Proverbs and Sayings
dependent for food on the milk of their cows and the flesh of their sheep, and he who possessed a number of these useful animals was a man of wealth among his less fortunate neighbours. Hence:
“The pör man's coo never calves oot o' time.”
“The raem (crean) o' ae coo's milk is thin.”
“The coo milks frae the head” (as she's fed).
“The pör man's sheep are short tailed"” (few).
“The pör man's kye are shön kyanded.”
The following convey the same meaning as the well-known saying, “Better endure those ills we have, than fly to others that we know not of”:
“Better rue sit than rue flit.”
“Every gait haes mire at the end o' it.”
“Better the ill kent than the guid unkent.”
“When the wirm moves it's wise ta flit”—
We should be guided by reason. This old saying has reference to the habit observable in Shetland sheep that have access to the seashore from their pasture. They are known to start for the coast at
ebb tide to feed on seaweed, and they are
