Part 89

He that would eat the kernal maun crack the nut.

He that would pu' the rose maun sometimes be scarted wi' the thorns.

He thinks himsel nae sheepshank.

Spoken of conceited persons who think themselves of great consequence.

He tines bottles gathering straes.

A variation of "He starts at straes, and lets windlins gae." "Ye hae found it to your cost, that she is a most unreasonable, narrow, contracted woman, and wi' a' her 'conomical througality--her direction-books to mak grozart wine for deil-be-licket, and her Katy Fisher's cookery, whereby she would gar us trow she can mak fat kail o' chucky-stanes and an auld horse-shoe--we a' ken, and ye ken, laird, warst o' a', that she flings away the pease, and maks her hotch-potch wi' the shawps, or, as the auld byeword says, tynes bottles gathering straes."--The Entail.

Het kail cauld, nine days auld, spell ye that in four letters.

The key to this childish puzzle is to be found in the word that: it has no deeper meaning.

Het love, hasty vengeance.

Het sup, het swallow.

He wad gang a mile to flit a sow.

"Spoken of sauntering persons, who would take any pretence to go from their proper business."--Kelly.

He was miss'd by the water, but caught by the widdie.

He has escaped drowning only to be hanged, as "He that is to be hanged will never be drowned--unless the water goes over the gallows."--Dutch.

He wasna the inventor o' gunpowder.

Meaning that a person is very timid or cowardly.

He was ne'er a gude aiver that flung at the brod.

"Spoken of them who spurn at reproof or correction, whom Solomon calls brutish."--Kelly.

He was scant o' grey cloth that soled his hose wi' dockens.

"The return of a haughty maid to them that tell her of an unworthy suitor."--Kelly.

He was scant o' news that tauld his faither was hang'd.

"They're scarce of news who speak ill of their mother."--Irish.

He was the bee that made the honey.

He watsna whilk end o' him's upmost.

He does not know whether he stands on his head or his heels.

He wears Langton's coat o' mail.

"Once, in a skirmish with the English, the Laird of Langton, being unarmed, turned his coat inside out, to make his opponents believe he had on a coat of mail, and so rushed on to the fray. By 'Langton's coat of mail,' is meant a presumptuous but brave man."--G. Henderson.

He wears twa faces aneath ae cowl.