You have gotten a PIECE of Kitty Sleitchock's¹ bannock²

Insights

Self-Interested Flattery

The proverb is used to describe someone who flatters or acts ingratiatingly toward another in hopes of gaining a reward or favor—just as children might fawn to receive a treat.

Conditional Kindness

Suggests that the show of affection or praise is not genuine, but motivated by a desire for some personal gain, paralleling the idea of currying favor for a piece of bread.

Cultural and Social Context

The proverb, recorded in Scots sources, alludes to everyday experiences of rural life, where bannock was a common, humble food. Kitty Sleitchock (or Fleich-our) serves as a generic figure, embodying the idea of someone who dispenses small favors or treats, particularly to the young.

Psychological Observation

Recognizes the tendency, especially in children, to use charm, flattery, or compliance as social tools to gain desired rewards—a universal dynamic within families and communities.

Implicit Caution

By naming and calling out the behavior, the proverb gently mocks the manipulator and warns others not to be fooled by sycophancy or superficial praise.

Rhetorical Devices

Colloquialism

Employs everyday speech and regional names (Kitty Sleitchock, bannock), rooting the saying in familiar, domestic experience.

Synecdoche

'A piece of bannock' stands for any small favor or inducement, making the lesson broadly applicable.

Irony

There is an ironic undertone: the praise is not for genuine merit, but for the prospect of a treat.