Part 6

Ae man may steal a horse where anither daurna look ower the hedge.

A man with a bad character is liable to be blamed for any misdeed which may be done; while a person who is not open to suspicion may commit depredation without challenge.

Ae man's meat is anither man's poison.

Ae scabbit sheep will smit a hirsel.

One bad character may pollute a whole company.

Ae scone o' that baking's enough.

Ae shook o' that stook's enough.

One specimen of a bad article is sufficient.

Ae swallow disna mak a summer.

Ae word before is worth twa behint.

Ae year a nurse and seven years a daw.

Does this very old proverb mean, that if a woman nurses for one year, it takes seven years to recover from the effects of it? Ray has a very ungallant note on the English version of this: "Because, feeding well and doing little, she becomes liquorish, and gets a habit of idleness."

A' fails that fools think.

A fa'ing maister maks a standin' man.

A fair maid tocherless will get mair wooers than husbands.

A fair offer is nae cause o' feud.

A' fellows, Jock and the laird.

"Spoken when unworthy fellows intrude themselves into the company of their betters."--Kelly.

A fey man and a cursour fearna the deil.

Meaning literally, that a predestined man and a war-horse (or stallion, as the word "cursour" more immediately implies) fear not the devil.

Affront your friend in daffin', and tine him in earnest.

Affront him not in jest, lest you lose him in earnest.

A fidging mare should be weel girded.

"A thief does not always steal, but always be on your guard against him."--Russian.

A findsilly bairn gars his faither be hang'd.

A fisherman's walk--twa steps and overboard.

A fleyer wad aye hae a follower.

This proverb illustrates a song of Allan Ramsay's, after an ode by Horace, referring to a girl running out of the room, in the hope that her lover would follow her.