ke the wife that ne'er cries for the ladle till the pat rins o'er.

That is, never asks for an article until it is too late.

Like the wife wi' the mony dochters, the best's aye hindmost.

Or, at least, she would have the lover of the last believe so.

Like the wife's tongue, aften better meant than timed.

Like the witches o' Auchencrow, ye get mair for your ill than your gude.

"That is, people sometimes grant an individual a favour through fear
of malevolence, or to get rid of his importunity."--_G. Henderson._

Like to like.

"I'll tell ye, Ratton, blithe will Nicol Muschat be to see ye, for
he says he kens weel there isna sic a villain out o' hell as ye are,
and he wad be ravished to hae a crack wi' ye--like to like, ye
ken--it's a proverb never fails; and ye are baith a pair o' the
deevil's peats, I trow--hard to ken whilk deserves the hettest
corner o' his ingleside."--_Heart of Midlothian._

Like water to leather--the langer the tougher.

"Although my mither has been, past the memory o' man, in a
complaining condition, I ken nae odds o' her this many a year; her
ail's like water to leather, it makes her life the tougher."--_The
Entail._

Lippen to me, but look to yoursel.

Lips gae, laps gae, drink and pay.

"If you put your lips to the cup to drink, put your hand to your lap
to take out your purse."--_Kelly._

Listen at a hole, and ye'll hear news o' yoursel.

List to meat's gude kitchen.

Little and aften fills the purse.

Little can a lang tongue layne.

Little does the puir gude, and as little get they.

Little dogs hae lang tails.

Little folk are soon angry.

A frequent addition gives the reason--for their heart gets soon to
their mouth.

Little gear, little care.

Little Jock gets the little dish, and that hauds him lang little.

"Poor people are poorly served, which prolongs their
poverty."--_Kelly._

Little kens the auld wife, as she sits by the fire, what the wind is
doing on Hurley-Burley-Swire.

"Hurle-Burle-Swire is a passage through a ridge of mountains that
separate Nithsdale from Twadale and Clydsdale: where the mountains
are so indented one with another that there is a perpetual blowing.
The meaning is that they who are at ease know little of the trouble
that others are exposed to."--_Kelly._

Little kent, the less cared for.

Little may an auld horse do if he m