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

278 GOOSE
the rock of geese. In " Biorlinn Chlann Raonuill," occurs this
line : —
'S togaibh siuil rithe bho Uithist na cradh-gheadh.
And raise sail on her from Uist of the shell-geese.
Uist in Gaelic is also spelled Uibhist and Uidhisd.
Geese are said always to fly in two long lines and to form a
letter of the alphabet, viz., A. If wild geese are observed on their
arrival going towards the sea, it is an augury of good weather to
follow, the reverse if seen flying hillwards ; in their flight the
Irishman says the leader brings up the rear. George Ebers says,
" When God Almighty wrote the law on the tables of stone, a flock
of wild geese flew over Mount Sinai, and one of them smeared
out a letter with its wnng, and since that time they have always
flown in lines that make a letter of the alphabet, and all their
kind have to submit to be stripped of their wing feathers for men
to write with," A more commonplace and well-known saying is,
on the occasion of a heavy fall of snow, "the Welshmen are
plucking their geese."
Ach biadh bu docha leat na 'n t-im, geobachan nan gugachan.
But food that thou would'st prefer to butter, the gizzards of
the (young) Solan goose. (Stewart.)
Bho nach fhaod mi beantuinn do'n gheadh mor, pronnaidh mi
na h-iseanan.
As I cannot (may or dare not) touch the big goose, I'll
pound the goslings. Probably said by a fool bitten by
a gander.
Cha daoire 'n geadh na 'shailleadh.
The goose is no dearer than his salting. The goose could
be got for nothing in the days of the salt tax.
Cha 'n fhaide gob an geadh na gob an gannrail.
The goose's beak is no longer than the gander's. This may
be questioned.
Cho bodhar ri giadh a's t-Fhoghar.
As deaf as a goose in autumn.
Coimeas a gheoidh bhric 's a mhathar.
The comparison of the grey goose to his mother. Easily
made and somewhat superfluous.
Far am bi geoidh bidh callan.
When there is geese there will be cackling (or noise).
Far am bi geoidh bidh iseanan.
Where geese are will goslings be.
Geoidh 'us cearcan nach toil a cheile.
Geese and hens that love not each other.
Innsidh na geoidh a's t-Fhoghar.
The geese will tell it in autumn. The approach of winter,
when the wild geese ai'e heard piping aloft.
Is coltach ri cheile an geadh breac 's a mhathair.
The grev goose and its mother are alike.