Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 2 1884.djvu/116

108 To work like a horse.

He's nae t' ride the water on; i.e., he is not to be depended on.

It's time t' steek the stable-door fin the steed's stowen.

Like draws t' like'.

Like a scabbit horse till a fehl dyke.

Shank's mare, or marie.

Shank's naig or naigie; i.e., the legs; spoken when one walks.

Short and sweet like a donkey's gallop.

That widd pooshion a horse; spoken of any disgusting piece of food, or disgusting conduct or speech in a person.

That widd kill a horse; spoken of any hard work done by a person, j or used when one eats any indigestible kind of food.

Ticht graith; applied to one of doubtful or bad reputation.

To kick up the heels at a thing; i.e., to reject a thing.

To nicker or snicker; i.e., to giggle, to laugh in a silly fashion.

To find a mare's nest.

To ride ahin the tail; i.e., to be thrown from a horse.

Corn him weel afore Candlemas'.

Kaim (comb) weel aifter.

Ca canny; a phrase spoken to enforce caution.

It's the hinmost strae it bracks the horse's back.

The horse 'ill recreet (recover) o' the new girs (grass); spoken ironically to signify that a thing will not take place.

The smith's mare's aye warst shod.

Drive on, the beast's borrawt.

There's muckle riding in a borrawt beast.

He's ridin as gehn (if) he were gyain for the howdie (midwife).

It's a gueed horse it never snappers.

It's easy t' traivel fin ye lead the beast b' the head.

To ride and tie; spoken of two riding and walking alternately on a journey.

To ride at laisure; applied to one in apparently good circumstances, but who lives in a way not warranted by his circumstances.

It's lang t' the saidlin o' a foal.

Some of the foregoing are but variants, and it is not claimed for them that they are not known otherwhere.