The Proverbs of Scotland Part 103

"Because such may be advanced, and perhaps disappointed."--_Kelly._

Weel won corn should be housed ere the morn.

"'Won corn,' corn dried by exposure to the air."--_Jamieson._

Weel worth a' that gars the plough draw.

_Anglice_, Good luck to everything by which we earn money.

"We hounds slew the hare," quo' the messan.

Welcome's the best dish in the kitchen.

We'll bark oursels ere we buy dogs sae dear.

Addressed to persons who ask exorbitant prices for their wares: meaning that sooner than agree to their terms, we will do without the article altogether.

We'll bear wi' the stink when it brings in the clink.

We'll meet ere hills meet.

"Men may meet: but mountains never."--_English._

We'll ne'er big sandy bourochs thegither.

"This refers," says Jamieson, "to the custom of children building houses in the sand for sport." The proverb means, after such an occurrence we need never expect to be on terms of intimacy again.

We maun a' gang ae gate.

"'Ay--and is it even sae?' said Meg; 'and has the puir bairn been sae soon removed frae this fas.h.i.+ous world? Ay, ay, we maun a' gang ae gate--crackit quart-stoups and geisen'd barrels--leaky quaighs are we a', and canna keep in the liquor of life--Ohon, sirs!'"--_St Ronan's Well._

We maun live by the living, and no by the dead.

We maun tak the c.r.a.p as it grows.

We may ken your meaning by your mumping.

"To mump, to hint, to aim at."--_Jamieson._

"Ye may speak plainer, la.s.s, gin ye incline, As, by your mumping, I maist ken your mind."--_s.h.i.+rref._

We ne'er ken the worth o' water till the well gae dry.

Were it no for hope the heart wad break.

Wersh parritch, neither gude to fry, boil, or sup cauld.

West wind north about never hauds lang out.

Wet your wizen or else it'll gizen.

Spoken to a person who is telling a story. It may be either meant kindly or as a signification that the story is too "long-winded."

Wha burns rags will want a winding-sheet.

Wha can haud wha will awa?

Wha can help misluck?

"Wha can help sickness?" quo' the wife when she lay in the gutter.

Wha canna gie will little get.

Wha comes oftener, and brings you less?

Spoken jocularly by a person who is in the habit of visiting a friend frequently.

Wha daur bell the cat?

In addition to the fabulous ill.u.s.tration of the mice and the cat, this proverb has also an historical fact attached to it, which is well known in Scotland. The Scottish n.o.bles of the time of James the Third proposed to meet at Stirling in a body, and take Spence, the king's favourite, and hang him. At a preliminary consultation, Lord Gray remarked, "It is well said, but wha will bell the cat?" The Earl of Angus undertook the task--accomplished it--and till his dying day was called Archibald Bell-the-cat.

Wha may woo without cost?

Wha never climbs never fa's.

What a'body says maun be true.

For "There's never much talk of a thing but there's some truth in it."--_Italian._

What better is the house where the daw rises soon?

"Spoken often by mistresses to their maids when they have been early up, and done little work."--_Kelly._

"Early up, and never the nearer."--_English._

What carlins hain, cats eat.

What fizzes in the mou' winna fill the wame.

What is pleasant to the palate may be very unsubstantial for the stomach.

What maks you sae rumgunshach and me sae curcuddoch?

Literally, why are you so rude or unkind to me when I am so anxious to please or be kind to you?

What may be done at ony time will be done at nae time.

What may be mayna be.