The Proverbs of Scotland Part 49

This humorous but withal libellous expression of opinion literally means, that they who speak in drawling, canting terms are wolves in sheep's clothing.

He that speers a' gets wit but o' pairt.

He that speers a' opinions comes ill speed.

He that spends before he thrives will beg before he thinks.

He that spends his gear before he gets 't will hae but little gude o't.

He that spits against the wind spits in his ain face.

He that's poor when he's married shall be rich when he's buried.

He that's rede for windlestraes should never sleep on leas.

Equivalent to the English saying, "He that's afraid of the wagging of feathers must keep from among wild fowl;" and the Dutch one, "He who is afraid of leaves must not go to the wood."

He that's scant o' wind shouldna meddle wi' the chanter.

A "chanter" is the drone of a bagpipe, and a good supply of wind is required to fill it. Proverbially applied to those who undertake more than they are able to accomplish.

He that steals a preen may steal a better thing.

He that steals can hide.

He that strikes my dog wad strike mysel if he daur'd.

He that stumbles twice at ae stane deserves to break his s.h.i.+n bane.

For not removing the stumbling-block at first.

He that's welcome fares weel.

He that thinks in his bed has a day without a night.

He that tholes owercomes.

To "thole" is to suffer or endure.

He that tigs wi' a stranger pays the smart.

He that tigs wi' the tailor gets a b.u.t.ton in his sleeve.

He that tines his siller is thought to hae tint his wit.

Meaning that he who willingly loses or risks money is readily supposed to be a fool.

He that wants content canna sit easy in his chair.

He that wants to strike a dog ne'er wants stick.

He that wears black maun wear a brush on his back.

He that will be angry for onything will be angry for naething.

He that will to Cupar maun to Cupar.

Applied to foolish or reckless persons who persist in carrying on projects in the face of certain failure, of which they have been duly advised. Why Cupar, the capital of the kingdom of Fife, should have been selected as typical of such "pig-headedness," we are unable to say.

He that winna be counselled canna be helped.

He that winna hear Mother Hood shall hear Stepmother Hood.

"That is, they who will not be prevailed upon by fair means, shall meet with harsher treatment."--_Kelly._

He that winna lout and lift a preen will ne'er be worth a groat.

That is, he who despises trifles will never be rich.

He that winna thole maun flit mony a hole.

He who will not bear the crosses of the world patiently only increases his sorrows in trying to evade them.

He that winna use the means maun dree the moans.

He that winna when he may, shanna when he wad.

"Spoken of him who has refused a good offer, and then would have it again."--_Kelly._

He that woos a maiden maun come seldom in her sight: he that woos a widow maun ply her day and night.

He that would climb the tree maun tak care o' his grip.

He that would eat the kernal maun crack the nut.

He that would pu' the rose maun sometimes be scarted wi' the thorns.

He thinks himsel nae sheepshank.

Spoken of conceited persons who think themselves of great consequence.

He tines bottles gathering straes.

A variation of "He starts at straes, and lets windlins gae." "Ye hae found it to your cost, that she is a most unreasonable, narrow, contracted woman, and wi' a' her 'conomical througality--her direction-books to mak grozart wine for deil-be-licket, and her Katy Fisher's cookery, whereby she would gar us trow she can mak fat kail o' chucky-stanes and an auld horse-shoe--we a' ken, and ye ken, laird, warst o' a', that she flings away the pease, and maks her hotch-potch wi' the shawps, or, as the auld byeword says, tynes bottles gathering straes."--_The Entail._

Het kail cauld, nine days auld, spell ye _that_ in four letters.

The key to this childish puzzle is to be found in the word _that_: it has no deeper meaning.