride.

When people engage in a thing to which they are unaccustomed the necessity must be urgent. A Peeblesshire couplet embodies the same meaning:--

"There's muckle ado when muirland folk ride-- Boots and spurs, and a' to provide!"

There's muckle between the word and the deed.

There's muckle hid meat in a goose's ee.

There's muckle love in bands and bags.

"There's meikle good love in bands and bags, And siller and gowd's a sweet complexion; But beauty and wit, and virtue in rags, Have tint the art of gaining affection."--_Tea-Table Miscellany._

There's my thoom, I'll ne'er beguile thee.

This is the name of an old Scottish song, but is often used as a proverb.

There's nae breard like middling breard.

Applied to low-born people who suddenly come to wealth and honour; in allusion to the stalks of corn which spring up on a dunghill.

There's nae birds this year in last year's nest.

There's nae corn without cauf.

There's nae fey folk's meat in my pat.

There's nae friend like the penny.

There's nae friend to friend in mister.

There's nae fules like auld fules.

"Your auntie's no past the time o' day yet for jumping at a man if she just had the offer. There's no fules like auld fules; and tak ye my word for't, Maister James, neither your la.s.s nor mines cares half as muckle about mautrimony as your aunty."--_The Disruption._

There's nae hair sae sma' but has its shadow.

There's nae hawk flees sae high but he will fa' to some lure.

"There's nae ill in a merry mind," quo' the wife when she whistled through the kirk.

There's nae iron sae hard but rust will fret it; there's nae claith sae fine but moths will eat it.

There's nae lack in love.

There's nae reek but there's some heat.

There's nae remede for fear but cut aff the head.

There's nae sel sae dear as our ainsel.

There's nae sport where there's neither auld folk nor bairns.

There's naething for misdeeds but mends.

There's naething sae gude on this side o' time but it might hae been better.

There's naething ill said that's no ill ta'en.

There's naething sae like an honest man as an arrant knave.

There's nae woo sae coorse but it'll take some colour.

There's nane sae blind as them that winna see.

There's nane sae busy as him that has least to do.

There's nane sae deaf as them that winna hear.

There's ne'er a great feast but some fare ill.

There's ower mony nicks in your horn.

That is, you are too knowing or cunning for me.

There's plenty o' raible when drink's on the table.

To "raible" is to speak in a riotous, careless, or loose manner.

There's remede for a' but stark dead.

"For ony malledy ze ken, Except puir love, or than stark deid, Help may be had frae hands of men, Thorow medicines to mak remeid."--_The Evergreen._

There's skill in gruel making.

"There's sma sorrow at our pairting," as the auld mear said to the broken cart.

"'If ye dinna think me fit,' replied Andrew, in a huff, 'to speak like ither folk, gie me my wages, and my board-wages, and I'se gae back to Glasgow--there's sma sorrow at our pairting, as the auld mear said to the broken cart.'"--_Rob Roy._