The Proverbs of Scotland Part 105

When lairds break carls get lands.

"When the tree falls every one gathers sticks."--_Danish._

When love cools fauts are seen.

When my head's doun my house is theiked.

"Spoken by those who are free from debts, concerns, or future projects: as common tradesmen, day labourers, and servants, who work their work and get their wages, and commonly are the happiest part of mankind."--_Kelly._

When petticoats woo breeks come speed.

"Time to marry when the maid wooes the man; parallel to that Ches.h.i.+re proverb, 'It is time to yoke when the cart comes to the caples,' _i.e._, horses."--_Ray._

When poverty comes in at the door love flies out at the window.

When pride's in the van, begging's in the rear.

When she doesna scold she sh.o.r.es.

That is, when she does not scold directly, she threatens to do it.

When the bag's fu' the drone gets up.

When the barn's fu' ye may thresh afore the door.

When the burn doesna babble, it's either ower toom or ower fu'.

When the cow's in the clout she soon runs out.

Meaning that when the cow has been sold and converted into money, the proceeds soon come to an end, as "Ready money will away."--_English._

When the craw flees her tail follows.

When the gudeman drinks to the gudewife a' wad be weel; when the gudewife drinks to the gudeman a's weel.

This will give English readers but a poor opinion of conjugal courtesy in Scotland--that when a man drinks to the good health of his wife, it is more from fear than from affection--more from a desire that she should have things properly done when they are not so.

When the gudeman's awa the board claith's tint; when the gudewife's awa the keys are tint.

Kelly prints this as two sayings, and says of them respectively--_First_, "Because the commons will then be short."

_Second_, "For if she be not at home you'll get no drink."

When the heart's fu' o' l.u.s.t the mou's fu' o' leasing.

When the heart's past hope the face is past shame.

When the hen gaes to the c.o.c.k the birds may get a knock.

"Spoken when widows, who design a second marriage, prove harsh to their children."--_Kelly._

When the heart's fu' the tongue canna speak.

When the horse is at the gallop the bridle's ower late.

When the man's fire and the wife's tow, the deil comes in and blaws't in lowe.

When the pat's fu' it'll boil ower.

When the pea's in bloom the mussel's toom.

Where the pig's broken let the sherds lie.

"A proverbial phrase, applied to death, as expressive of indifference with respect to the place where the body may be interred."--_Jamieson._

Where the scythe cuts, and the sock rives, hae done wi' fairies and bee-bykes.

"Meaning that the ploughing, or even the mowing, of the ground tends to extirpate alike the earth-bee and the fairy. In various places, the fairies are described as having been seen on some particular occasion to gather together and take a formal farewell of the district, when it had become, from agricultural changes, unfitted for their residence."--_Robert Chambers._

When the tod preaches tak tent o' the lambs.

"When the fox preaches, take care of the geese."--_English._

When the tod wins to the wood he caresna how mony keek at his tail.

When the wame's fu' the banes wad be at rest.

When the wame's fu' the tongue wags.

"Wi' spirit bauld they work, I trow, And mony a strange tale they tell now, Of ilka thing that's braw or new, They never f.a.g; Auld proverb says, 'When wames are fu'

The tongues maun wag.'"--_The Har'st Rig._

When the will's ready the feet's light.

When we want, friends are scant.

When wine sinks words soom.

When ye are poor, naebody kens ye; when ye are rich, a'body lends ye.

When ye are weel, haud yoursel sae.

When ye ca' the dog out o' your ain kail-yaird, dinna ca't into mine.

When ye can suit your shanks to my shoon ye may speak.

When you are placed in a position similar to mine you will be competent to speak on the subject.

When ye christen the bairn ye should ken what to ca't.