Fife Folklore, Fishing in Fife - Proverbs

The Scots seem to enjoy using aphorisms and proverbs in conversation, and an almost endless supply is available. Although some are centuries old, they can still make apt comment on today’s events and situations. In 1750,
Allan Ramsay published a collection of Scots Proverbs many of which are still in common use in the East Neuk, although the words may have changed a little.

Keep yer ain fish guts tae yer am sea maws.
Look after your own interests.

Ye never heard a cadger cry stinkin ‘fish.
A seller always praises what he is selling.

Ne’ther fish nor flesh nor guid red herrin‘
Neither one thing or another.

Dummy wunnae lee.
Here is visible evidence, so you need not argue.

Can-dae’s easy cairrit.
The ability to do something is easily carried round, so you might as well learn.

Ye‘ll no draw a strae across my nose.
You won’t provoke me into a fight.

Every craw thinks its am bird’s whitest.
Parents never see faults in their own children.

They cannae see green cheese but their e’en reels.
They are always full of envy.

She’s ca’d her howgs tae an ill market.
She has made a sad mess of her life.

Ye never miss the watter till the wall rins dry.
You don’t appreciate what you have until it is no longer there.

A crap for a’ corn.
Accepting anything that’s offered however useless or
unsuitable.

The de’il’s guid tae his ain.
You don’t deserve your luck.

A gaun fit’s aye gettin’
If you move around you always pick up something useful.

Slow at meat, slow at wark.
Slow at eating, slow at work.

Learn young learn fair.
It’s easier and better to learn when young.

I ken yer meanin’ by yer mumpin’
You are not explaining very clearly but I think I understand.

Ye’ve ta’en the wrang soo by the lug.
You’ve got hold of quite the wrong person.

Ye may gan faur an ‘fare waur.
What we have to offer is as good as you will find anywhere.

He disnae ken a beef’ae a bull’s fit.
He is extremely stupid.

I widnae ca’ the king ma casion (cousin)
! couldn’t be better pleased with myself.

Her geese are a’ swan.
She boasts about everything.

Nae use keepin’ a dowg an’ barkin’ yersel’
No use doing a job if you have someone to do it for you.

Ane lie gar a hunder lee.
One lie or one piece of wrong information can be
innocently passed on by many people.

Ye’ve tied a knot wi’yer tongue that ye winnae lowse wi’yer teeth.
You have talked yourself into a situation from which you may never escape.

Giff-gaff mak’s guidfreends.
Give and take, in all its aspects, builds up friendship.

Freends ‘gree best separate.
The word freends here means relatives, who agree best when they do not live too near each other.

A guid story’s nane the waur o’ anither teilin’.

As weel be dead as oot o’ the fashion.

A leear needs a guid memory.

An ‘oor in the mornin ‘s worth twa in the efternune.

A ‘body tae their am taste, as the man said when he kissed his coo.

Keep yer breath tae cuil yer parritch.
Calm down a bit!

Gantin’s wantin’
Yawning is a sign of hunger.

A ‘body kens best whaur their am shae nips.
It is difficult to put yourself in someone else’s place.

Auld maid’s bairns are aye best brocht up.
Don’t offer advice on something you know nothing about.

Fules and bairns shouldnae see things half-dune.

Little wut in the head mak’s muckle traivel tae the feet.

Gi’e him an inch an’ he’ll tak an ell.
An ell is an old Scots cloth measure of about 38 inches.

It tak’s a lang spune tae sup wi’ the de’il.
In Fife we said “Tae sup wi’ a Fifer”, meaning we were not easily out-smarted.

Wyce ahent haund.
Wise after the event.

Pride keeps oot cauld.

I’ll no’ mak ‘fish o’ ane an ‘flesh o’ anither.
I intend to treat everyone in the same way, without favourites.

Ye can cuil in the skin ye het in.
You might as well calm down; nothing is going to change.

Ye aye tae creep afore ye gan‘
Literally crawl before you walk, meaning that it takes time to learn, or to start something new.

Micht’s no aye richt.
Power is not always in the right.

Ilka cock craws cruise on its am middenhead.
It is easy to put on a bold face in familiar surroundings.

She’s makin’ a stick tue break her ain back.
She is bringing up her child very badly and one day she will be the one to suffer.

Ye ‘re like the cat that wad fain eat fish but widnae weet her feet.
You lack the courage to venture out after what you want.

Deal sma’ an’ sair a‘
There will be enough for everyone if the portions
are small.

Hunger’s guid kitchen.
Anything tastes good if you are really hungry. The word kitchen was used for anything savoury, e.g. “I like kitchen tae ma tea”.

Hungry dowgs is gled o’ burstit pidd’ns.
You wouldn’t criticise the food if you were hungry.

Yer eye’s bigger than yer wime.
You’ve taken more than you can possibly eat. Wime, literally “womb”, was also used for abdomen and stomach.

Like aflech in a blanket.
Always fidgetting. Aflech was a flea.

HIooever bad, there’s aye some sma’ advantage.

Mair by guid luck than guid guidin‘
More by chance than by planning.

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