Blair Collection > Collection of Gaelic proverbs and familiar phrases

306
Ma 's ceòl fidileireachd, tlia gu leòir againn deth.
If fiddling he music, toe have enough of it.
This was said by the famous harper, Rory Morrison (See App.
II.), after having had to endure the performance of all his favourite
airs by a fiddler, whose instrument he naturally looked on as a
contemptible si^ueaking thing. ' Fidileireachd ' expresses more
contempt than the ordinary ' fidhleireachd '.
Ma 's dubh, ma 's odhar, ma 's donn, is toigh leis a'
ghobhair a meann.
Be it black, or dun, or hroivn, the goat loves her kid.
j\la 's dubh, ma 's odhar, nà donn, is da meannan fèin bheir a
gabhar a fonn. — Ir.
Ma 's duine 'tlia 'n seo, 's aotrom e, mu'n dubhairt an
t-each-uisge.
// this be human, its light, as the ivater -horse said.
The story is that the water-horse came in the shape of a young
man (riochd fleasyaich) out of his native element, and sat down
beside a girl who was herding cattle on the banks of the loch.
After some plea-sant conversation, he laid his head in her lap, in a
fashion not unusual in old times, and fell asleep. She began to
examine his head, and to her alarm, found that his hair was full
of sand and mud. She at once knew that it was none other than
the ' Each-U isge,' who would certainly conclude his attentions by
carrying her on his back into the depths of the loch. She accord-
ingly proceeded, as dexterously as she could, to get rid of her
skirt, leaving it under the head of the monster. Xo sooner did
he awaken than he jumped up and shook the skirt, crying out
several times, ' Ma's duine 'tha 'n seo,' &c., then rushed down the
brae, and plunged into the lake.
Ma 's fearail tliit, na biodh gruaim ort.
If you are mainly, don't he gloomy.
A very good sentiment.
Ma 's fliiacli an teachdaire, 's fliiach an gnothach.
If the messenger he worthy, the business is.
Al. Ma 's fiù an gille, 's flu an gnothach.
The embassy is judged of by the quality of the ambassador.
Ma 's lite dhut i, cha mhor leat i.
If if s porridge to you, it's not much to you.
This is one of the few specimens of Gaelic puns, and a fair one.
A young man in Lochaber went to woo a young giil called MOr,
Marion. The lather entertained him hospitably, and after dimier
proposed a smoke, saying, 'Gabhaidh sinn a uis am biadh a
ghabhas os cionn guch bidh — We'll now have the food that goes