166 GOAT 



" How the fox took a turn out of the goat," where this euphonious 

 description is given : — 



Na tri minneana mine-glas, 



Tarurgna taraghlas, drioinana dromaghlas ; 



Agus am boc ceannaglilas. 



The three kindly kidlings gray. 



With bellies gray-bellied, and with backs grey-backed ; 



And the buck grey head. 



An epithet applied to a to usy-headed child is " raisean," 

 goat's tail! In James Grant's Adventures of Iloh Rot/f we 

 are informed that when The Bruce was in hiding in a certain 

 cave at Inversnaid, he found himself surrounded by a flock of 

 wild mountain goats, whose lair the cave was. The king, however, 

 found himself so comfortable among them, that when peace was 

 restored and proclaimed by him, and Parliament met, he had a 

 law passed whereby all goats should be grass-mail (rent) free. 

 If so this law can yet be found in the Statute Book. It is worth 

 mentioning that the parchment of the oldest MS. written in 

 Scotland, viz., a copy of Adamnan's Life of Si Columha, ante 

 713 A.D., is goatskin. Cameron in his Gaelic naines for plants, 

 etc., says the plant louse-wort or red-rattle is called, inter alia, 

 Bainne gobhar, goats' milk, and thought to cause goats feeding 

 on it to yield more milk. Proverbial sayings are as follow : — 



Ag iarraidh, no a' cuairteachadh, gobhar gun fhios a dhath. 

 Seeking for a goat of an unknown colour. Asking for 

 what one knows nothing about. 

 An ni a chum an eidheann o na gobhair. 



That which kept the ivy from the goats. The inaccessibility 

 of the rock or wall. Goats are said to be very fond 

 of ivy. 

 Bainne nan gobhar fo chobhar 's e blath, 's e chuireadh an 

 spionnadh 's na daoine 'bha. 



'Tis the milk of the goat foaming and warm 

 That gave the strength to our sires before born. 



The following is a true saying ; as a cosmetic let the ladies try it. 



Sail chuaich ann am bainne ghobhar, 



Suath ri d' aghaidh, 's cha 'n 'eil mac righ air an domhain nach 

 bi na d' dheigheadh. 



With violets and the milk of goats anoint thy face freely. 



And every king's son in the world will be after thee (my dearie). 



Again, 



Is leigheas air gach tinn cneamh 'us im a Mhaigh ; 'us ol am 

 fochair sud 'm bainne ghobhar ban. 



To heal all disease, take garlic and May butter ; and drink 



