Blair Collection > Collection of Gaelic proverbs and familiar phrases

worthless, v)lio takes every advice is so. Ifs bad flesh thu^ ,.'<on't take
salt, worse is tlie body that won't take warning. As crooked as the
fool' s furrow.
Boors.
The clown is knoiim at morning — he breaks his shoe-tie. If you
hit a dog or a cloion, hit him vxll. Give the impudent fellow an
iiich and he'll take an ell. He that is rude thinks his rudeness good
manners. Don't provoke a barbarian.
Women, Marriage. — I don't know any other Pro-
verbs that speak of women so respectfully as the
Gaelic ones do. They are not wanting in humour,
but they never regard women as inferior creatures and
mere causes of mischief, which is the point of view of
the Proverbs of several great nations.
Meal is finer than grain, women are finer than men. There icas
never good or ill, but women had to do with. Modesty is the beauty
of women. I like not pullets becoming cocks. Take no woman for
a wife in whom you cannot find a flaw. Choose your wife as you
wish your children to be. Take a bird from a clean nest. Choose the
good mother's daughter, were the Devil her father. If you take a wife
from Hell, she'll bring you home there. When you see a well-
bred woman, catch her, catch her ; if you don't do it, another will
match her. Their own will to all men, all their will to women.
TFliat a woman knows not she'll conceal. Harsh is the praise that
cannot be listened to ; dark are the dames that cannot be dallied with.
Wiiere a cow is, a woman will be, where a woman is, temptation
will be (This is attributed to St. Columba). A man's wife is his
blessing or bane. If you wish to be praised, die; if you wish to
be decried, marry. You are too merry, you ought to marry. JFiio
speaks ill of his wife dishonours himself. True or false, it will injure
a woman. Warm is the mother's breath.
Children.
Pity those who have them, pity more those who havenH. Better
no children than luckless children. The crow likes her greedy blue
chick. A house without dog or cat or child, a house without mirth
or smile. The motherless child has m^ny faults.