Blair Collection > Collection of Gaelic proverbs and familiar phrases

49
B'e sin ainnieacbadh bà air buacliaille, 's a toirt uaithe
'feasgar.
That vjcre to name a coio on a herd, and taJce her from
him at evening.
It was usual, and still is, to allot one of the cows of a herd to
the cow-herd for his own supply of milk.
B'e sin am mam air miiin an t-saic.
That were the heap above the sack.
B'e sin an da latha.
Thai were the change of days.
It is common to hear ' S ann air a thàinig an da latha '' said of
a person who has suffered a change of circumstances. See ' Cha
robh duine gun da latha '.
B'e sin an diar 'g a iarraidh air a' chat, 's e fliein 's an
dian mhiamhail.
TJia.t vjcre asking a drop from the cat, and. tlie cai
meiciiig clamor 0T.isly.
B'e sin an diol dubh air a' gbruth gheaL
Tliat were the black usage of the wlvite curds.
Unnatural treatment of a thing or person.
B'e sin an ealain gun ratb.
Tliat was the skill without luck.
Many of the proverbs inculcate the dangerous doctrine that
luck is better than skill or effort. There is a story about two car-
penters, who got their choice from a certain witch or ' glaistig '
between ' ealain gun rath ' and ' rath gun ealain '. The one chose
the former, became a perfect artificer, and yet never prospered.
The other chose the latter, never rose above being a botcher, and
yet ' got on ' in the world. So much for luck ! See a story of
the same sort in Campbell's W. H. T,, II. 8G, where ' rath ' is
mistaken for ' ràdh ' — ' speech '.
B'e sin an gille 'cbur 'an àit' an duin'-uasaiL
Putting the servant in idace of the gentleman.
B'e sin an gràdb luath 's am fuath clis.
Tha.t was the hasty love and the cpiick hate.
Al. cha tug gaol luath nach tug fuath cHs.
Soon hot, soon cold. — Eiigl.
B'e sin an reul 's an oidbche dboilleir.
That ivas the star in the dark night.
Al. B'e sin an rionnaig 's an oidhche fhrasaich. Often said
ironically of a pretentious person.
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