Blair Collection > Collection of Gaelic proverbs and familiar phrases

Bi 'd thosd 's 'ad chuimhne.
Be silent and mindful.
In the story of Fingal's enchantment in the house of the Blàr
Buidhe {Celt. Rev., Vol. I., p. 197, Gael, IV. 10), it is said of him,
' Bha Fionn 'n a thosd 's na chuimhne,' while he was under-
going dreadful torture.
Bi 'd thosd 's bi 'd chomaidh.
Be silent, and take your share.
Ask no questions for conscience' sake.
Bi gu subhach, geamnaidh,
Moch-thrathach a's t-Samhradh ;
Bi gu curraiceach, brògach,
Brochanach 's a' Gheamhradh.
In Summer time be cheerful, chaste,
And early out of bed ;
In Winter he well-capped, well-shod,
A nd. well on porridge fed.
Dr. John Smith, in his Qalic Antiquities, attributes the first
half of this excellent advice to the Druids. A more probable
opinion ascribes it to the " Ollamh Muileach," Dr. John Beaton,
one of a family famous in the Highlands for medical skill. He
was family physician to the MacLeans, and died in 1657, as a
Latin inscription on his tomb in lona still bears.
' ' Brochan " means both ' ' porridge " and ' ' gruel ". In most
parts of the Highlands it is or was applied equally to both, while
in some parts, such as Skye, porridge is always called " lite," and
gruel alone " brochan ". Gruel undoubtedly is more for winter
than for summer, while porridge is equally for all the year round.
Bi tliusa 'bruidheann, 's bidh na h-uibhean agamsa.
You talk away, and Fll have the eggs.
Biadh a thoirt do'n f hearann niu 'n tig an t-acras air ;
fois a thoirt da mu'm fas e sgith; a ghart-ghlanadh mu'm
fas e salach, — coniharran an deagh thuathanaich.
To feed the land before it get hungry ; to give it rest
before it groio weary; to loeed it ivell before it get dirty —
the marks of a good husbandman.
Biadh-gTàineachaidh aig seana-chù.
Food of loathing to an old dog.
Biadh math monaidh maragan-dubha.
Black puddings are good food for the moors.