his wife's clue.

"Hech!" is here used as an expression of surprise and relief that a
disagreeable operation has been performed. A "clue" is a ball of
worsted.

He comes oftener wi' the rake than the shool.

"Spoken of a poor friend whose business is not to give us, but to
get from us."--_Kelly._

He comes o' gude, he canna be ill.

A satirical expression applied to persons who are vain enough to
suppose that they can do no wrong.

He complains early that complains o' his parritch.

He counts his ha'penny gude siller.

Meaning that a person may confer a very small favour, and have a
greatly exaggerated idea of his own generosity.

He cuts near the wood.

To "cut near the wood" is to be very keen in driving a bargain.

He daurna say "Bo" to your blanket.

He doesna aye ride when he saddles his horse.

He doesna ken a B frae a bull's foot.

A saying denoting that a person is extremely ignorant.

He doesna ken what end o' him's upmost.

He doesna like his wark that says "Now!" when it's done.

He doubles his gift that gies in time.

He eats the calf i' the cow's wame.

Which means, in other words, he has spent his fortune before he
received it; that "He has eaten his corn in the blade."--_French._

Heedna says, or ye'll ne'er sit at ease.

He fells twa dogs wi' ae bane.

"Pate disna fend on that alane;
He can fell twa dogs wi' ae bane,
While ither folk
Must rest themselves content wi' ane,
Nor farer trock."--_Fergusson._

He flings the helve after the hatchet.

He fyles his neighbour's cog to get the brose himsel.

Meaning that a person has been wicked enough to injure the character
of another that he might supplant him in influence or position.

He gaed for oo' but came hame shorn.

"A camel going to seek horns lost his ears."--_Arabic._

He gangs awa in an ill time that ne'er comes back again.

He gangs far aboot seeking the nearest.

He gangs frae the jilt to the gellock.

To "jilt," to throw or dash water on a person; "gellock" (gavelock),
an iron lever or crowbar. Meaning, perhaps, that a man's temper is
such that he passes from the extreme of playfulness to that of
passion very quickly.

He gangs lang barefoot that waits for dead men's shune.

He gaes nae whitings without banes.

Or, if he confers an obligation, it is sure to have some c