The Proverbs of Scotland Part 84

"Talking pays nae toll."--_English._

Say weel and dae weel, end wi' ae letter: say weel is gude, but dae weel is better.

Say what you will, an ill mind will turn't to ill.

Scant-o'-grace hears lang preachings.

Or, at least, thinks them so.

Scanty cheeks mak a lang nose.

Scart-the-cog wad sup mair.

To "scart the cog" is to sc.r.a.pe the inside of the dish.

Scorn comes wi' skaith.

Scornfu' dogs eat dirty puddin's.

"'Hout, fye--hout, fye--all nonsense and pride,' said the Laird of Summertrees, 'scornful dogs will eat dirty puddings, cousin Crosbie.

Ye little ken what some of your friends were obliged to do yon time for a sowp of brose or a bit of bannock.'"--_Redgauntlet._

Scorn not the bush ye get beild frae.

Scotsmen aye reckon frae an ill hour.

Scotsmen aye tak their mark frae a mischief.

That is, always reckon from the date of some untoward event, such as a death, an accident, or a fire.

See for love and buy for siller.

Seein's believin' a' the world ower.

Seek muckle, and get something; seek little, and get naething.

Seek till you find, and ye'll never lose your labour.

Seek your sa' where you got your ail, and beg your barm where you buy your ale.

The surly reply of a person who has been shunned for some trivial or mistaken reason by one who is compelled by circ.u.mstances to apply to him for information or a.s.sistance.

Seil ne'er comes till sorrow be awa.

Seldom ride tines his spurs.

Seldom seen, soon forgotten.

Self-praise comes aye stinking ben.

Self-praise is nae honour.

Sel, sel, has half-filled h.e.l.l.

"Sel, sel," that is, the sin of selfishness.

Send a fool to France, and a fool he'll come back.

Send your gentle blude to the market, and see what it will buy.

A reproach upon those who boast of their gentle birth, but who possess nothing of greater value.

Send your son to Ayr: if he do weel here, he'll do weel there.

Send you to the sea, and ye'll no get saut water.

"Spoken when people foolishly come short of their errand."--_Kelly._

Ser' yoursel', and your friends will think the mair o' ye.

An answer of those who are asked to do a favour when they would rather not oblige.

Ser' yoursel' till your bairns come o' age.

Set a beggar on horseback, he'll ride to the deil.

Set a stout heart to a stey brae.

"Delay not, And fray not, And thou sall sie it say; Sic gets ay, That setts ay, Stout stomaks to the brae."--_Cherrie and the Slae._

Set a thief to grip a thief.

Set him up and shute him forward.

"'A lord!' e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the astonished Mrs Dods: 'a lord come down to the Waal!--they will be neither to haud nor to bind now--ance wud and aye waur--a lord!--set them up and shute them forward--a lord!--the Lord have a care o' us!--a lord at the hottle! Maister Touchwood, it's my mind he will only prove to be a Lord o'

Session.'"--_St Ronan's Well._

Set that doun on the backside o' your count-book.

That is, I have done you a service, see that you repay it.

Set your foot upon that, an' it winna loup in your face.

Shallow waters mak maist din.

"Shame fa' the couple," as the cow said to her fore feet.

Shame fa' the dog that, when he hunted you, didna gar you rin faster.