Part 186

When the craw flees her tail follows.

When the gudeman drinks to the gudewife a' wad be weel; when the gudewife drinks to the gudeman a's weel.

This will give English readers but a poor opinion of conjugal courtesy in Scotland--that when a man drinks to the good health of his wife, it is more from fear than from affection--more from a desire that she should have things properly done when they are not so.

When the gudeman's awa the board claith's tint; when the gudewife's awa the keys are tint.

Kelly prints this as two sayings, and says of them respectively--First, "Because the commons will then be short." Second, "For if she be not at home you'll get no drink."

When the heart's fu' o' lust the mou's fu' o' leasing.

When the heart's past hope the face is past shame.

When the hen gaes to the cock the birds may get a knock.

"Spoken when widows, who design a second marriage, prove harsh to their children."--Kelly.

When the heart's fu' the tongue canna speak.

When the horse is at the gallop the bridle's ower late.

When the man's fire and the wife's tow, the deil comes in and blaws't in lowe.

When the pat's fu' it'll boil ower.

When the pea's in bloom the mussel's toom.

Where the pig's broken let the sherds lie.

"A proverbial phrase, applied to death, as expressive of indifference with respect to the place where the body may be interred."--Jamieson.

Where the scythe cuts, and the sock rives, hae done wi' fairies and bee-bykes.

"Meaning that the ploughing, or even the mowing, of the ground tends to extirpate alike the earth-bee and the fairy. In various places, the fairies are described as having been seen on some particular occasion to gather together and take a formal farewell of the district, when it had become, from agricultural changes, unfitted for their residence."--Robert Chambers.

When the tod preaches tak tent o' the lambs.

"When the fox preaches, take care of the geese."--English.

When the tod wins to the wood he caresna how mony keek at his tail.

When the wame's fu' the banes wad be at rest.

When the wame's fu' the tongue wags.

"Wi' spirit bauld they work, I trow, And mony a strange tale they tell now, Of ilka thing that's braw or new, They never fag; Auld proverb says, 'When wames are fu' The tongues maun wag.'"--The Har'st Rig.

When the will's ready the feet's light.

When we want, friends are scant.

When wine sinks words soom.

When ye are poor, naebody kens ye; when ye are rich, a'body lends ye.