Blair Collection > Collection of Gaelic proverbs and familiar phrases

265
Is luaitliid a' chas a bristeadh, mar a thuirt am fear a
chunnaic gas rainich a' falbh leis a' ghaoith.
The leg that breaks is all the quicJcer, as the man said
who saw a stalk of bracken going before the v.nnd.
There is sometliing comical in this, though trivial.
Is luath agus mall comhairle an duine.
Swift and sloiv is man's counsel.
This way and that dividing the swòft mind. — Tennyson.
Is luath an ton 's an teid an t-eagal.
He is sicift on whom fear comes.
Is luath fear doimeig air fàire, latha fuar Earraich.
Sicift goes the slatterns husband over the brae, on a cold
Spring day.
See ' Aithnichear fear doimeig'.
Is lugha na fride màthair a' chonnsachaidh.
Tiie mother of dissension is smaller than ct mite.
The mother of miscliief is no bigger than a midge's wing. — Eng.
Is luibh-chridlie learn f hein e. It is hearfs-ea.se to myself.
Is maireann gus an crion. Lasting till it wither.
Is mairg a bheireadh as a' clilachan thu !
Pity him wlio would bring you back from the church !
Said of ineligible yoi;ng women — a saying belonging to the
time when Highland marriages were performed in church.
Is mairg a bhiodh a' biathadh nan each agus gun
phris orra.
Pity him v:ho toould keep v.p horses when there is no
price for them.
Is mairgabhiodh a'breith dhaoine,'s na h-eich chogann !
Pity them icho ivould bring forth men, when horses are
so scarce !
That is, useless men.
Is mairg a bhiodh 'n a clirann air dorus duin' eile.
Pity him ivho is a bar on another s door.
The ' crann' is a wooden bar fastened across the door wlien the
inmates go out — the ordinary way of closing a Highland cottage.
A person who helps to keep other people's doors closed as well as
his own, is not to be euAied.
Is mairg a chailleadh a's t-Earrach e.
Pity liim v:lio would lose him in Spring.
Said of a good workman or horse.