The Proverbs of Scotland Part 39

He has some sma' wit, but a fool has the guiding o't.

He has soon done that never dought.

He has spur metal in him.

He has swallowed a flee.

He has ta'en the country on his back.

A proverbial expression of the fact that a man has run away.

He hast.i.t to his end like a moth to a candle.

He has the best end o' the string.

He has the gift o' the gab.

"'I wish,' said Dumbiedikes, 'I were as young and as supple as you, and had the gift o' the gab as weel.'"--_Heart of Midlothian._

He has wit at will that wi' an angry heart can sit still.

He hauds baith heft and blade.

That is, he has a thing entirely at his own option.

He hearsna at that ear.

He hears wi' his heels, as the geese do in hairst.

"That is, he heard, had he been pleased to answer."--_Kelly._

He hid a bodle and thought it a h.o.a.rd.

He hides his meat and seeks for mair.

"Spoken when covetous people pretend poverty, and conceal their wealth to plead pity."--_Kelly._

He is not a merchant bare, that hath either money, worth, or ware.

"A good merchant may want ready money."--_Kelly._

He jump'd at it, like a c.o.c.k at a grossart.

"'I had quite forgotten,' said Tyrrel, 'that the inn was your own; though I remember you were a considerable landed proprietor.' 'Maybe I am,' replied Meg, 'maybe I am not; and if I be, what for no? But as to what the laird, whose grandfather was my father's landlord, said to the new doings yonder--he just jumped at the ready penny, like a c.o.c.k at a grossart.'"--_St Ronan's Well._

He keeps his road weel enough wha gets rid o' ill company.

He kens a'thing that opens and steeks.

He kens his ain groats amang other folk's kail.

He kens how many beans mak five.

He kens how to b.u.t.ter a whiting.

The import of the two preceding sayings is, that a man is very sharp in looking after his own interests.

He kens how to turn his ain cake.

"'Never fash your beard, Mr Bide-the-Bent,' replied Girder; 'ane canna get their breath out between wives and ministers. I ken best how to turn my own cake. Jean, serve up the dinner, and nae mair about it.'"--_Bride of Lammermoor._

He kens muckle wha kens when to speak, but far mair wha kens when to haud his tongue.

He kens nae a mavis frae a madge-howlet.

He kens nae a selgh frae a salmon.

He kens nae the pleasures of plenty wha ne'er felt the pains o' poverty.

He kens whilk side his bannock's b.u.t.tered on.

"There was a set of ancient brethren of the angle from Edinburgh, who visited St Ronan's frequently in the spring and summer, a cla.s.s of guests peculiarly acceptable to Meg, who permitted them more lat.i.tude in her premises than she was known to allow to any other body. 'They were,' said she, 'pawky auld carles, that kend whilk side their bread was b.u.t.tered upon.'"--_St Ronan's Well._

He kicks at the benweed.

_Benweed_, ragwort. That is, he is headstrong, or unreasonable.

He lay in his scabbard, as mony a gude sword's done.

Meaning that he prudently allowed an insult or slight to pa.s.s without notice.

He left his siller in his ither pocket.

A sarcastic allusion to those who seek to evade paying their share of the reckoning. It was remarked of a friend of ours, that on such occasions he "was the first to put his hand in his pocket, but the last to draw it out."

He likes nae beef that grows on my banes.

He'll claw up their mittans.

Metaphorically, "He will kill them, or give the finis.h.i.+ng stroke."--_Jamieson._

He'll either win the horse or tine the saddle.

He'll gang mad on a horse wha's proud on a pownie.

Spoken of those who take undue advantage of the slight authority they possess.

He'll gang nae farther than his tether's length.