Taking a little dip today into the "Proverbs and Proverbial Sayings" section of Dorsetshire Folklore by John Symonds Udal. Here are a few of the best:
A peck of worry won't pay a pound of debt.
The age old advice that worrying gets you nowhere. True, but hard to live by!
Better be at the end of a feast than at the beginning of a fray.
Be happy with a little of something good, rather than risking everything by doing something dangerous or unsavoury.
If you must grow cucumbers boil them and throw them on the dunghill.
Cucumbers were, it seems, considered generally useless; I won't be following this one, we are a cucumber-loving household here!
Don't be between two parishes at meal times.
This would mean you didn't get to eat. Definitely one to avoid!
They like all the water to run in their own ditch.
A warning against selfish people.
"Every one to his liking," as the old woman said when she kissed her cow.
A Dorset-version of "there's no accounting for taste"!
As much need as a toad has of a side-pocket.
In other words, something thst is utterly unecessary.
As busy as a cat in a tripe shop.
Said of someone who is very busy, but without any noticable result.
Greasing the fat sow.
Giving gifts and money to the already rich.
What are your favourite local sayings? Let me know in the comments, or on Twitter
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