Blair Collection > Gaelic names of beasts (mammalia), birds, fishes, insects, reptiles, etc

cow 113
Riddles, dark sayings, and proverbs are numerous. A few of
the first two are : —
Theid i maeh dubh 's thig i stigh geal. Mart dhubh ri la
sneachdach.
What goes out black and comes in white ? A black cow on
a snowy day.
In Vol. III. of Campbell's Tales, among Fionn's questions to
Graidhne is, de's fearr de bhiadh ? Bleachd ; thig iomadh
athai'rachadh as, niotar im a's caise dheth, 's beathaichidh e leanabh
beag a's sean duine.
What is the best of food .'' Milk ; many a change comes
out of it ; butter and cheese are made of it, and it will
nourish a little child and an old man.
A bhun an aird, 's a bharr a mhain, 's e fas mar sin.
The root above, it's point (or top) below, and growing thus.
A cow's tail.
Ceathrar air chrith, 's ceathrar nan ruith ; dithis a' deanamh
an rathad, 's a h-aon a' glaodhaich.
Four shaking, four running, two finding (or making) the
way, and one roaring. A cow's udder or teats, feet, eyes,
and mouth.
Miodaran beag 's a choill' ud thall 's a bheul foidhe 's cha doirt
e deur.
A little vessel or receptacle in that (or yon) wood beyond,
with its mouth downwards, and it won't lose or spill a
drop. A cow's udder. Eng. or Scotch, A little bit
cogie in yonder wood, its mouth below, but spills not
a drop.
Tha'n dod air a bho mhaol, cha'n ith i fodar no fraoch.
The hornless cow has ta'en the dumps, she'll eat neither
straw nor heather. Said to a child remaining in the
dumps after being promised " something nice."
There is a Highland game called "Am mart bradach," the
thievish cow, a description of which will be found well described
by " Fionn " in the G aid heal.
One of Coinneach Odhar's sayings or prophecies is : —
Thig bo mhaol odhar a' steach an t-Aite-mor agus leigeas i
geum aiste 'chuireas na se h-uinneagan dheth an Tigh Dhige.
A dun, hornless cow will appear in the Minch (Great Place),
and give forth a roar (bellow), which Avill knock the
six windows off Gairloch House. This supposed to be a
steamboat. The Minch, off Gairloch Point, and Tigh
Dhige, Gairloch House, so called from the dig or ditch
round it.
The Proverbs, proverbial sayings, etc., connected with cows
H