330 LIEUT.-COLONEL D. C. PHILLOTT S 



269. "After our death what matters it whether the world is water or a mirage?" 

 Cf. ' He caresna wha's bairns greet if his ain laugh.' Vide No. 186. 



270. (a) " Either my head or his cap." 



(b) " I'll either be a plank of the throne or a plank of the coffin." 



(c) "A throne on a bier." 



Cf. ' A man or a mouse, ' and ' He'll either win the horse or tine the saddle.' 



271. "O God, never let a beggar become great!" Cf. 'He'll gang mad on a 

 horse wha's proud on a pownie,' and ' A beggar on horseback.' 



272. " Never marry a widow though she be a houri." Cf. ' He that marries a 

 widow will hae a dead man's head often thrown in his dish.' 



273. "Spitting on one's own head." Cf. ' Washing one's dirty linen in public,' 

 and ' He that spits against the wind spits in his own face.' 



274. " All tall men are fools except 'Umar : all short are mischievous except 'All." 

 Cf. ' High trees show mair leaves than fruit ' ; (a disparaging allusion to tall 



people). 



275. " His belly is reciting the ' Qui hu Allah. v " Cf. ' His wame thinks his 

 wizen's cut : (expressive of intense hunger). 



276. " Chuck away these puffings; if you're a man come on." 



277. "'If was married to ' But' and the offspring of the union was named 'Oh, 

 would that ! ' " Cf. " ' If ' an' ' Or ' spoil mony a gude charter." 



278. " If I'm not an active friend, I'm yet not a burden." Cf. ' If I'm no kind 

 I'm no cumbersome.' 



279. " Marriages are made in Heaven." 



280. " Like a statue I was frozen to the spot," {i.e., struck dumb with amazement). 



281. " Like a picture on a wall." (Expresses astonishment.) 



282. " I know him vein and sinew." Cf. ' I ken him as weel as if I had gane 

 through him wi' a lighted candle.' 



283. " Each his own work and each his own load." Cf. ' Ilka bird maun hatch 

 her ain Ggg.' 



284. " Every village has its head man ; 



Every land has its law." 

 Cf. ' Ilka land has its ain leid ' (language). 



285. " As clear and evident as the sun." Cf. 'As plain as a pikestaff.' 



286. " The elephant recollected its India,' ' (i.e., I remembered my mother country). 



287. " I wish his nose string was in my hand !" Cf. ' I wish I had a string in his 

 lug.' 



288. " Lay a thing by and it will come of use even though it be only snake venom" 

 (or " the penis of an ass"). 



289. " It's not the cowl that makes the monk." 



290 " You can bend the green stick as you will, when dry it will straighten only by 

 fire." Cf ' It's no easy to straucht in the oak the crook that grew in the sapling.' 



i This Sura is recited on occasions of distress. 



