ns and strangers? It's an ill
bird that files its ain nest."--_Rob Roy._

It's an ill cause that the lawyer thinks shame o'.

It's an ill fight where he that wins has the warst o't.

It's an ill kitchen that keeps the bread awa.

Or an ill master that starves his servants.

It's an ill pack that's no worth the custom.

It's an ill thow that comes frae the north.

It's an ill turn that patience winna owercome.

It's an ill wind that blaws naebody gude.

It's a' outs an' ins, like Willie Wood's wife's wame.

It's a pity fair weather should e'er do harm.

It's a poor tongue that canna tell its ain name.

"'Nane o' your deil's play-books for me,' said Lucky Dods; 'it's an
ill world since sic prick-my-dainty doings came into fashion. It's a
poor tongue that canna tell its ain name, and I'll hae nane o' your
scarts upon pasteboard.'"--_St Ronan's Well._

It's a poor world that winna gie a bit and a brat.

It's a rare thing for siller to lack a maister.

It's a sair dung bairn that mayna greet.

It's a sair field where a's dung down.

It's a sair time when the mouse looks out o' the meal barrel wi' a tear
in its ee.

It's a sairy collop that's ta'en aff a chicken.

It's a sairy flock where the ewie bears the bell.

That is, a "sairy," uncomfortable, or poor house where the wife
commands, "though," as Kelly slily remarks, "there are some such
houses in the world."

It's a sairy mouse that has but ae hole.

It's a shame to eat the cow an' worry on the tail.

To "eat the cow," &c., is to overlook very great faults, and make a
severe example of a trifling one.

It's a silly hen that canna scrape for ae bird.

It's a sin to lee on the deil.

It's a sma' sheil that gies nae shelter.

It's as plain as a pike staff.

"Na, na, gudeman, ye needna be sae mim; every body kens, and I ken
too, that ye're ettling at the magistracy. It's as plain as a pike
staff, gudeman, and I'll no let ye rest if ye dinna mak me a
bailie's wife or a' be done."--_The Provost._

It's a sooth dream that's seen waking.

It's a sour reek when the gudewife dings the gudeman.

"A man in my country coming out of his house with tears on his
cheeks, was asked the occasion; he said, 'There was a sour reek in
the house;' but, upon further inquiry, it was found that his wife
had beaten him."--_Kelly._

It's a staunch house that there's never a drap in.