Blair Collection > Collection of Gaelic proverbs and familiar phrases

317
^rìos roimh gach ràidh a clioltas.
A month before each season, its a'ppearance comes.
Apparently this is a correct observation.
Mir 'am bial na beiste. A hitefor the monster's mouth.
Ca&t a bane i' the deil's teeth. — Scot.
This saying is probably founded on the story of the traveller
and the wolves, whom he temporarily stopped by throwing out
one thing after another.
Mir a chur'am bial na h-eisge.
A morsel for the lampooner's mouth.
Mir' a' chuilean ris an t-seana-cliu.
The play of the pup vnth the old dog.
Al. ris an a.ois—with the aged.
Chwarae hen gi a chenaw. — Welsh.
Mire ri cuilean, clia sguir e gus an sgal e.
Play with a puppy, it ends in a howl.
Mire gach struidhear ris an t-struidhear mhor.
The sport of every sjjcndthrift with the big spicndthrift.
Misg gun lionn a 's miosa 'th' ann.
Intoxication vAthout cde is the worst of all.
Al. Misg an leanna nach d'òl e — The intoxication of the ale he
drank not.
The meaning seems to be that stupid or disorderly conduct,
without the excuse of drink, is much worse. Ale, and not whisky,
was the common stimulant when this saying arose.
Mo cliomain-sa 's comain a' mhaoir,
Do mo thaobli-sa bliiodh e gann ;
Is math leis comain a null,
Ach clia mhath leis comain a null 's a nail.
TJie bailiff's favours and mine vjoiddbeall on one side;
he likes to get, but not to give and take.
This is attributed to John Morrison of Bragar (See note to
' Balach '), with great probability. Another version, with ' comunn'
for ' comain ' is, —
Cha 'n ionann 'us comunn nam maor.
Air an taobh-san nach bi fann ;
'S e 'n comunn-sa tarruing a null,
'S cha chomunn ach a null 's a nail.
Very unlike the bailiff s fellowship.
On their own side never iveak ;
Draw all one way is their rule,
And ^giff-gaff' is the only fellowship.
Still another version is given in Duncan Lothian's ' Sean
Fhocail ' q. v., p. 403.