Part 199

Ye're bonny enough to them that loe ye, and ower bonny to them that loe ye and canna get ye.

"Spoken as a comfort to people of an ordinary beauty."--Kelly.

Ye're busy to clear yoursel when naebody files you.

Ye're buttoned up the back like Achmahoy's dog.

Ye're but young cocks--your craw's roupy.

Ye're cawking the claith ere the wab be in the loom.

Or plucking your geese before they are caught.

Ye're come o' blude, and sae's a pudding.

A taunt upon those who boast of their gentle blood.

Ye're Davy-do-little and gude for naething.

Ye're either ower het or ower cauld, like the miller o' Marshach mill.

Ye're feared for the day ye never saw.

"You are afraid of far-enough."--English.

Ye're fit for coorse country wark--ye're rather strong than handsome.

Ye're gude to be sent for sorrow.

Ye're gude to fetch the deil a priest.

The two last sayings are applied to persons who take a long time to do anything about which they are sent.

Ye're like a bad liver--the last day there's aye maist to do wi' ye.

Ye're like a hen on a het girdle.

Ye're like an ill shilling--ye'll come back again.

Jocularly addressed to a person who is about to go away.

Ye're like a singed cat--better than ye're bonny.

Ye're like a Lauderdale bawbee, as bad as bad can be.

"The obnoxious Duke of Lauderdale, who was at the head of affairs in Scotland's 'persecuting times,' had, it appears, a principal hand in some detested coinage. The bawbee, or halfpenny so issued, soon became base money, and these Lauderdale bawbees were branded with a bad name."--G. Henderson.

Ye're like a rotten nit--no worth cracking for the kernel.

Ye're like Macfarlane's geese--ye hae mair mind o' your play than your meat.

"Macfarlane (of that ilk) had a house and garden upon the island of Inch-Tavoe. Here James VI. was on one occasion regaled by the chieftain. His majesty had been previously much amused by the geese pursuing each other on the loch. But when one, which had been brought to table, was found to be tough and ill fed, James observed, 'That Macfarlane's geese liked their play better than their meat,'--a proverb which has been current ever since."--Note to The Monastery.

Ye're like a sow--ye'll neither lead nor drive.