The Proverbs of Scotland Part 71

Little said is soon mended, little gear is soon spended.

Little's the light will be seen far in a mirk night.

"'But the flame!' demanded Ravenswood; 'the broad blaze which might have been seen ten miles off--what occasioned that?' 'Hout, awa!

it's an auld saying and a true, "Little's the light will be seen far in a mirk night"--a wheen fern and horse litter that I fired in the courtyard, after sending back the loon of a footman.'"--_Bride of Lammermoor._

Little to fear when traitors are true.

Little troubles the ee, but less the soul.

Little wats the ill-w.i.l.l.y wife what a dinner may haud in.

Although a wife be very angry and "ill-w.i.l.l.y" with her husband in private, still in public she should be cautious for obvious reasons, one of which is, Kelly says, "That a handsome treat may secure good friends and great interest."

Little winning maks a light purse.

Little wit in the head maks muckle travel to the feet.

People of few resources, or poor imagination, are apt to be put about by trifles.

Little wit in the pow that lights the candle at the lowe.

Live in measure, and laugh at the mediciners.

Live upon love, as laverocks do on leeks.

Living at heck and manger.

To live at "heck and manger" is to fare sumptuously every day, even beyond our income.

Lock your door, that you may keep your neighbours honest.

Lo'e me little an' lo'e me lang.

Look before ye loup, ye'll ken better how to light.

"Luke quhair thou licht befoir thou lowp, And slip na certainty for howp, Quha gyds thee but begess."--_Cherrie and the Slae._

Loud coos the doo when the hawk's no whistling; loud cheeps the mouse when the cat's no rustling.

That is, subordinates take advantage when superiors are out of the way. "When the cat's away, the mice will play."--_English._

Loud i' the loan was ne'er a gude milk cow.

Noisy people, or those who are always boasting of what they can do, are seldom so clever even as their neighbours. Kelly says this is "a reprimand to noisy girls."

Love and jealousy are sindle sindry.

Love and lairds.h.i.+p's like nae marrows.

"Marrow," that is, an equal, match, or antagonist.

Love and light winna hide.

Love has nae lack, be the dame e'er sae black.

Love has nae law.

Love is as warm amang cottars as courtiers.

"The rose blooms gay on shairney brae, As weel's in birken shaw; And love will lowe in cottage low, As weel's in lofty ha'."--_Tannahill._

Love ower het soon cools.

Love your friend and look to yoursel.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Maidens should be mild and meek, quick to hear, and slow to speak.

Maidens should be mim till they're married, and then they may burn kirks.

"Spoken often, by way of reflection, when we say that such a one is a good-humoured girl, as if you would say, 'Observe how she'll prove when she is married.'"--_Kelly._

Maidens' tochers and ministers' stipends are aye less than ca'd.

Maidens want naething but a man, and then they want a'thing.

Mair by luck than gude guiding.

That is, a person has been successful by mere force of circ.u.mstances, and by no particular merit of his own.

Mair hamely than welcome.

"Mair haste the waur speed," quo' the tailor to the lang thread.

Mair nice than wise.

Mair pride than pith.

Mair than enough is ower muckle.

Mair than the deil wear a black manteel.