J. F. Campbell Collection > Collection of Gaelic proverbs and familiar phrases

144
The word is equivalent to Coefig or Cefig, just as Coinraed in the
Northumbrian dialect represents Cènried in West-8axon. It is
an adjective formed from còf, ' strenuus/ and merely denotes the
* bold or active one '. "
I cannot find the word ' coibhi,' or anything like it, in any
Cymric dictionary, but whatever its origin, the name has been
handed down in .Scottish Gaelic for an unknown length of time as
that of an important Druid. The above saying might well be ap-
plied to King Aedwin's high-priest, who behaved with remarkable
wisdom on the occasion above mentioned.
For anotlier saying in reference to Coibhi, see ' Ge fagiLs clach '.
Cho teth ri gaol seòladair.
As hot as a sailors love.
Al. ' Gaol tàiUeir' — a tailor's love. Both .sailors and tailors are
accused of being aj)t to change their afi'ections easily.
Cho trie 's a tha fiacail 'ad cheann.
As often as there's a tooth in your head.
Chuala mi 'cliubliag gun bliiadli 'am bhroinn,
Cliunnaic mi 'n searrach 's a clmlaobh rium,
Chunnaic mi 'u t-.seilcheag air an lie luim,
'S dh' aithnich mi naeh rachadh a' bliliadhn' ud learn.
J heard the cuckoo while fastincf,
I savj the foal %vith his hack to me,
I savj the snail on the flarj -stone hare,
And I knew the year icovM he had for me.
Attributed to the ' Cailleach Bheurra,' a distinguished Sybil.
Chuir am maor do thigh an rimair' e
The hailift sent him to the secretary.
Al. ' An righ' for ' am maor '.
The ' Circumlocution Office' on a small scale.
Chuir Brighd' a làmh 's a' bhola.
Bridget pnt her luind into the hovd.
This seems to refer to St. Bridget's miraculous power of turning
water into ale. The following curious old rhyme is among the
Gaelic MSS. of the Advocates' Library, (g. ms. lxii.)
TUIKEADH BRIGHID.
Gairim is cruidhim tu chlach,
Ka leig Brighid a mach.
O 's i geurachadh an deoch,
Is ioma saoidh gim lochd
Dh'an d' thug i bàs.
Do thart a nis o chaidh to thart,
Tart siorruidh ort, a Blirighid.