Page:Cnuasacht trágha - Sheehan.djvu/83

75 Irish colouring, to their prooeediug from a mental outlook with which he is not familiar. 25. The sea is no respecter of persons. 26. Mischievous boys are wont to annoy superstitious fishermen with these words, " a fox on your hook ; you will catch no fish to-day." 27. A jocose way of saying, -AcÁ An cofAC AjAm 0|tc, "I have been before you." 28. Better many loads {lit., a constant load) than a load too heavy, i.e., than " a lazy man's load," the load of one who tries to carry all In one journey. 29. " Truth in wine." 30. " Wet skirts, half-day's work, and home betimes." Said when the women have to come home from the fields owing to the rain. Probably aticuac is right, i.e., unseasonable time, before the proper time. 32. " It was kind of you to come, especially as you have come un«  bidden." 33. "A good daughter is son and daughter," i.e., by marriage, brings a bread-winner into the house. 34. " It is a great favour from heaven to any mother who rears children without blemish," i.e., with none of them blind of an eye, lame, or (imperfect in) any way. Cf. p. 53, 21. 36. " You have neither soul nor feeling." 37. " His manners are very proud, i.e., his conceit of himself is beyond what it need be (vÁ ceAt, beyond need). 39. "AcÁfé-oiAn mÁ t)ei"ó fé Ag ):eA|icAinn, it will hardly rain (it is hard, if it will)." AzÁ fé -oiati tió beí-ó f é Ag peA^- } tAinn, it will hardly not rain, fail to rain, it is almost sure to rain. Hence, translate : It is almost certain that I can do no good {lit., that I have no ploughing, no field to plough, figurative for •• no embers to stir into a blaze "). 40. "A slow fire for pork ; a moderate fire for mutton ; a roaring blaze for beef, and a long time for it to cook (and to be cooking it for ever)." 42. " The peace maker (the go between) never yet escaped." "OuL Af , escape. 43. The first proverb means that boasting is far removed from achievement. ScocAi^ie, a trumpeter, one who blows his own horn ; fzoc, a trumpet. ScocAi|ieAcc is a good word for "advertising." ScuAitn, lit., modesty, has the mean^ ing " silent achievement, success or efficiency without boasting." This second shade of meaning is found in the phrase bAin ai* x>o fcuAim pein é, discover it by your own ability, ingenuity. The second proverb, "the cake is far