Part 17

An ill cook should hae a gude cleaver.

An ill cow may hae a gude calf.

An ill custom is like a gude bannock--better broken than kept.

An ill lesson is easy learned.

An ill life maks an ill death.

An ill plea should be weel pled.

An ill servant ne'er made a gude maister.

An ill shearer ne'er got a gude heuk.

"And now some learner tries to shear, But comes right little speed, I fear; 'The corn lies ill,' and aye we hear 'The sickle's bad:' The byeword says, 'Ill shearer ne'er A gude hook had.'"--The Har'st Rig.

An ill turn is soon done.

An ill wife and a new-kindled candle should hae their heads hadden down.

"But both must be done with care, caution, and discretion; otherwise you may put the candle out and make the wife worse."--Kelly.

An ill-willy cow should hae short horns.

"It were a pity that a man of ill-nature should have much authority, for he'll be sure to abuse it."--Kelly.

An ill-won penny will cast down a pound.

An inch breaks nae squares.

"A little difference ought not to occasion any contests among good neighbours."--Kelly.

An inch o' a nag is worth a span o' an aiver.

"A little man, if smart and stout, is much preferable to an unwieldy lubber, though much bigger."--Kelly.

An inch o' gude luck is worth a faddom o' forecast.

A nod frae a lord is a breakfast for a fool.

A nod o' honest men's eneugh.

A nod's as gude's a wink to a blind horse.

An olite mother maks a dawdie dochter.

An only dochter is either a deil or a daw.

An ounce o' mither-wit is worth a pound o' clergy.

An ounce o' wit is worth a pound o' lear.

"An ounce of mother-wit is worth a pound of school-wit."--German.