206 Gl'EHXSIOY WEA'I'm<:iI LOIMO. 



and his horse). C/t^cst Id jdlie (VFei^rier (jiii fait flenri Ics 

 ponmicrs (It's February's rain that makes the apple-trees 

 blossom). 



A favourite saying concerning the season of fruit 

 gathering, runs : Quand irlciit la Saint Micliie, pmnc on 

 paire tu peux quiyer (when once Michaelmas has come, you 

 may pick apples or pears). Another refers to two common 

 garden Aveeds, Avhich close their petals on the apj)roach 

 of rain : Quand au fain tu travaillc^ (jnetto. la jnmjjernelle 

 ou la vdille (When you are haymaking, watch the pimpernel 

 or the bindweed). It is also a sign of rain coming 

 when cocks crow at roosting time, and cold weather is not 

 far off when the coals in the fire burn with a blue flame. 



These are some of the old Guernsey proverbs about 

 the weather and the seasons, which I remember having 

 heard used by the old people living chiefly in the northern 

 part of the island. But of course many others are in 

 common use which I have not mentioned, because I did not 

 think it necessary to note those already recorded in the 

 late Sir Edgar MacCulloch's excellent book on Guernsey 

 Folk Lore. I know very well that a number of our common 

 proverbial sayings are the same as those used in England, 

 but it is for the purpose of helping to preserve them in 

 their dialect form that I have ventured to Avrite these 

 few notes, hoping that perhaps they may interest some 

 who are not familiar with our insular language. 



