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

Anail a' Ghàidheil — air a' mhuUacli.
The Gael's breathing-place — on the the summit.
Right up Ben Lomond could he press,
And not a sob his toil confess. — Scott.
Aon la 's-t-Earrach, naoiilh a's t-Fhoghar.
One day in Spring, nine in Autumn,
Bainne nan gobliar fo cliobliar 's e blàth, 's e chuir a' spionnadh
's na daoine a bha.
Goat milk foaming and warm, that gave their strength to our
fathers.
Baobh sam bith a ni guidhe, far an teoth' an gaol, 's ann a's
truim' am buille.
IVhen a wicked woman curses, where the love is hottest, there the
blow is heaviest.
Barail a' bhruic air a ladhran, barail bhochd.
The badger's opinion of his own claws, a poor opinion.
Bbeireadh e gàir' air gamhainn.
It icould make a stirk laugh.
Bhrist tbu air gàradh an t-sagairt.
You have broken the priesVs wall.
Said to children when they lose teeth in their seventh year, at
which time they are supposed in the Roman Church to become re-
sponsible.
Bodachan beag 'an taobh tigb' a mhna.
A little old body at the side of his xoife's house.
Breac a' mhuiltein air an athar ; la math am màireach.
A dappled sky to-day ; a good day to-morrow.
Caib air no dbeth, cum do chas air a' sgonnan.
Iron on or off, keep your foot on the peg.
The ' caib ' of the old crooked spade, ' cas-chrom,' was the iron with
which it was pointed ; the ' sgonnan ' was the peg on which the right
foot was pressed. The meaning is, ' Keep working, even with a defec-
tive implement'.
Carraig Pliàidein fo na brìdich.
Pat's rock under pigmies.
This is a Tiree saying, probably of Irish origin, applied to anything
venerable under foot of the unworthy. The Rev. Mr. Campbell,
from whom I got it, says that Pàidein is the diminutive of Pàdruig,
and = Pat or Paddy, whence MacFadyen. But he knows no place of
the name of ' Carraig Phàidein,' neither do I. Can it possibly refer to
' Creag-Phàdruig ' near Inverness ? Another version, however, makes
it 'Carraig-Fhearguis,' Carrickfergus. a well known place.
Cha b'fhearr a' clireacb air an d'fhuair.
The spoil by ivhich it teas got was no better.
Said when a tenant comes to grief in land taken unmercifully from
another.