Blair Collection > Collection of Gaelic proverbs and familiar phrases

412
' I left him behind the icall,
With his eyes mere swollen lumps '.
Another rhyme makes the Feadag the mother of the Faoilleach
and of course preceding it,
Feadag, Feadag, màthair Faoillich fhuair.
For this, however, there is no other authority.
After the Feadag came the Gearran, the Horse or Gelding, a
period as to the duration of which authorities differ very consi-
derably. The Highland Society's Dictionary, MacLeod and
Dewar, and INIacAlpine, all make it 'the days from March 15th to
April 11th inclusive,' four weeks. Aiinstrom: says, more vaguely
than usual, that it is ' the latter end of February,' and no more.
The saying given on p. 316, mite, ' Mios Faoillich,' &c., makes it
two weeks, while several living authorities make it one week.
The presumption is in favour of a short period, which is sup-
ported l)y the only suggested meaning of the name Gearran
(gearr-shian — H. S. Diet., McLeocl and Dewar), and the words
' an gearran gearr ' in the rhyme given below.
The Feadag is severe, but the Gearran is no better, as the
rhyme says.
Is mis' an Fheadag 16m, luirgneach, luath,
Marbham caora, marbham uan ;
Is mis an Gearran bacach ban,
'Us cha mhi aon bhonn a 's fhearr ;
Cuiream a' bhd anns an toll,
Gus an tig an tonn thar a ceann.
Fm the bare swift leggy Plover,
I can kill both sheep and lamb ; '
I'm the white lame Gelding,
And not one one bit better ;
I'll put the cow into the hole,
Till the wave comes o'er her head.
or otherwise.
An sin thuirt an Getirran gearr,
Ni mi farran ort nach fhearr,
Cuiridh mi 'bho mhdr 's a' phdll, &c.
After the Gearran came the Cailleach or Old Woman, which lasted
a week, — 12th to 18th April. The grass has by this time begun to
grow, and the Cailleach, rejaresenting a hostile and withering in-
fluence, sits down and tiles hard with her 'slachdan' ^ to beat down
^ If this is to be taken as with any approximate accuracy characteris-
ing the Seasons, it follows that lambing was earlier in those days
than now. There are various indications in these old sayings that
Spring and warm weather came sooner in former days than now.
'^ A ' slachdan ' is a beetle ; but a more poetical version makes it
'slacbdan-druidheachd,' magic wand.