Blair Collection > Collection of Gaelic proverbs and familiar phrases

270
tosh is puzzling and unintelligible. 'Is mairg g'a 'n scuab bun
staghail bo miiaol odliar Mhicalonabliaidh,' translated, 'Woe to
him whose main support is the white cow of Macgilony'. The
word ' staghail ' is unknown, and the assonance required a word
in which ' o ' is the first vowel, which ' stùthaitlh ' supplies.
'Stòthadh' means the cutting of corn short, as would be done
for a hasty supply. The ]\ÌacGillonies belonged to the Clan
Cameron, but originally, as the name implies, were allied to the
MacLeans. See Gregory's Hist, of the IF. Islands, p. 77.
Is mairg 'g am bi cairdean faim.
Fifij him loho has ivcah friends.
Is mairg 'g am bi comhaltas gann, 'us clann gun rath.
Pity him ivho has feio foster-friends, and luckless chil-
dren.
Is mairg nacb beathaich a thruaghan.
Woe to him ivho tvon't riiaintain his oivn poor creature.
This good old sentiment sometimes receives sad illustration in
our Courts, in Poor Law and Filiation cases.
Is mall a mharcaicheas am fear a bheachdaicheas.
He rides slowly vjho observes.
Is mall adhart na leisge. Slow is thej^rogress of the lazy.
Is mall ceum nan dall.
Slow is the step of the hlind.
Is maol guala gun bhràthair ; is 16m an làracli gun
phiutliair.
Bare is shoulder without brother; bare is home without
sister.
See ' Is lòm'.
Is marbh fear na h-eisimeileach.
Dead is the dependent.
Is math a bliean-tighe 'blieir a nuas an rud nacli 'eil
shuas.
She's a clever housewife that can briny down ivhat's not
up.
Al. a l:)raigh an tighe rud nach bidh ann — from the inner
room what's not there.
Is math a bhiodh na cait, gus an d' thugadli na luch-
ain na cluasan dhiubh.
The cats icould do well, till the mice would take their
ears off.
This saying must have been invented by a man of the world.