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Washington, United States
loves: you win if you guessed "pets" and "museums". Also books, art history, travel, British punk, Korean kimchi, bindis, martinis, and other things TBD. I will always make it very clear if a post is sponsored in any way. Drop me a line at thepetmuseum AT gmail.com !

Friday, November 30, 2012

cat proverbs: scots, 1721

The following proverbs and their explanations are from A complete collection of Scottish proverbs: explained and made intelligible to the English reader, compiled by James Kelly, 1721.  I've kept the original spellings...

 - Cast the cat o'er him.  It is believed that when a Man is raving in a Fever, the Cat cast over him will cure him; apply'd to them whom we hear telling extravagant Things, as they were raving.
 - I am o'er old a Cat, to draw a Straw before my Nose.  That is, I am too old to be imposed upon.  A young Cat will jump at a Straw drawn before her, but not an old one; nothing being more playful than a young Cat, and nothing being more dull than an old one.
 - It was never for nothing that the Cat lick'd the Stone. (English) The cat knows whose lips he licks.  People who officiously offer their Service, may be suspected to have some selfish End in it.
 - You never bought Salt to the Cat.  You know not what it is to provide for a Family.

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