Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 2 1884.djvu/68

60 "Spit upon 't and ca 't thegither wi' a stane." Said when too much ado is made about a trifling scratch or cut.

"When that fa's oot we'll see twa meens (moons) i' the lift an' anither i' the aiss midden." Said to express forcibly the improbability of better conduct in the future.

"Sell your pig (jar or dith) and buy a can." A punning reproof of the excuse "I canna'."

"Ye may say the grace o' Cooperhill." To reprove gluttony. The grace is, "Deil reive the ruggest (hungriest), and cleave the clungest (emptiest)."

"I doubt ye've been at the kirk o' crack-about, faar (where) the kail-pot's the minister." In reproof of non church-going.

"Garr'd girss is ill to grow, and chappit stanes is ill to chow."

"Ye're as min as a May puddock." Spoken of a mincing, ultra, modesty-affecting manner in a woman.

"Gerini-gath, the laird's piper!" Said to a whimpering child.

"Ye've the conscience (greed) of a coal-horse." Spoken in reproof of greed, horses owned by coal-carters in Aberdeen being generally half-starved.

These two sayings are current in Aberdeenshire as being difficult to enunciate with rapidity: "A peacock pykit a peck o' paper oot o' a paper pyock. Pyke paper, peacock." "I snuff shop snuff. Dae ye snuff shop snuff?"

The Legend of Knockmaun.—The following tradition, preserved in the parish of Kilgobinet, and which we have heard from a very old man, named Michael Quarry, still living at Kilnafrehan, would seem to point to the former existence on the Comeragh mountains of red deer:

"In the days of Cromwell there lived at Knockmaun, near Mount Odell, a woman called The Mawn, who was the terror of her neighbours for miles around. She had a sister named The Ille Ruadh, who resided at a place called Tgeach na Condavise, or Bush of the Countess, in the county of Kilkenny. The latter had eight sons, and was the owner of considerable properyproperty [sic] at Deelis, Kilnafrehan, Coolnasmear, &c. She was accustomed to visit her estates annually, residing during her sojourn at her castle in Deelis, the ruins of which are still to be seen there. On these occasions she visited every part of her