FERRET— FOAL 159 



The word ferret is derived from " fur," wise, or the wise, wily, 

 crafty one, and forest is also called ^'Putonius" from its smell. 

 Bain-neas is white weasel, and Coin-neas, dog-weasel. We also 

 find the word "ferret" applied to a narrow cotton or worsted 

 band. (See Scott's Guy Mannering.) 



FIELD-MOUSE, Luch-fheoir. (See Mouse.) 



FILLY (see also Horse). — Biriche ; Cleobag, clibeag, cliobag; 

 (fr.) Failore (falaire), foilean ; Larach, loth, lothag; Modh- 

 searrach ; Searr, searrach. 



Clip (Aberd.). 



Loth loireach odhar (a shaggy dun filly) occurs in a folklore 

 tale. Filly is just " foaley." Failore gorm, blue filly, is to be 

 found in one of Campbell's Tales. The Irish name O'Sherry 

 comes from "searrach." 



Gabhaidh lothag fhiadhta siol a boinneid. 



A shy filly will take corn out of a bonnet. 

 Na toir breith chabhagach air loth pheallagach. 



Don't judge hastily of a shaggy colt. 

 Iain Lom's saying is as follows : — 

 Breith luath lochdach, breith air loth pheallagach. 



He judges rashly or wrongly who judges an untrained 

 shaggy colt. 



FOAL (see also Horse). — Foilean ; Lorchaire, loth, lurcair, 

 lurcaire, lurchaire ; Searr, searrach ; (Ir.) Gearreh ollach. 



Clip (Aberd.) ; Folymare ; Nibey. The term lorchaire, etc., 

 means one following tracks (lorg), as a foal does his dam. In the 

 Annals of Ulster Achadh urchair for Achadh lurchair is incorrectly 

 given, and also corrupted into Aghar-lurcher, signifying foal-field. 



Chuireadh e na searraich bho dheoghal. 



It would put the foals from sucking. So bitter or disgusting. 

 Chunnaic mi searrach (or searrachan), 's a chulaobh rium 's dh' 

 aithnich mi nach rachadh a' bhliadhn' ud leam. 



I saw a foal with his back to me, and I knew that year 

 to me bad would be. 

 This is one of the sayings attributed to the Cailleach bhearra, 

 a distinguished sybil. 



Cuid an t-searraich de'n chleith. 



The foal's share of the harrow. Going beside his dam. 

 Searrach na seann larach, cha bhi tighinn a mach ann. 



An old mare's foal will never come to much. 

 Searrach seann larach an greidh, aon de thriuir is meamnaich' 

 air bith. 



The foal of an old mare in a herd, one of three of the 

 merriest things alive. 



