Fife Folklore, Fishing in Fife - Sayings

Speirin’ the road tae Crail.
Asking a question when you already knew the answer. Crail is one of the string of villages along the coast of the East Neuk of Fife.

As coorse as Cupar hams.
Ham, or sacking, was made in the Howe of Fife around Cupar, the County Town. Sometimes the saying was extended to twa yairds tae the pund and every yaird an oxterful.

I gaed intae the Howe hams.
Ham was used for backing, in linoleum for example, and the saying implied very thorough cleaning.

He that wull tae Cupar maun tae Cupar.
Cupar was the seat of the Sheriff Court, and the saying probably referred to those bent on a career of wrong-doing, but eventually it signified nothing more than stubborn behaviour or unwillingness to take advice.

Takin’ saut tae Dysart.
Doing something unnecessary. Dysart had a flourishing salt trade at one time. It is surprising that the saying did not become, locally, saut tae Siminnins, for St. Monans also made and exported salt from a large complex of salt-pans on the shore, the remains of which can still be seen.

Gaun like Lundie mill.
The mill at Lundin Links might have impressed travellers with its clatter and speed.

Awa’ tae Freuchie.
Go away and stop being a nuisance. This was said to
recall the days of the Royal occupation of Falkland Palace, in Fife. Those who incurred the mild displeasure of one of the Stuarts were banished from the Royal Presence but they usually went only as far as Freuchie, a few miles away, hoping they might be recalled when the King had forgiven them.

Here come the Dykers, tenpence the score.
In Pittenweem and St. Monans it was claimed that the Dykers put little into the collection plates except in their own churches at home, and when Dykers came into the
churches at Yarmouth or Fraserburgh or Peterhead during the herring seasons, this was whispered along the pews. The word score was a familiar unit for counting since line-caught fish were sold by the score on the markets.

Dyker ane, Dyker a’
Another criticism of Dykers, who were thought to
be easily excited by anything new or unusual, and prone to copy each other.

Like a coo roarin’ aff the Mey.
The Mey or May Island was about five miles out in the Firth and this was a joking reprimand to anyone speaking too loudly.

An awfu’ Johnny.
Unlucky, especially at sea, and taking his ill luck with
him from boat to boat. The origin was, of course, Jonah in the Bible.

Pit a notch in the mainmast.
A way of saying that something was worthy of special notice. Ashore, the saying finished in the mantelpiece.

Sea-faced.
Presentable. Perhaps this came from the smoothing and
cleansing effect of the sea on the beach, or perhaps from the knowledge that the surface of the sea hid many things that were better not seen.

Gan intae’d hale wheel.
Do it without reservations, without holding anything back, as the wheel of a vessel must sometimes be turned.

A wee bit slack in the reegin’
Not very bright, perhaps a little odd.

I dinnae like the cut o’ his jib.
I just don’t like the look of him.

We’ll sail the herbour wi’ this ane.
The fisherman’s version of “One for the road”.

Let the tow gan wi’ the bucket.
The seaman’s version of “As well be hung for a sheep as a lamb”. The tow was a rope attached to the handle of the bucket when getting a bucketful of water from the sea.

He’s gotten watter in.
He has been given some encouragement. Usually
the saying referred to a young man who was courting and had been invited to meet the girl’s parents. Boats coming home always had to be sure there was enough water to get safely into the tidal harbour, and so they lay off the harbour mouth waiting for watter in.

There’s a gell in your tail.
A favourite remark to over-excited children, implying a gentle warning. A following gale can make a ship hard to handle.

A sprat tae catch a mackerel.
Using an unnecessarily large inducement. This common saying had a very clear meaning on the shores of the Firth where both sprats and mackerel could be caught.

A fish that sooms in a dub will aye hae a taste o’ mud.
You are known by the company you keep.

Her head’s aye in the air like a cat cairryin ‘fish guts.
She is full of pride with very little cause.

They’re a’ tarred wi’ the wan stick.
They are all of a kind. Fisher-folk used tar for many purposes; they tarred ropes, tubs, walls, wooden poles and odds and ends of equipment for preservation.

A backside like a Dutch buss.
A buss was a large herring boat with a very large round stern.

If ye be a fisher felly, fry ma back afore ma belly.
Advice on cooking fish.

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