59. Is feairrde bean leanḃ, aċt is misde í dís do ṫoirrċis.
A woman is better of a child, but she is the worse of two at a birth.
60. Is fearr tiġ folaṁ ’ná droiċ-ṡealḃṫóir.
Better an empty house than a bad tenant.
61. Is foiġdeaċ fear gan feirg.
A man without anger is patient (indeed).
62. Is maiṫ an sgeulaiḋe an aimsir.
Time is a good story-teller.
63. Is milis dá ól é, ⁊ is searḃ dá ḋíol é.
It is sweet to drink and better to pay.
64. Is minic rug na cleitiḋe an feoil leo.
It is often that the feathers took the flesh away with them.
65. Is mór an ṁaise do ṡean-ḃróig búcla.
A buckle is a great ornament to an old shoe.
66. Is minic do rin’ searraiċín gioballaċ eaċ ḃreaġḋa ċumasaċ.
A rough colt has often turned out a fine strong horse.
67. Is minic d’ḟan fear sonuiḋe le seun, ⁊ do ḃeir fear donuiḋe do-léim.
Often has a fortunate man waited for (more) prosperity, while an unfortunate man takes an ill leap.
68. Is úr stiall do leaṫar ḋuine eile.
A stripe of another’s leather is fresh.
69. Teaċdaireaċd an féiċ ó’n airc, teaċdaire easuṁal nár ṫáinig ar ais.
The errand of the raven from the ark, a disobedient messenger that did not come back.
70. Ní’l tuile ná tráġann aċt uile na ngrás.
There is no tide that does not ebb but the tide of grace.
71. Má ṫéiḋir ag iomarsgáil leis an salċar, bíoḋ ṡíos nó ṡuas, saileoċṫar ṫú.
If you go wrestling with dirt, whether up or down, you will be dirtied.
72. Má oireann an capín duit, caiṫ é.
If the cap fits you, wear it.
73. Má’s fuar an teaċtaire, is fuar an freagra.
If the messenger is cold, the answer is cold.
74. Is mó (iomḋa) rud do ṁeaḃruiġeann an díoṁaointeas.
Idleness muses many things.
75. Ní ḃíonn gort arḃair gan diasaċ fiaḋa.
There is no cornfield without wild ears.
76. Ní ṫeagann cóṁnaċ ar ċloiċ roiṫleáin.
Moss does not come on a rolling stone.
77. Ní’l aon ṁaiṫ ag caoineaḋ, ’n uair imṫiġeann an tsoċraid.
It is of no avail to lament when the funeral departs.
NOTE.
70. In Co. Antrim, one who dallies on an errand is often called “the corby’s (i.e., raven’s) messenger.”—Ed.
(To be continued.)
NOTES AND QUERIES.
(47) Sept, pp, 89, 90—No. 13, tá sé ’sa’ ṁuilionn orm, or tá sé ag dul i n-aḋairc ġaḃair orm—to express difficulty in accomplishing a task. The word muilionn is contemptuously used to denote big, ugly nose. No. 32, leaġaḋ cuḃair na haḃann ort—a terrible curse, “May you melt like the froth of the river!” leaġaḋ Dia ort (Dia for Dé), is milder, expressing contempt. “leaġaḋ Dia ar an mbreallóig, ní raiḃ aon ṁaiṫ riaṁ ann!” Breallóg = one with a stupid cast of features.—P. J. O’Shea.
(48) Proverbs, Sept.—No. 23, bás an ċait ’san earraċ ċuġat, nó bás an tairt, is the Limerick (E.) form. It means “death by thirst or starvation to you.” There is little milk to spare for cats in spring. No. 36, breall (pron. browl) is very common in E. Limerick amongst English-speaking folk. They say, half-afectionately, to a surly child, “poor browl!” No. 5, Ceofraeneaċ is a Limerick word for mist.—N. O’Leary, Kilmallock.
(49) Sept.—In reference to the song Sláinte na n-Eun, Dr. Douglas Hyde writes: Tá níos mó ’ná fiċe ceaṫraṁa agam de’n aḃrán sin ar na heunaċaiḃ do ḃí ’san IRISLEABHAR déiḋeanaċ. Ag so rann de:—
