Part 74

He maun rise soon that pleases a'body.

He may be trusted wi' a house fu' o' unbored millstanes.

Meaning that such a person cannot be trusted at all.

He may find fault that canna mend.

He may laugh that wins.

He may tine a stot that canna count his kine.

"The man may ablens tyne a stot That cannot count his kinsch, In zour awin bow ze are owre-schot Be mair than half-an-inch."--Cherrie and the Slae.

He may weel soom wha has his head hauden up.

Meaning that a task is easy when assistance is given.

He needs a lang-shanket spoon that sups kail wi' the deil.

"He that has to do with wicked and false men had need to be cautious and on his guard."--Kelly.

He needs maun rin that the deil drives.

He ne'er did a gude darg that gaed grumbling about it.

"A gude darg" means here a good day's work.

He ne'er tint a cow that grat for a groat.

Literally, he never lost a cow who cried for the loss of a groat.

He never lies but when the holly's green.

The holly being an evergreen, that is to say, a person never speaks truth at all.

He picked it up at his ain hand, as the cow learned flinging.

He puts his meat in an ill skin.

Meaning that although a person takes plenty of food and nourishment, his appearance belies it.

He puts in a bad purse that puts in his pechan.

He reads his sin in his punishment.

Henry Clark never slew a man till he come at him.

"A ridicule upon them that threaten hard and dare not execute."--Kelly.

Hen's are aye free o' horse corn.

Hen scarts and filly tails, make lofty ships wear lowly sails.

"Certain light kinds of clouds are thus denominated, from their supposed resemblance to the scratches of hens on the ground and the tails of young mares. They are held as prognosticative of stormy weather."--Robert Chambers.