Part 65

Hearts may 'gree though heads may differ.

He begs frae them that borrowed frae him.

He bides as fast as a cat does to a saucer.

Meaning that a person will "bide" or stay only so long as he can get anything, or serve his own purpose.

He blaws in his lug fu' brawly.

"Blaw his lug," to praise a person in an extravagant or fulsome manner.

He blushes at it like a beggar at a bawbee.

He breeds o' the gowk that casts a' down at e'en.

He brings a staff to break his ain head.

He can do ill, and he may do gude.

He can haud the cat and play wi' the kitten.

He can ill rin that canna gang.

He can lee like a dog licking a dish.

He canna see an inch before his nose.

He can say "My Jo," and think it no.

That is, he can be complimentary in his speech, but not in his intentions.

He can suck the laverock's frae the lift.

"In relation to one who possesses great power of wheedling. It evidently alludes to the idea of the fascinating power of serpents by means of their breath."--Jamieson.

He can wile the flounders out o' the sea.

"'Heard ye ever the like o' that, laird?' said Saddletree to Dumbiedikes, when the counsel had ended his speech. 'There's a chiel can spin a muckle pirn out o' a wee tait o' tow!... And he's cleckit this great muckle bird out o' this wee egg! He could wile the very flounders out o' the Firth.'"--Heart of Midlothian.

He caresna wha's bairns greet if his ain laugh.

He ca's me scabbed because I winna ca' him sca'd.

Meaning that a man has endeavoured to make his opponent in a particular transaction lose his temper, but failing to do so, he loses his own.

"Hech!" quo' Howie, when he swallowed his wife's clue.

"Hech!" is here used as an expression of surprise and relief that a disagreeable operation has been performed. A "clue" is a ball of worsted.

He comes oftener wi' the rake than the shool.

"Spoken of a poor friend whose business is not to give us, but to get from us."--Kelly.

He comes o' gude, he canna be ill.