The Proverbs of Scotland Part 83

Rich folk's wit rives poor folk's jaws.

Rich mixture maks gude mortar.

Ride fair and jaup nane.

"Taken from riding through a puddle, but applied to too home jesting."--_Kelly._

Right, Roger, sow's gude mutton.

A proverbial expression, meaning that a person is totally mistaken about a matter.

Right wrangs nae man.

Ripe fruit is soonest rotten.

Rise when the day daws, bed when the night fa's.

Robin, that herds on the height, can be blithe as Sir Robert the Knight.

Rome wasna built in a day.

Rot him awa' wi' ham and eggs.

Rowan-tree and red thread mak the witches tine their speed.

These particular articles were formerly supposed to have a controlling power over witches.

Royt lads may mak sober men.

To "royt" is to go about idly or dissolutely.

Rue and thyme grow baith in ae garden.

Rule youth weel, for eild will rule itsel'.

Ruse the fair day at e'en.

"Commend not a thing or a project till it has had its full effect."--_Kelly._

"It is not good praising the ford till a man be over."--_English._

Ruse the ford as ye find it.

Speak only of things as your experience has found them.

Rusted wi' eild, a wee piece gate seems lang.

Literally, decayed by age, a short road seems a very long one.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Sae mony men, sae mony minds.

"Saft beddin's gude for sair banes," quo' Howie when he streekit himsel on the midden-head.

"Saft's your horn, my friend," quo' the man when he grippit the cuddy's lug.

"Sail," quo' the king: "Haud," quo' the wind.

Sair cravers are ill-payers.

"This proverb, and the reverse, viz., 'Ill payers are sore cravers,'

I have never yet seen fail."--_Kelly._

Sairs shouldna be sair handled.

That is, delicate or painful subjects should be cautiously alluded to.

Sair wark and poort.i.th downa weel be joined.

Sairy be your meal-pock, and aye your nieve i' the neuk o't.

An uncharitable saying, expressing literally a wish that the meal bag may be empty when the hand is put in to take some.

"Saut," quo' the souter, when he had eaten a cow a' but the tail.

"Spoken to them that flag when they have almost finished a difficult task."--_Kelly._

Save yoursel' frae the deil and the laird's bairns.

"A caution of poor people to their children, how they meddle with their superiors; for, if they hurt the laird's bairns, they will be sure to be punished, but, if hurt by them, they will get no right."--_Kelly._

Saw thin, shear thin.

Saw wheat in dirt and rye in dust.

Saw ye that and shotna at it, and you sae gleg a gunner.

A satire upon a boaster who is telling of some extraordinary thing which he pretends to have seen.

Say aye "No," and ye'll ne'er be married.

A jocular remark to a person who has refused something which has been offered to him.

Saying gangs cheap.