Page:Studies in Lowland Scots - Colville - 1909.djvu/92

68 roughly hit off in "A yeld sow (not giving milk) is never good to the grices." "Dogs will redd (separate) swine" is just "Any stick is good enough to beat a dog with." "Ilka body creeshes (greases) the fat soo's tail" roughly describes the worship of wealth, expressed by "To him that hath shall be given," or "Men worship the rising sun." The sheep was a kindly pet, and so was quoted on occasion. "Ae scabbet sheep will smit (taint) the hale hirdsell" tells the lesson of evil communications. We see what "the gift o' the gab" can do in "He's a chield can spin a muckle pirn oot o' a wee tait (tit-bit) o' woo'." Old Hawkie, "'yont the hallan," was one of the family to the thrifty goodwife. The virtue of tender handling is commended in "It's by the head 'at the coo gies milk," and of patience under trial in "Dinna fling awa' the cog when the coo flings (kicks)." The cog has come in again from the Gaelic as the quaich. From the milk-pail the milk was sied or strained (sieve) into the bowie or kimmin, thence to be reamed (Ger. rahmen) for the cream. Around the yard went the homely chuckle when couthie caution was commended in "Fleyin' (frightening) a hen's no the way to grip it." The ingle-lowe gathered round it the household, and baudrons or cheetie-pussy courted the warmth to her cost, when we were warned against trusting to appearances with, "Like the singet cat, better nor she's likely (seemly)." There was a bog in every howe, the burn swept past the loan-end in roaring spate (flood), and the wayfarer risked a watery grave among the boulders, when these had a meaning: "Let the tow (rope) gang wi' the bucket," "There was water where the stirk (bullock) was drowned," "Let them roose (praise) the ford as they find it." The inexperience of youth is in "He hasna ridden the ford yet." When the Yankee tramp comes to the proverbial long lane he says, "Guess I've struck the prairie," but Tam o' Shanter might have faced the weary Scots miles with the consoling reflection, "It's a bare moor but one will find a cowe (bush) in it." The "cowe," familiar to the curler, was properly the kale-runt or stalk of the curly green, for it is akin to Lat. caulis, Fr. chou, and cauliflower. Gustock is cowe-stock or cabbage-stalk. Close attention to business was commended in "The maister's fit maks the best fulzie (compost)." Through the dreary winter the starved beasts