The Proverbs of Scotland Part 73

Maybe your pat may need my clips.

Perhaps some day you will be glad of my a.s.sistance, although you despise it just now.

May birds are aye cheeping.

This refers to the popular superst.i.tion against marrying in the month of May, the children of which marriages are said to "die of decay."

May he that turns the clod ne'er want a bannock.

Mealy mou'd maidens stand lang at the mill.

Measure twice, cut but ance.

Meat and ma.s.s ne'er hindered wark.

"'Happy will I be to serve you, my gude auld acquaintance,' said the clerk; 'but sit you down--sit you down--sit you down, Mrs Dods,--meat and ma.s.s never hindered wark. Ye are something overcome wi' your travel--the spirit canna aye bear through the flesh, Mrs Dods.'"--_St Ronan's Well._

Meat and measure mak a' men wise.

Meat feeds, claith cleeds, but breeding maks the man.

Meat is gude, but mense is better.

Men are no to be mete by inches.

Men speak o' the fair as things went there.

Mettle's kittle in a blind mare.

Michaelmas mune rises nine nights alike sune.

Mills and wives are aye wanting.

Mind me to a' that ask for me, but blad me in naebody's teeth.

Mind thysel, the warld will mind the lave.

Mint before you strike.

Minting gets nae bairns.

Mischief's mother's but like midge's wing.

Mister makes a man o' craft.

Misterfu' folk maunna be mensefu'.

"Beggars should not be choosers."--_English._

Mist in May and heat in June mak the harvest right soon.

Mistress before folk, gudewife behint backs; whaur lies the dishclout?

A jocular manner of addressing those who are very particular in their manner of speaking.

Mocking's catching.

Money's aye welcome, were it even in a dirty clout.

Money's better than my lord's letter.

Money's like the muck midden, it does nae gude till it be spread.

Money makes and money mars.

"He who hath gold hath fear, and he who hath none has sorrow."

Money maks a man free ilka where.

Money maks the mare to go whether she has legs or no.

Mony a dog has dee'd sin' ye were whelped.

Mony a dog will dee ere you fa' heir.

Mony a frost and mony a thowe, sune makes mony a rotten yowe.

Mony a gude tale is spoilt in the telling.

"Applied often when a good sermon is ill delivered, to my certain knowledge."--_Kelly._

Mony ane for land taks a fool by the hand.

That is, many marry only for the sake of money and possessions.

Mony ane kens the gude fellow that disna ken the gude fellow's wife.

The reason being that he is a "gude fellow" only when abroad or in the taproom, and not when he is at home.

Mony ane kisses the bairn for love o' the nurse.

"That is, show their kindness to the companions, friends, or relations of those upon whom they have a design, which they hope by their influence to effect."--_Kelly._

Mony ane lacks what they would fain hae in their pack.

Mony ane maks an errand to the ha' to bid my leddy good day.

Or, many occupy themselves with trifles.