K.

KA ME, AND I'LL KA THEE, prov., or more commonly, in an abbreviated form, KA ME, KA THEE. A proverbial phrase, considered as parallel with the Latin adage, “Muli mutuò scabunt;" but of Scottish origin, in which dialect ca, pronounced caw, means call, or invite; as they use fa for fall, a for all, &c. See Jamieson in Call. Ray has it among his Proverbs, p. 126, but without notice of its real origin. His illustrations are merely these: "Da mihi mutuum testimonium." Cic. Orat. pro Flac. Lend me an oath or testimony; swear for me, and I'll do as much for you; or claw me, and I'll claw you; commend me, and I'll commend you. Pro Dello Calauriam. Neptune changed with Latona "Delos for Calauria." But none of these come exactly to the point: "One good turn deserves another," is quite as parallel as any of them, and "claw me, &c., much more so. See CLAW. In Kelly's Scottish Proverbs it stands:

Kae me, and I'll kae thee.

Lett. K 21.

With the marginal interpretation invite, and an explanation subjoined, "Spoken when great people invite and feast one another, and neglect the poor."

In England it was sometimes pronounced kay; whence, in the following passage, it is printed with the letter k alone, and is so punned upon

Lodge, Satire 1st.

In one passage we find a ridiculous, and probably an arbitrary, variation of it:

If you'll be so kind as to ka me one good turn, I'll be so courteous to kob you another.

Witch of Edm. by Rowley, &c., ii, 1 But kay me, Ile kay thee; give me an inch to day, Ile give thee an ell to morrow.

Armin., Nest of Ninnies, 1608. +Epig. 6. Ka mee, ka thee. My muse hath vow'd, revenge shall have her swindge To catch a parret in the woodcocks sprindge, &c. Taylor's Workes, 1630. +Manus manum fricat; ka me, ka thee, one good turne requireth another.

Withals' Dictionary, ed. 1634, p. 565.