Manx Notes and Queries Ed; C. Roeder

⇦ Manx Notes and Queries Ed; C. Roeder

Manx	English
	[1][1] STORY OF THE BEESTUNG PARSON. Among the old stories which I have obtained from the South of the Island, at Cregneish, the one of the bee-stung parson is of particular interest. It was given me in Manx, and runs thus: —
[1] IoME, Sat, Sep 21, 1901; Page: 3
Ta mee er chlashtyn skeeal veg mysh saggyrt ren coyrt e vreechyn gys thalear dy cherraghey ad fastyr Jesarn, as ren yn thalear cur e[2] vac thie lhieu moghrey Jydoonee.	I have heard a little tale about a parson that sent his pants to a tailor on Saturday evening to get mended, and the tailor sent his son with them on Sunday morning,
[2] e] original text; [y]
Myr ve er yn raad gys thie yn taggyrt, haink eh er edd shellan, as ghow eh breechyn yn taggyrt dy yeealley ny shellanyn ersooyl.	and he came on a bees’ nest and he took the parson’s pants to beat the bees.
As tra ve er gheddyn yn vill hie eh gys thie yn taggyrt lesh ny breechyn.	When he got the honey he went on his way to the parson’s house,
Ren eh lhiggey shaghey spooileil ny shellanyn, as ve traa da’n saggyrt dy gholl ayns yn keeil, chur eh ny breechyn er ayns siyr, as ghow eh toshiaght dy lhaih ny padjeryn ayns y keeyl as ghow ny shellanyn toshiaght dy chur nyn gahyn ayns e lheeayst, as ghow eh toshiaght dy lheimyragh as dy stampey, as haink eh magh lesh goan nagh row cairagh dy ve loayrit ayns keeyl:—	and as he had delayed by robbing the bees’ nest, it was about time for the parson to go to church. So he put on the pants in a hurry, and began to read the prayers in the church, and the bees began to sting his thighs, and he began to jump and stamp, until at last he came out with words that were unlawful to be said in church :—
Va er ve paart dy shellanyn ayns e vreechyn.	Some of the bees had been in the pants.
	[3] MANX PROVERBS [3]
[3] IoME, Sat, Sep 28, 1901; Page: 3
Tra ta bayrn er Baroole	When Barrule will have a cap,
Yiow Kione Vaughold ayrn jeh shen	Maughold Head will get a share of that,
Tra ta’n lhie er thie Bushel	When snow lies on Bushel’s House.
Bee eh tammylt roish nee eh tenniu.	It will be a while before it thaws.
	[5] Perhaps the following Manx charm will be of interest:—
Kys Dy Lhiettal Roie Foalley !—Pishag.	HOW TO STOP BLOOD! — A CHARM.
Trooid magh yn Ellan shoh veagh persoonyn (deiney dy-cadjin baghey lesh pishagyn oc oddagh lhiettal roie foalley.	Throughout this Island there used to be people (generally men) living with charms at them who could stop the running of blood.
Ayns Skeeyley Chreest ny Hayrey va dooinney baghey oddagh slaanaghey yn roie foalley ec deiney as beiyn myrgeddin.	In Kirk Christ Lezayre there was a man living who could heal the running of blood at men and beasts also.
Dy beagh muc ny booa lhiggey fuill roieagh yn theay faasechredjuagh dy gheddyn yn “fer-obbee.”	If there would be a pig or cow letting blood the superstitious peasantry would run to get the “charmer.” A few years ago
Shiartanse dy vleantyn er dy henney haghyr roie foalley ayns Laxey my-e-chione ta mee er chee dy insh diu.	there happened a running of blood in Laxey, about which I am going to tell you.
Va boirey eddyr daa phersoon, as va’n derrey yeh er woailley yn jeh elley er y chione lesh cainleyr, huitt y dooinney neealloo, as va’n uill deayrtey ass y lhott.	There was trouble between two persons, one had struck the other on the head with a candlestick, the man fell in a swoon, and the blood poured out of his wound.
Hug ad fys da’n “fer-obbee,” haink eh, as hug eh pishag er y dooinney boght.	They sent for the charmer, he came, and he put a charm on the poor man.
Ren yn uill sthappal! — agh roish my dug eh yn phishag er, hug eh boandeyaanrit er e lhott !	The blood stopped !— but before he put the charm on him he put a bandage on his wound.
	JUAN Y CRUIN.
	[6.] Manx Riddle.[4]
[4] IoME, Sat, Oct 05, 1901; P: 7
Myr yeeagh mee harrish boaley chastal my ayr, honnick mee yn marroo cur lesh ny bioee ersooyl.	In English :— As I looked over my father’s castle wall I saw the dead carrying the living away.
	Solution : A ship.
	[7] Puzzle
Abbyr : “abb” as ny gleaysh dty chab.	Say: “abb” without moving your chin.
	It was a kind of puzzle ; you cannot say “abb” without moving your chin.
	[8] SCAA BUGGANE USHAG
SCAA BUGGANE USHAG	“The ghost of a scarecrow” is an old coat and a hat set up to scare the birds away.
buggane doa,	‘adhering buggane’ alternative names for scaa buggane ushag
dollaghan
Gaarderyn Slock	Squalls of wind coming through the Slock.
	[9] Buggane-y-Smelt
Buggane-y-Smelt	The Buggane of the Smelt (was held in great fear). [The Smelt is at the Nennagh, close to the big mill. It was thought that the buggane was the spirit of some man that had been murdered there.]
Ny cur boirey orryms, as cha derrym boirey orts.	Don’t molest me and I will not molest thee.
[11] YN BROTT MIE.	[11] THE GOOD BROTH.
Keayrt dy row hie fer mooinjerey dy chur shillcy er e huyr va baghey ayns paart elley jeh’n Ellan.	Once upon a time i manservant went to see his sister who was living in another part of the Island.
Tra v’eh er roshtyn thie e hayrey va traa jinnairagh ayn, as va brott ec e huyr son jinnair.	When he arrived at his sister’s house it was dinner time, aud his sister had broth for dinner.
Hug ee paart da e braar[5], as choud as v’eh g’ee eh, v’ee gra rish, “Nagh vel shen brott mie Bovee!	She gave some to her brother, and all the time he was supping it, she kept saying to him, “Isn't that good broth, Boree[6]?
[5] Hug ee paart da e braar] original text gives; [Hug eh paart da e vraar]. [6] Bovee] The English version gives the name as [Boree].
Cha now brott mie myr shen voish Nancy (e ven) Var-a-mish!”	Thou’ll not get broth like that from Nancy (his wife) I’ll warrant.”
Dagh keayrt v’ee gra shoh, va Bovee freggyrt, “T’eh çheh, t’eh cheh,” as cha n’yiarragh eh dy row hh mie, as eiryn oyr shoh v’ee dy mooar seaghnit.	Every time she said this, Boree replied, “It's hot, it’s hot,” and she could not get him to say that it was good, a fact which annoyed her greatly.
Cha leah as va’n brott eeit ec Bovee, b’eign da goll er y raad dy-valley reesht.	As soon as he was done dinner, Boree had to start for home again.
Tra v’eh ersooyl, hooar ee magh nagh row yn eill currit ‘sy vrott eck.	When he had gone, she discovered that she had forgotten to put the meat in the broth.
“Ochannee,” dooyrt ee, “cha nhyrrys da Bovee gra, “T’eh çheh, t’eh çheh.”	“Aw well,” quoth she, “no wonder for Boree to say, “It’s hot, it’s hot.”
Tra v’eh ersooyl, hooar ee magh nagh row yn eill currit ‘sy vrott eck.	When he had gone, she discovered that she had forgotten to put the meat in the broth.
“Ochannee,” dooyrt ee, “cha nhyrrys da Bovee gra, “T’eh çheh, t’eh çheh.”	“Aw well,” quoth she, “no wonder for Boree to say, “It’s hot, it’s hot.”
	JUAN Y CRUIN.
	[15] OLD Manx Feminine Christian Name[7]
[7] IoME, Sat, Oct 19, 1901; Page: 3
[15] Bahee, Bahee, Bahie, Bahy, Baggy, [Puy, Puiy, Poy, Phiy]	Peg, Peggy,
Morgaid, Margeid.	Margaret,
[16] cowrey kerragh	[16] ear mark to identify sheep
beim er y chleaysh	ear mark to identify sheep
Scoltey ayns baare dagh cleaysh	a split [of half an inch] in the point of both ears
un howl	one hole
daa howl	two holes
Gow dy lhome as tar dy mollagh,	Go away bare, and come back rough,
Cur lesh dy eayn braue bwoirin.	Bring a good she-lamb and a good fleece ;
As dy loamrey braue saillagh :
My aikys oo moddey croym dty chione,	If you see a dog. stoop your head
As my aikys oo maarliagh, roie er-y-hon.	And if you see a thief run for it.
	[18] Laa Boaldyn (May Day)[8]
[8] IoME, Sat, Oct 26, 1901; P: 6
Bwillogh	Marsh marigold caltha palustris
	[19] THE WITCH OF GLEN Rushen.
IoME, Sat, Nov 02, 1901; P: 7
gobbag	dog-fish [The witch could command them to eat and destroy the fishermen’s nets]
cullee [cooillee]	bedchamber
	[20] The Buggane at Fistard
buggane (fistard)	black cat that upon being kicked grows into a big black bull with long horns.
un howl	[21] Manx Christian Names
daa howl
Bahee	In he North of the Isle of Man the same word was equivalent to the English name] Phoebe.
Peggy, Puy	Margaret, Maggie
	[23] The Foxglove, Digitalis purpurea[9]
[9] IoME, Sat, Nov 09, 1901; P: 8
slieggan slieau, sleggan slieau, slegon slieau, slaghan shlieau, slingan slieau, slian slieau, slang y slieau, claggan slieau	foxglove
	[25] MANX FISHING - BOAT NAMES [10]. I have collected a number of old Manx names given by the fishermen to their boats, which are both interesting and instructive. I hope others may add to the list. The names come from the south-east of the Island :—
[10] IoME, Sat, Nov 16, 1901; P:5
Collagh vuck	Boar
Muck vooar	big pig
Muck veg	little pig
Loayr ghoal	blind mare
Molt	wether
Cabbyl shuttle	shuttle horse
Thollag faiyr	tit-mouse
Guiy niinnagh	nippy goose
Shellan tarroogh	busy bee
Shellan mill	honey bee
Kishan shellan	beehive
Colmane	dove
Beisht y Kione Dhoo	The Beast of Black Head
Glashtin mooar	Big glashtin
Glashtin. beg	Little glashtin
Ben-rein fairish	Fairy queen
Buggane y Smelt -	The Buggane of the Smelt
Bill ny fairishyn	fairy Bill
Kione mooar	big head
Jenny stoamey—	bonny Jane
Ben aeg stoamey—	bonny lass
Kitty Balda—	Kitty of Balda
Kerry thoin mooar	big-backed [big bottom] Katherine
Guilley mie	favourite.
Breeshyn yn Joan Doghernee	John Doghernee's breeches.
Baatey yn clieau	[the] mountain boat.
Baatey chirrym	dry boat
Billey feeyney	vine tree
Corlhea	[the name of a farm]
Buinney cabbash—	cabbage stalk
Collagh sniper	the snipe fish; [11]
[11] “when they made sharp bows in the boats they called them sniper bows.”
Smugler mooar—	big smuggler
Boteil-	bottle
Clep	boat-hook
Lhiattee yiarn	Iron-side.
Trattley	the name was ‘Australia’ but pronounced ‘Trattley’ by the owner.
	[26.] AN OLD MANX HARVEST RHYME.
Ta mee er shleeu[12] my corran dy-geyre,	I have whetted my sickle sharp,
[12] er shleeu] ‘whetted’ / ‘honed’. In the origianl text [shleeuit] — an error as a verb is required here. In the 1904 reprint of Manx Notes and Quieries this was changed to [er leeu], which seems to be a typo [er shleeu].
Dy ghiarrey yn coonlagh marish yn faiyr,	To cut the straw- and the grass,
Dy laboragh fo chiass yn ghrian,	To toil under the heat of the sun,
Gollish myr dy beign ’sy cheayn,	Sweating as if I was in the sea,
Dy chart ny bunneeyn fo haiee,	That I may get the sheaves under the kiln.
As paart dy lhie er yn laare-vooiee.	And some laid on the threshing floor.
	[27] THE MERMAN.
Tra veagh ad fakin eh, veagh ad jannoo braghtan dy arran corkey as eeym, as ceau magh eh.	When they saw him they made a cake of oaten bread and butter and threw it out.
Ta mee cr clashtyn jeh dooinney ren cheet er unnane jeu er y traie, as ren eh coyrt eh ayns yn cheayn reesht;	I have heard of a man that came on one of them on the shore, and put him in the sea again ;
ny lurg shen, tra veagh sterrym er gerrey, veagh yn pohllinagh çheet dy chur raaue da, as cha row eh goit ayns sterrym, choud as ve gholl gys yn cheayn.	after that when there was a storm near, the merman was always coming to inform him, and he was not caught in a storm as long as he went out to sea.
	[28] FRAGMENT OF AN OLD SONG.
Ta’n ushag veg ruy ersooyl gys y chrouw,	The little brown bird has gone to the bush,
Ny eayin gys ny moiraghyn roie.	The lambs to their mothers now run.
Ta’n oie er yn aarkey lesh co caslys grouw,	The night on the ocean appears gloomy.
Dy gastey cheet voish y shiar-hwoaie.	And quickly comes from the north-east.
Ta fainagh ny ghreiney ersooyl harrish ’oyr,	The chariot of the sun is gone over the edge
Gys faarkaghyn lhean y sheear-ass,	To the wide waves of the south-west.
Ta’n eayst ayns shiar er n’irree ayns gloyr,	And the moon in the east is risen in glory,
As yn sheear ayns e[13] coamrey glass.	And the west in its robe of gray.
[13] e] original text gives [y], rather than [e].
	[29] The Manx May Flowers[14]
[14] IoME, Sat, Nov 23, 1901; P: 7
lus y voaldyn	marsh marigold
bellióch, bwillògh, booaliugh, bluight,
bliughtagh vlieaun	cowslip
	[31.] MANX NAMES OF FISH AND SHELL FISH.[15]
[15] IoME, Sat, Nov 30, 1901; P: 6 Appended below are the Manx names of the piscatorial family, which will no doubt be of interest to Manx fishermen. As it would be very desirable to make the list as complete a one as possible, criticism and corrections are invited. There are many old Manxmen with whom not a few of these names will be familiar, and there are many points which may require clearing up, so I shall esteem it a pleasure to have the list freely criticised. In some cases, two or more Manx names appear for one fish, in others it is hard to determine their English equivalent, while a great many seem to have no Manx name. Some of these are merely translations of their English equivalents, which I have taken the liberty to make. No doubt, not a few of these have Manx names, so I hope that Manx fishermen will peruse the list, and send in any additions or corrections. A list of animals, birds, insects, etc., will follow in due course. J. J. K.
Eeast-Vaynagh	Angel or Monk Fish
Eeast-Foillycan	Butterfly Fish
Carroo	Carp
Cabbyl Marrey	Sea-Horse
Boiddagh	Cod
Boiddagh	Cod, rock
Partan (Ruy)	Crab
Partan Sidoor	Crab, soldier
Gimmagh Awin	Cray Fish
Gobbag, Gobbag Ghoal	Dog Fish
Astan	Eel
Astan Vooar	Conger Eel
Liehbage	Flounder, Flook
Eeast Etlee	Flying Fish
Perkyn Vooar	Grampus
Kione-Tramman	Gudgeon
Crodane	Gurnard
Crodane Ghlass	Gurnard, gray
Attag	Haddock
Skeddan	Herring
Flitter, Baarnagh	limpet,
Gimmagh	Lobster
Brack-Varrey (Cheayin)	Mackerel
Burdoge	Minow
Gobdoo	Mussel
Hullad-Varrey	Sea-Owl
Ooastyn	Oyster
Liehbage Vreck	Plaice
Perkyn	Porpoise
Braddan	Salmon
Brack Ghlaal	Salmon Trout
Eeast Saaue	Saw Fish
Moddey Oayldey Marrey	Sea Wolf
Sharkagh, Bock Glass	Shark
Strimp	Shrimp
Scarrag	Skate
Liehbage Chiare	Sole
Eeast Jiolee	Sucking Fish
Eeast Greiney	Sun Fish
Eeast Cliwe	Sword Fish
Bollan	Tench
Gallley	Toad Fish
Brack (Pern)	Trout
Eeast Hellym	Trumpet Fish
Turbait	Turbot
Eeast Eairkagh	Sea Unicorn
Fynnag	Whiting
Mwatlag, Buckee	Whelk
Blockan	Pollock Fish
Feoghaig	Periwinkle
Gibbin	Sand Eel
Gibbin-Kialgerey	Stinging Sand Eel
Raucan	Scallop
Giarechutt	(?)
Callag,	(?)
Keilleig [16]	(?)
[16] [Callag] and [Keilleig] are likely variants of [callig] ‘pollock’.
Bulkione	(?)
	[There seems to be no Manx equivalent for the following :—
	Admiral, Anchovey, Bream, Chama, Char, Chub, Cockle, Dace, Dolphin, John Doree, Father Lasher, Gar Fish, Grayling, Horned Silure, Kraken, Lucerna, Lump Fish, Narval, Perch, Pike, Pilchard, Pilot Fish, Prawn, Reinora, Roach, Flying Scorpion, Smelt, Snipe Shell, Sparling, Sprat, Sturgeon, Thornback, Torpedo Whale.
	[32] THE MANX SHEALINGS OR AIREYS.[17]
[17] IoME, Sat, Nov 30, 1901; P: 7
airey, ary, eairey, irey, harry, ari, eree	shealing, fair pasture on the upland hills, a place for summer grazing
	[34] LITTLE AND BIG CHRISTMAS.[18]
[18] IoME, Sat, Dec 07, 1901; P: 6
	They used to, and still call the new Christmas the little Christmas, and the old Christmas, the big Christmas, and most of the houses in Cregneish had a stone bench near the front door, to set tubs and other things on to dry. It was called bink, in Manx, and when the Christmas was very near at hand, they used to say : it is under the bench, that is to say, at the door ; and the big Christmas is at the back of the house 'cooil’, that was — it is near, when we’ll get ale to drink and pie with merry cheer. The people of Cregneish keep old Christmas, for they think it is the right Christmas. Old saying of people at Christmas time:
Ta’n ullick veg fo’n vink,	The little Christmas is under the bench .
Ta’n ullick vooar cooil thie,	The big Christmas at the back of the house,
Tra yiow mayd lune dy iu,	When we will get ale to drink,
As glout browe mooar dy fie.	And a good big lump of pie.
	[35] CHRISTMAS SONG.
	The old men at Christmas times was dancing in the public-houses and singing:—
Darrey dy Graase Vorgaig,	Dorothy Grace Margaret, Never saw I the like of you ;
Dy vaik mee rieau dty lheid ;	A Fiddler in Bradda, and piper in the Howe,
Fiddler ayns Bradda, as piver s’yn Howe,	And old sore Tommy at home, playing with the tongs.
As shen Hommy gonnagh ec y thie cloie er yn clou.
	[36] CHRISTMAS CUSTOM.[19]
[19] IoME, Sat, Dec 14 1901; P: 6
	In old times the farmers and fishermen used at Christmas time, after coming from the Oie’l Verree to go to a public-house and have a spree of Manx ale.
jough vie	a spree of Manx ale
Ta tree gholl thie dy gholl dy lhie	It’s time to go home to go to bed
	[37] THE MANX UNNESUP.[20]
[20] IoME, Sat, Dec 21, 1901; P: 6
	I alluded in the first part of my Manx Folklore (see Lioar Vanninagh) to a custom still remembered in Cregneish on Christmas. The fiddlers then used to go about after twelve o’clock playing and singing some Manx song which they called the Unnesup. It ran thus:—
Goll er yn Unnesup,	Going on the ‘unnesup’,
goll er yn Unnesup,	going on the ‘unnesup’,
Daa oor roish yn laa,	Two hours before daybreak,
Dooinney ta ny lhie marish ben dooinney elley,	A man that is in bed with another man’s woman,
Te bwaagh dy girree ayns traa.	He is courteous to get up in time.
Goll er yn Unnesup,	Going on the ‘unnesup’,
goll er yn Unnesup,	going on the ‘unnesup’,
Daa oor lurg y mean oie,	Two hours after midnight,
Dooinney ta ny lhie marish ben dooinney elley,	A man that is in bed with another man’s woman,
Te bwaagh dy girree ayns traa.	He is courteous to get up in time.
unnesup	a good thrashing, a clamour, a turbulent outcry
	[39] The Old Manx Braains
braain laue	a kind of mill similar to the quern, but made of harder stone
braain vwillin	A large scale mill
	[40] The Manx Carranes
Carrane	an oval piece of raw cow or horse hide, drawn neatly round the foot by thongs of the same material by means of holes in the margin. The hair was often kept inside for warmth, they were perfectly flexible and pierced with small holes for the purpose of allowing the water received in crossing rivers and morasses to escape.
	[41.] Fragment of an old song which used to be sung to the children :— [21]
[21] IoME, Sat, Jan 11, 1902; P: 7
Nagh ren mee my lhiabbee,	Did I not make my bed?
As hie my gys fea ?	And went to my rest ?
As haink mitchoor stiagh,	A rogue came in,
As cha s’aym quoi ve.	I know not who he was.
Nagh ren mee my lhiabbee?	Did I not make my bed?
As hie mee dy lhie ?	And then lay down ?
As tra dirree mee[22] moghrey,	When I rose in the morning
[22] mee] text gives [my] (typo).
Va’n lhiabbee fud thie.	My bed was scattered over I the house.
	And then there was the chorus :—
Yn cadley kiune or y beggan vree!	Oh ! the calm sleep of weakness,
Ny mooar y nhee haink orrym!	Whatever came over me! [lt; [Wasn’t what happened to me (a) big (matter)!]
	[42 ] THE UHSAG VEG RUY (another version).
Ushag veg ruy ny moanee doo,	Little red bird of the black heath,
Cre’d chaddil oo riyr s’yn oie?	Where slept thee last night in the night?
Nagh chaddil mish riyr er baare yn dress,	Didn’t I sleep last night on top of the brambles,
Tra va’n gheay sheidey gymmyrkey lesh.	When the wind blew, carrying away
Ushag veg ruy ny moanee doo,	Little red bird of the black heath,
Cre'd chaddil oo riyr s’yn oie ?	Where slept thee last night in the night?
Nagh chaddil mish riyr er baare y thooane,	Didn’t I sleep last night on top of the roof lath,
Myr shimmey mac dooinney t’er chadley ayn roym	As many the son of man has slept in before me
Ushag veg ruy ny moanee doo,	Little red bird of the black heath,
Cre’d chaddil oo riyr s’yn oie?	Where slept thee last night in the night?
Nagh chaddil mish riyr er baare y crouw,	Didn’t I sleep last on top of the bush,
Lesh fliaghey tuittym er dagh cheu.	With rain failling on every side
	It will be seen that this rendering differs from the one given in the Manx Ballads and Music by A. W. Moore, p. 43. It is by far better and more rational, and should be substituted instead for accompaniment of the music.
	[43] A SONG (fragment).
Mooinjer yn jiass ta bunnys roit ass,	The men of the South are nearly driven out,
Lesh gleck noi geay as tidey.	With striving against wind and tide.
Ta’n jough cheet stiagh, yn argid goll magh,	Ale comes in and money goes out,
As neddy Gawne yn eirey.	And Ned Gawne is the heir.
	*Ned Gawne was the great brewer.
	[44.] A wedding with none of the bride’s relatives was calleel a crow’s wedding, and we have the following rhyme :—
YN POOSEY BEG FANNAG	THE CROW’S LITTLE WEDDING
Poosey beg fannag	The little wedding of the crow
Hie shiar yn bayr,	Went over the road,
Gyn mummig ny jyssig,	Without mother and father,
Ny shuyr ny braar.	Or sister and brother.
	[45] SAYING.
Dy neeagh ny fee ny fannagyn,	If the raven would eat the crows,
As ny fannagyn ny fee,	And the crows eat the raven,
Cha beagh unnane er-mayrn,	There would not be one alive
Dy ee convayrt erbee.	To eat any carcas at all.
	[46] THE CAT AND THE MOUSE.
	Old women used to say this rhyme to the baby about the cat and the mouse :—
Lugh va sneeu er queeyl yn mwyllin,	A mouse was spinning on the mill wheel,
Haink yn kayt as yeeagh eh urree ;	Up came the cat and looked upon her;
Cre’n red t’ou jannoo my ven ainshter ?	What are you doing my landlady ?
Sneeu sheeidey as srol* da ben y ree.	Spinning silk and gauze* for the wife of the king.
Roish my jig bishaght ayn bainney yn baa,	Before the milk of the cows increases,
Beem’s kiart dy liooar my jig yn laa.	I'll be even with you before those days.
	* New to the Manx Dictionary.
	[47] PROVERBS AND SAYINGS.
Ta saynt shiaght saggyrtyn ayns dooinney dyn cloan, as ta saynt shiaght eirinee ayns dy chooilley haggyrt.	There is the greed of seven parsons in a man without children, and the greed of seven farmers in every parson.
	[48] I have heard a man, when fishing bollans at the rocks, saying :—
Bollan beg ny feeaklyn croie,	Little bollan with the sharp teeth,
Car uss rach, as veryms rach dt’oi.	Give me a rip, and I will rip against thee.
	[49.]
Er coonlagh ta arroo,	On straw is corn,
Cha vel veg er renniaght;	On fern is none ;
Ayns jiuys ta therr,	In fir is tar,
Cha vel veg ayns darragh ;	In oak is none ;
Ayns dorrys ta treiney,	In door is nail,
Ayns kurn ta jough.	In can is ale.
	[50 ] Part of a nursery song:—
Vuddee veg, vuddee veg, cur mysh dty vraagyn,	Little damsel, little damsel, put on your shoes,
Gow dy reih Balladool, ny Ballakeigyn.	Either Balladool, or Ballakeggan choose.
	[51] WEATHER RULES : [23]
[23] IoME, Sat, Jan 18, 1902; P: 7
VA’N SHEN SLEIH GRA:	The old people were saying:
Yn geay voish yn niar as yn fliaghey voish yn neear, Cha vel fastee rish cleigh ny thammag.	The wind from the east and the rain from the west,
	There is no shelter by a hedge or bush.
Kiune dy bra, geay jiass s’niesaey da; Tra ta bwoaillee ey yn ghrian vow mayd sterrym as fliaghey.	When it is very calm, south wind will come next; When there is a circle [lit; enclosure] round the sun, we will get rain and storm.
Tra ta yn geay shiedey ta yn muir radey.	When the wind blows the sea stirs.
Tra ta shag getlagh harrish yn thalloo,	When a cormorant flies over the land,
Dy row eh doora* fliaghey.	It was a sign of rain.
	*doora —, proof, evidence. [‘dearbhadh’ in Gaelic. This word is not noted in the Manx dictionary.]
	[52] WEATHER
	The weather the old Manx used to wish was—
Geurey rioagh as arragh kayagh.	A frosty winter and foggy spring.
Tra ta ny keyrrey ghoaill fastee, Cha bee e agh frass, agh tra t'ad gyndyr ayns y fliaghey,	When the sheep shelter in rain, it will be only a shower,
Bee a cheau son traa liauyr.	But when they browse in the rain, it will rain a power.
	It is just now (July) what the old fishermen used to call—when there was a calm at sea :—
Kiunid villish nagh dug rieau straiu[24] ayns craue dhooiney.	(Sweet calm that never sprained a man’s bone.)
[24] straiu] likely either a typo for English ‘stain’, or for Manx [strieu].
	[53] PROVERBS.
Nagh ghow gys dty obbyr laa fegooish brishey dty hrostey.	Don't go to your day-work without breaking your fast.
Doonaght sheeidey, shiaghtin kennipey	A silken Sunday, a hempen week.
Myr s’moo ny cheayney, Myr s’moo ny mooin.	The greater the crying, The greater the mooin [urine].
myr s'doo, s’graihagh	the blacker, the lovlier
	[54] PROVERBS AND SAYINGS.
My vac, my vac gys yow eh ben,	My son is my son till he gets a wife, But my daughter is my daughter all the days of her life.
Agh my inneen, my inneen aeg ny shenn.
Ta dhooiney ny ghaa leaystey yn clean,	Many a man is rocking the cradle, The child was not his own.
Nagh vel yn lhannoo bentyn da hene.
Baase mie mraane as aigh vie keyrragh	The death of wives and good luck for sheep
Ta er yannoo deiney ny ga berchagh.	Has made many men rich.
Ta’n dhooiney creeney smooniaghtyn ooilley ny ta gra,	The wise man thinks all that he says, But the fool says all that he thinks.
Agh ta’n ommidan gra ooilley ny te smooinaghtyn,
Raad ta mraane ta plate,	Where there are women there is talk, Where there are geese there is keck, Where there are tailors there are crabs [lice], Where there are carpenters, there are chips.
Raad ta guoiee ta keck,
Raad ta thalhearyn ta thollagyn,
As raad ta seyir ta spollagyn.
	This is given only fragmentarily in Moore's Folk Lore of the Isle of Man, see page 183.
Ta un red cur lesh red elley cordail rish [y] shen raa.	One thing brings another as the old proverb says.
Te ny share gholl dy lhie accrysaagh ny gholl dy lhie lesh bolg lane.	It is better to go to bed hungry than to go to bed with a full belly.
Ta carrey sy cooyrt ny share ny ping ’sy sporran.	A friend in court is better than a penny in the purse.
	[55. ] PROVERBS.
Ta e[25] aigney hene ec dooinney, agh ta e[26] raad hene ec ben	Man has his own will, but woman has her own way.
[25] original text gives [y], rather than [e]. [26] original text gives [y], rather than [e].
Yn doinney ta jeeaghyn dy mie lurg y[27] obbyr hene ta palchey ec eh [echey] dy yannoo.	The man who minds his own business well has always enough to do.
[27] original text gives [y], rather than [e].
Lhag laueys mergys yn annym.	Idleness is the rust of the soul.
Quoi erbee ta jeeaghyn son carrey fegooish foiljyn cha jean eh dy bragh geddyn shen ny te shirrey er y hon. Ta shin graihagh orrin hene lesh ooilley nyn voiljyn as lhissagh shin ve graihagh er nyn garjyn er yn aght cheddin.	Whoever looks for a friend without fault will never get what he seeks, we love ourselves with all our faults aud we ought to love our friends in like manner.
Ta jeih thousanyn jeh ny voiljjyn smoo ta ayns nyn nabooyn jeh ny sloo dy vadyr dooin ny yn foill sloo ta ayn-in-hene.	Ten thousand of the greatest faults in our neighbours are of less consequence than the smallest of our own.
Doinney ta poost ta y hreisiiteil roit ass,	A man that is married has lost all his hopes,
Te kiart gollrish muc lesh teidd er y chass.	He is just like a pig with her leg in a rope.
Sollan, sollan, sailley blass dy chooilley vee.	Salt, salt, bring taste to every meat; [was a proverb among the people, they liked plenty of salt in everything.]
	[58] THE NEW MOON.[28] It was thought unlucky to see the new moon through glass.
[28] IoME, Sat, Jan 25, 1902; P: 7
Ta mee er chlashtyn ad gra fakin yn eayst noa yn chied cheayrt :—	I have heard them say on seeing the new moon for the first time:—
Dy bannee Yee yn eayst noa,	God bless the new moon,
Dy bannee Yee mish troor cheayrtyn	God bless me three times,
Nagh doghan erbee cheet orroo	That no disease would fall upon them
Choud as vagh [veagh] yn eayst shen ayn.	As long as the moon was in.
	That was a charm to keep them without an accident, and to keep from gathering hands and and fingers while the moon lasted.
	[62] THE MANX COWEEE. [29]
[29] IoME, Sat, Feb 08, 1902; P: 6
	If you ask me the three things the old Manx worshipped above all things, from an epicurean point of view, I may whisper in your ear :
skeddan	herring
prinjeig	haggis
cowree	sowan* or flummery
Mooinjer ny gione veggey	The small head people (the ‘little people’)
Yee marin!	God with us!
	[66] Sundries[30]
[30] IoME, Sat, Mar 08, 1902; P: 6
Lhemeen y Sceddan	The Herring Moth [I have seen a very large moth sometimes come in the house late in the evening, when the weather was fine, and it was called the herring moth. When one was seen going about in the house they said there would be good herring fishing that night.]
Yn thollog faiyr	tit-mouse [was reckoned to be a very bad thing for cattle]
	[75] JACULATORY PRAYERS.[31]
[31] IoME, Sat, Mar 22, 1902; P: 6
Shee yee dy row marym	[The old people, when going out of the house at a late hour used t0 say] The peace of God be with me :
Dy bee Jee eddyr ayms as dy-chooilley ghrogh red	[going along the road if they got ‘fearful’ and feeling as if they walked in the air not feeling the ground under their feet, without seeing or hearing anything, the old folk used to say] God between me and all evil things.
Dy banney Jee eh (ish)	[When a baby sneezed it was the custom for the mother or some other woman present to say :] - God bless him (her) [and that is kept up still more or less by most of the country women in the Island.]
	[78] GAMES.
butt thurran, tip thurran	[We used to be playing, when I was a boy, in the farmer’s haggart, running among and around the corn stacks. One was putting his head against the stack, and the rest getting away among the other stacks, and then the one that was lying was coming out and trying to tip some one and make him lie in his stead, and if he chased one to a certain distance from his own stack, whoever would catch him, then he had to ride them back to his stand again. We used to spend moonlight evenings in the winter at that] game.
Stag yn ree.— [There was another] game	[we called stag yn ree. There would be about twenty of us gathering on moonlight evenings in winter, in a field, and casting lots who would be the stag, and whoever was the one he had ground marked out, and if he came beyond his boundaries, who ever would get behind and get hold of him, he had to ride him back to his stand ; and if the stag could tip one of the rest first, they had both to be stags and hold each other’s hands, and everyone they could tip had to join hands with them until they were all tipped; but the one at each end had authority to tip another, and when there would be a lot of them holding one another's bands, those that were free used to make a race at the middle of the line and burst through, and when the line would be broken, all the free ones would be catching hold of one and getting a ride on his back to the stand. If any of them could get to the stand without being caught, they had to ride no one. They had to continue until all were in the line, and then the first that had been caught by the first stag had to be stag himself for the next game.]
	[79] Scaayn GOANLYSAGH (MALICIOUS SPIRITS).[32]
[32] IoME, Sat, Mar 29, 1902; P: 6
Scaayn Goanlysagh	Spirits of living people haunting those they had any spite to.
	IoME, Sat, Apr 05, 1902; P: 6
	[80] AN OLD MANX PROVERB.
Tra ta’n gheay ’sy villey,	When the wind is in the tree,
Yiow shiu magh yn Glass ghuilley [guilley glesh, guilley glass].	Soon the lockman [a sort of sherrif’s officer] here will be.
fer croghee, crogheyder	executioner
	[81] YN DREAN (THE WREN).
Keayrt dy row va ny ushagyn chaglym dy hoiljaghey da y chooilley cre obbraghyn va’d son yannoo. Va’d loayrt unnane ec cheayrt, ginsh quoid dy eean va’d troggal, as cre cha mie va’d laboragh. Tra haink yn drean beg dy nish cre foddagh ee jannoo, dooyrt ee —	The birds all met together once upon a time to tell of all the great things they could do. They were speaking one at a time, saying how many young they were rearing, and how good they were labouring. When the little wren came to tell what he could do. he said:—
Myr s’beg mee hene,	Though I am light,
myr keyl my chass,	and my leg is small,
Un eean jeig verym lesh ass.	Eleven chicks I bring out for all.
	[82] MANX SEA LORE.
keayn ny traie	sea or tide
mollag fammyn	tail buoy
	[84, 85, 86] WITCHCRAFT[33]
[33] IoME, Sat, Apr 12, 1902; P: 6, Sat, Apr 19, 1902; P: 6, Sat, Apr 26, 1902; P:
fer obbee	sorcerer, wizard
bouch crout	??
buitch	witch
cailleach [caillagh]	an old woman possessed with a sprit of prophesying.
crosag [croshag]	amulet — the great Christian Talisman
pishag	charm[s]
doo-spyrryd	black spirit
drogh spyrryd	evil spirit
ny keimee as ny cughtee	the church stiles and the houghs
three mraane aegey haink harrish yn ushtey	three young women who came over the water
drui, druai,	a druid, wizard, charmer
druiaghtagh	enchanter, charmer, wizard
Fer druiagh	a wizard
Druiaght,	charm.
laue druiaght	Chiromancy
marroo druiaght	necromancy
fer druiaght	necromancer
cloagey druiagh,	invisible cloak, (rendering invisible at pleasure the person who wore it).
cowrey druiagh	amulet
fer obbagh	wizard
Buitch	witch
buitchyn	witches
faaishneyder	wizard, juggler
spyrrydyn faishnee	familiar spirits
fir faishnee	wizards
faaishnys	charm
fer ysseree, fer fysseree	sorcerer
caillagh ny ghuesagh	the hag or witch of spells
cailleach [caillagh] vear,1	A [caillagh] that sends destructive tempests
cailleach [caillagh] ny faitheag	prophetess, witch
Pisag	spell, conjuration, amulet
Guesag	spell, charm
Rhusagh	amulet
Duilgarnee, Doalgaanhee	a charm, a darkness cast upon the eyes by witchcraft or to see everything double
	A Charm against the Fairies.
Shee Yee as shee ghooinney,	Peace of God and peace of man,
Shee Yee er Columb-Killey,	Peace of God on Columb Killey,
Er dagh uinnag, er dagh ghorrys,	On each window and each door .
Er dagh howl joaill stiagh yn Re-hollys,	On every hole admitting moonlight.
Er kiare corneilyn y thie.	On the four corners of the house,
Er y voayl ta mee my lhie,	On the place of my rest,
As shee Yee orrym pene.	And the peace of God on myself.
	AMULETS, ETC.
Sheean	a charm, fortune
Gwee, guee	pray, intreat, imprecate, curse
	[89.] Ghaw Ving.—Between Fleshwick Bay and Bradda Head there is “Castle” Rock, called called Cashtal Backley, or Seckley, and at its outside is a cave, Ghaw Ving, so named on account of the echo that it produces. I have no doubt that it has been a place where the old Manx repeated charms. When an infant was sick, and thinking it would die, they used to go to the Ghaw Ving for it, and repeat :—
Ghaw ving, Ghaw ving,	Ghaw ving, Ghaw ving,
Curjeead [Cur jeed] yn throo;	Put off the envy;
Va’n lhannoo ching jea,	The child was sick yesterday,
As bee eh ny share jiu.	And it will be better today
cughtagh	evil spirit, bugbear, hobgoblin
	[92] CHARM TO PROTECT HORSE AND PLOUGH.[34]
[34] IoME, Sat, May 03, 1902; P: 6
mooin	urine, piss, pee, chamberlye
	[93] The Cabbyl Ushtey
Cabbyl Ushtey	Water Kelpie, Water Wraith, Each Uisge
cabbyl ny hoie, glashtin	night horse (grey)
dub	pool
Nigison, Nikison	a haunted pool, a water nixie
	[94] LHIANNAN SHEE
lhiannan shee	familiar spirit
	[95] THE DOOINNEY OIE
dooinney oie	nightman [a kind of tutelar spirit, attached to certain families, and the fore-warner of coming ill-fortune or calamity]
	[96] THE TARROO USHTEY
tarroo ushtey	[a harmless creature, which mixes and breeds with the farmer's cattle, known by its sparkling eyes and short ears. It prefers swampy places and streams.]
	[97] THE BUGGANE[35]
[35] IoME, Sat, May 10, 1902; P: 6
buggane	a creature of which the Manx peasantry stood always in great fear and trepidation.
Keeil Pharick y drummagh
Ringian	St. Trinian
Ghaw ny Spyrryd	Cove of the Spirit(s)
Buggane y Chione dhoo	The Buggane of Black Head
noid ny hanmey	‘the enemy of the soul’ (the devil)
Keeil Pharick	St Patrick’s Church
Laair vane	white mare mummery [was performed in the island, even within recent years. This was a horse's head, and so contrived that the person who had charge of it and concealed under a white sheet, was able to snap the mouth at the guests].
	[98] GLASHAN — MANX BROWNIE[36]
[36] IoME, Sat, May 17, 1902; P: 6
glashan	[Of these we seem to have in the Island two distinct sets, the semi-domesticated and the roaming or wild Glashan. The former attaches himself to the farmer and his stead, and good-naturally assists him, for little, in his labour; while the other, more sullen and intractable, and a rather savage specimen, roams at large, haunting and preferring the lonely glens, caves, and moorland shelters. Both have this in common that they are big powerful men, very hairy and shaggy, and dark complexioned, who disdain (for they wear, of course, skins, and grow long hair) the offer of cap, coat, shirt, and breeches.]
	[99] THE FINNODDEREE.[37]
[37] IoME, Sat, May 24, 1902; P: 6
Finnodderee [Phynnodderee]	A powerful and strong giant, covered like a he-goat with shaggy hair, disdains clothing, distinct from the Glashan, or Manx Brownie.
lus ny ollee	cattle herb
	[116.] FAIRIES[38]
[38] IoME, Sat, Jul 12, 1902; P: 6

Manx

English

[1][1] STORY OF THE BEESTUNG PARSON. Among the old stories which I have obtained from the South of the Island, at Cregneish, the one of the bee-stung parson is of particular interest. It was given me in Manx, and runs thus: —

[1] IoME, Sat, Sep 21, 1901; Page: 3

Ta mee er chlashtyn skeeal veg mysh saggyrt ren coyrt e vreechyn gys thalear dy cherraghey ad fastyr Jesarn, as ren yn thalear cur e[2] vac thie lhieu moghrey Jydoonee.

I have heard a little tale about a parson that sent his pants to a tailor on Saturday evening to get mended, and the tailor sent his son with them on Sunday morning,

[2] e] original text;

[y]

Myr ve er yn raad gys thie yn taggyrt, haink eh er edd shellan, as ghow eh breechyn yn taggyrt dy yeealley ny shellanyn ersooyl.

and he came on a bees’ nest and he took the parson’s pants to beat the bees.

As tra ve er gheddyn yn vill hie eh gys thie yn taggyrt lesh ny breechyn.

When he got the honey he went on his way to the parson’s house,

Ren eh lhiggey shaghey spooileil ny shellanyn, as ve traa da’n saggyrt dy gholl ayns yn keeil, chur eh ny breechyn er ayns siyr, as ghow eh toshiaght dy lhaih ny padjeryn ayns y keeyl as ghow ny shellanyn toshiaght dy chur nyn gahyn ayns e lheeayst, as ghow eh toshiaght dy lheimyragh as dy stampey, as haink eh magh lesh goan nagh row cairagh dy ve loayrit ayns keeyl:—

and as he had delayed by robbing the bees’ nest, it was about time for the parson to go to church. So he put on the pants in a hurry, and began to read the prayers in the church, and the bees began to sting his thighs, and he began to jump and stamp, until at last he came out with words that were unlawful to be said in church :—

Va er ve paart dy shellanyn ayns e vreechyn.

Some of the bees had been in the pants.

[3] MANX PROVERBS [3]

[3] IoME, Sat, Sep 28, 1901; Page: 3

Tra ta bayrn er Baroole

When Barrule will have a cap,

Yiow Kione Vaughold ayrn jeh shen

Maughold Head will get a share of that,

Tra ta’n lhie er thie Bushel

When snow lies on Bushel’s House.

Bee eh tammylt roish nee eh tenniu.

It will be a while before it thaws.

[5] Perhaps the following Manx charm will be of interest:—

Kys Dy Lhiettal Roie Foalley !—Pishag.

HOW TO STOP BLOOD! — A CHARM.

Trooid magh yn Ellan shoh veagh persoonyn (deiney dy-cadjin baghey lesh pishagyn oc oddagh lhiettal roie foalley.

Throughout this Island there used to be people (generally men) living with charms at them who could stop the running of blood.

Ayns Skeeyley Chreest ny Hayrey va dooinney baghey oddagh slaanaghey yn roie foalley ec deiney as beiyn myrgeddin.

In Kirk Christ Lezayre there was a man living who could heal the running of blood at men and beasts also.

Dy beagh muc ny booa lhiggey fuill roieagh yn theay faasechredjuagh dy gheddyn yn “fer-obbee.”

If there would be a pig or cow letting blood the superstitious peasantry would run to get the “charmer.” A few years ago

Shiartanse dy vleantyn er dy henney haghyr roie foalley ayns Laxey my-e-chione ta mee er chee dy insh diu.

there happened a running of blood in Laxey, about which I am going to tell you.

Va boirey eddyr daa phersoon, as va’n derrey yeh er woailley yn jeh elley er y chione lesh cainleyr, huitt y dooinney neealloo, as va’n uill deayrtey ass y lhott.

There was trouble between two persons, one had struck the other on the head with a candlestick, the man fell in a swoon, and the blood poured out of his wound.

Hug ad fys da’n “fer-obbee,” haink eh, as hug eh pishag er y dooinney boght.

They sent for the charmer, he came, and he put a charm on the poor man.

Ren yn uill sthappal! — agh roish my dug eh yn phishag er, hug eh boandeyaanrit er e lhott !

The blood stopped !— but before he put the charm on him he put a bandage on his wound.

JUAN Y CRUIN.

[6.] Manx Riddle.[4]

[4] IoME, Sat, Oct 05, 1901; P: 7

Myr yeeagh mee harrish boaley chastal my ayr, honnick mee yn marroo cur lesh ny bioee ersooyl.

In English :— As I looked over my father’s castle wall I saw the dead carrying the living away.

Solution : A ship.

[7] Puzzle

Abbyr : “abb” as ny gleaysh dty chab.

Say: “abb” without moving your chin.

It was a kind of puzzle ; you cannot say “abb” without moving your chin.

[8] SCAA BUGGANE USHAG

SCAA BUGGANE USHAG

“The ghost of a scarecrow” is an old coat and a hat set up to scare the birds away.

buggane doa,

‘adhering buggane’ alternative names for scaa buggane ushag

dollaghan

Gaarderyn Slock

Squalls of wind coming through the Slock.

[9] Buggane-y-Smelt

Buggane-y-Smelt

The Buggane of the Smelt (was held in great fear). [The Smelt is at the Nennagh, close to the big mill. It was thought that the buggane was the spirit of some man that had been murdered there.]

Ny cur boirey orryms, as cha derrym boirey orts.

Don’t molest me and I will not molest thee.

[11] YN BROTT MIE.

[11] THE GOOD BROTH.

Keayrt dy row hie fer mooinjerey dy chur shillcy er e huyr va baghey ayns paart elley jeh’n Ellan.

Once upon a time i manservant went to see his sister who was living in another part of the Island.

Tra v’eh er roshtyn thie e hayrey va traa jinnairagh ayn, as va brott ec e huyr son jinnair.

When he arrived at his sister’s house it was dinner time, aud his sister had broth for dinner.

Hug ee paart da e braar[5], as choud as v’eh g’ee eh, v’ee gra rish, “Nagh vel shen brott mie Bovee!

She gave some to her brother, and all the time he was supping it, she kept saying to him, “Isn't that good broth, Boree[6]?

[5] Hug ee paart da e braar] original text gives;

[Hug eh paart da e vraar].

[6] Bovee] The English version gives the name as

[Boree].

Cha now brott mie myr shen voish Nancy (e ven) Var-a-mish!”

Thou’ll not get broth like that from Nancy (his wife) I’ll warrant.”

Dagh keayrt v’ee gra shoh, va Bovee freggyrt, “T’eh çheh, t’eh cheh,” as cha n’yiarragh eh dy row hh mie, as eiryn oyr shoh v’ee dy mooar seaghnit.

Every time she said this, Boree replied, “It's hot, it’s hot,” and she could not get him to say that it was good, a fact which annoyed her greatly.

Cha leah as va’n brott eeit ec Bovee, b’eign da goll er y raad dy-valley reesht.

As soon as he was done dinner, Boree had to start for home again.

Tra v’eh ersooyl, hooar ee magh nagh row yn eill currit ‘sy vrott eck.

When he had gone, she discovered that she had forgotten to put the meat in the broth.

“Ochannee,” dooyrt ee, “cha nhyrrys da Bovee gra, “T’eh çheh, t’eh çheh.”

“Aw well,” quoth she, “no wonder for Boree to say, “It’s hot, it’s hot.”

Tra v’eh ersooyl, hooar ee magh nagh row yn eill currit ‘sy vrott eck.

When he had gone, she discovered that she had forgotten to put the meat in the broth.

“Ochannee,” dooyrt ee, “cha nhyrrys da Bovee gra, “T’eh çheh, t’eh çheh.”

“Aw well,” quoth she, “no wonder for Boree to say, “It’s hot, it’s hot.”

JUAN Y CRUIN.

[15] OLD Manx Feminine Christian Name[7]

[7] IoME, Sat, Oct 19, 1901; Page: 3

[15] Bahee, Bahee, Bahie, Bahy, Baggy, [Puy, Puiy, Poy, Phiy]

Peg, Peggy,

Morgaid, Margeid.

Margaret,

[16] cowrey kerragh

[16] ear mark to identify sheep

beim er y chleaysh

ear mark to identify sheep

Scoltey ayns baare dagh cleaysh

a split [of half an inch] in the point of both ears

un howl

one hole

daa howl

two holes

Gow dy lhome as tar dy mollagh,

Go away bare, and come back rough,

Cur lesh dy eayn braue bwoirin.

Bring a good she-lamb and a good fleece ;

As dy loamrey braue saillagh :

My aikys oo moddey croym dty chione,

If you see a dog. stoop your head

As my aikys oo maarliagh, roie er-y-hon.

And if you see a thief run for it.

[18] Laa Boaldyn (May Day)[8]

[8] IoME, Sat, Oct 26, 1901; P: 6

Bwillogh

Marsh marigold caltha palustris

[19] THE WITCH OF GLEN Rushen.

IoME, Sat, Nov 02, 1901; P: 7

gobbag

dog-fish [The witch could command them to eat and destroy the fishermen’s nets]

cullee [cooillee]

bedchamber

[20] The Buggane at Fistard

buggane (fistard)

black cat that upon being kicked grows into a big black bull with long horns.

un howl

[21] Manx Christian Names

daa howl

Bahee

In he North of the Isle of Man the same word was equivalent to the English name] Phoebe.

Peggy, Puy

Margaret, Maggie

[23] The Foxglove, Digitalis purpurea[9]

[9] IoME, Sat, Nov 09, 1901; P: 8

slieggan slieau, sleggan slieau, slegon slieau, slaghan shlieau, slingan slieau, slian slieau, slang y slieau, claggan slieau

foxglove

[25] MANX FISHING - BOAT NAMES [10]. I have collected a number of old Manx names given by the fishermen to their boats, which are both interesting and instructive. I hope others may add to the list. The names come from the south-east of the Island :—

[10] IoME, Sat, Nov 16, 1901; P:5

Collagh vuck

Boar

Muck vooar

big pig

Muck veg

little pig

Loayr ghoal

blind mare

Molt

wether

Cabbyl shuttle

shuttle horse

Thollag faiyr

tit-mouse

Guiy niinnagh

nippy goose

Shellan tarroogh

busy bee

Shellan mill

honey bee

Kishan shellan

beehive

Colmane

dove

Beisht y Kione Dhoo

The Beast of Black Head

Glashtin mooar

Big glashtin

Glashtin. beg

Little glashtin

Ben-rein fairish

Fairy queen

Buggane y Smelt -

The Buggane of the Smelt

Bill ny fairishyn

fairy Bill

Kione mooar

big head

Jenny stoamey—

bonny Jane

Ben aeg stoamey—

bonny lass

Kitty Balda—

Kitty of Balda

Kerry thoin mooar

big-backed [big bottom] Katherine

Guilley mie

favourite.

Breeshyn yn Joan Doghernee

John Doghernee's breeches.

Baatey yn clieau

[the] mountain boat.

Baatey chirrym

dry boat

Billey feeyney

vine tree

Corlhea

[the name of a farm]

Buinney cabbash—

cabbage stalk

Collagh sniper

the snipe fish; [11]

[11] “when they made sharp bows in the boats they called them sniper bows.”

Smugler mooar—

big smuggler

Boteil-

bottle

Clep

boat-hook

Lhiattee yiarn

Iron-side.

Trattley

the name was ‘Australia’ but pronounced ‘Trattley’ by the owner.

[26.] AN OLD MANX HARVEST RHYME.

Ta mee er shleeu[12] my corran dy-geyre,

I have whetted my sickle sharp,

[12] er shleeu] ‘whetted’ / ‘honed’. In the origianl text

[shleeuit] — an error as a verb is required here. In the 1904 reprint of Manx Notes and Quieries this was changed to

[er leeu], which seems to be a typo

[er shleeu].

Dy ghiarrey yn coonlagh marish yn faiyr,

To cut the straw- and the grass,

Dy laboragh fo chiass yn ghrian,

To toil under the heat of the sun,

Gollish myr dy beign ’sy cheayn,

Sweating as if I was in the sea,

Dy chart ny bunneeyn fo haiee,

That I may get the sheaves under the kiln.

As paart dy lhie er yn laare-vooiee.

And some laid on the threshing floor.

[27] THE MERMAN.

Tra veagh ad fakin eh, veagh ad jannoo braghtan dy arran corkey as eeym, as ceau magh eh.

When they saw him they made a cake of oaten bread and butter and threw it out.

Ta mee cr clashtyn jeh dooinney ren cheet er unnane jeu er y traie, as ren eh coyrt eh ayns yn cheayn reesht;

I have heard of a man that came on one of them on the shore, and put him in the sea again ;

ny lurg shen, tra veagh sterrym er gerrey, veagh yn pohllinagh çheet dy chur raaue da, as cha row eh goit ayns sterrym, choud as ve gholl gys yn cheayn.

after that when there was a storm near, the merman was always coming to inform him, and he was not caught in a storm as long as he went out to sea.

[28] FRAGMENT OF AN OLD SONG.

Ta’n ushag veg ruy ersooyl gys y chrouw,

The little brown bird has gone to the bush,

Ny eayin gys ny moiraghyn roie.

The lambs to their mothers now run.

Ta’n oie er yn aarkey lesh co caslys grouw,

The night on the ocean appears gloomy.

Dy gastey cheet voish y shiar-hwoaie.

And quickly comes from the north-east.

Ta fainagh ny ghreiney ersooyl harrish ’oyr,

The chariot of the sun is gone over the edge

Gys faarkaghyn lhean y sheear-ass,

To the wide waves of the south-west.

Ta’n eayst ayns shiar er n’irree ayns gloyr,

And the moon in the east is risen in glory,

As yn sheear ayns e[13] coamrey glass.

And the west in its robe of gray.

[13] e] original text gives

[y], rather than

[e].

[29] The Manx May Flowers[14]

[14] IoME, Sat, Nov 23, 1901; P: 7

lus y voaldyn

marsh marigold

bellióch, bwillògh, booaliugh, bluight,

bliughtagh vlieaun

cowslip

[31.] MANX NAMES OF FISH AND SHELL FISH.[15]

[15] IoME, Sat, Nov 30, 1901; P: 6 Appended below are the Manx names of the piscatorial family, which will no doubt be of interest to Manx fishermen.

As it would be very desirable to make the list as complete a one as possible, criticism and corrections are invited. There are many old Manxmen with whom not a few of these names will be familiar, and there are many points which may require clearing up, so I shall esteem it a pleasure to have the list freely criticised. In some cases, two or more Manx names appear for one fish, in others it is hard to determine their English equivalent, while a great many seem to have no Manx name. Some of these are merely translations of their English equivalents, which I have taken the liberty to make. No doubt, not a few of these have Manx names, so I hope that Manx fishermen will peruse the list, and send in any additions or corrections. A list of animals, birds, insects, etc., will follow in due course. J. J. K.

Eeast-Vaynagh

Angel or Monk Fish

Eeast-Foillycan

Butterfly Fish

Carroo

Carp

Cabbyl Marrey

Sea-Horse

Boiddagh

Cod

Boiddagh

Cod, rock

Partan (Ruy)

Crab

Partan Sidoor

Crab, soldier

Gimmagh Awin

Cray Fish

Gobbag, Gobbag Ghoal

Dog Fish

Astan

Eel

Astan Vooar

Conger Eel

Liehbage

Flounder, Flook

Eeast Etlee

Flying Fish

Perkyn Vooar

Grampus

Kione-Tramman

Gudgeon

Crodane

Gurnard

Crodane Ghlass

Gurnard, gray

Attag

Haddock

Skeddan

Herring

Flitter, Baarnagh

limpet,

Gimmagh

Lobster

Brack-Varrey (Cheayin)

Mackerel

Burdoge

Minow

Gobdoo

Mussel

Hullad-Varrey

Sea-Owl

Ooastyn

Oyster

Liehbage Vreck

Plaice

Perkyn

Porpoise

Braddan

Salmon

Brack Ghlaal

Salmon Trout

Eeast Saaue

Saw Fish

Moddey Oayldey Marrey

Sea Wolf

Sharkagh, Bock Glass

Shark

Strimp

Shrimp

Scarrag

Skate

Liehbage Chiare

Sole

Eeast Jiolee

Sucking Fish

Eeast Greiney

Sun Fish

Eeast Cliwe

Sword Fish

Bollan

Tench

Gallley

Toad Fish

Brack (Pern)

Trout

Eeast Hellym

Trumpet Fish

Turbait

Turbot

Eeast Eairkagh

Sea Unicorn

Fynnag

Whiting

Mwatlag, Buckee

Whelk

Blockan

Pollock Fish

Feoghaig

Periwinkle

Gibbin

Sand Eel

Gibbin-Kialgerey

Stinging Sand Eel

Raucan

Scallop

Giarechutt

(?)

Callag,

(?)

Keilleig [16]

(?)

[16]

[Callag] and

[Keilleig] are likely variants of

[callig] ‘pollock’.

Bulkione

(?)

[There seems to be no Manx equivalent for the following :—

Admiral, Anchovey, Bream, Chama, Char, Chub, Cockle, Dace, Dolphin, John Doree, Father Lasher, Gar Fish, Grayling, Horned Silure, Kraken, Lucerna, Lump Fish, Narval, Perch, Pike, Pilchard, Pilot Fish, Prawn, Reinora, Roach, Flying Scorpion, Smelt, Snipe Shell, Sparling, Sprat, Sturgeon, Thornback, Torpedo Whale.

[32] THE MANX SHEALINGS OR AIREYS.[17]

[17] IoME, Sat, Nov 30, 1901; P: 7

airey, ary, eairey, irey, harry, ari, eree

shealing, fair pasture on the upland hills, a place for summer grazing

[34] LITTLE AND BIG CHRISTMAS.[18]

[18] IoME, Sat, Dec 07, 1901; P: 6

They used to, and still call the new Christmas the little Christmas, and the old Christmas, the big Christmas, and most of the houses in Cregneish had a stone bench near the front door, to set tubs and other things on to dry. It was called bink, in Manx, and when the Christmas was very near at hand, they used to say : it is under the bench, that is to say, at the door ; and the big Christmas is at the back of the house 'cooil’, that was — it is near, when we’ll get ale to drink and pie with merry cheer. The people of Cregneish keep old Christmas, for they think it is the right Christmas. Old saying of people at Christmas time:

Ta’n ullick veg fo’n vink,

The little Christmas is under the bench .

Ta’n ullick vooar cooil thie,

The big Christmas at the back of the house,

Tra yiow mayd lune dy iu,

When we will get ale to drink,

As glout browe mooar dy fie.

And a good big lump of pie.

[35] CHRISTMAS SONG.

The old men at Christmas times was dancing in the public-houses and singing:—

Darrey dy Graase Vorgaig,

Dorothy Grace Margaret, Never saw I the like of you ;

Dy vaik mee rieau dty lheid ;

A Fiddler in Bradda, and piper in the Howe,

Fiddler ayns Bradda, as piver s’yn Howe,

And old sore Tommy at home, playing with the tongs.

As shen Hommy gonnagh ec y thie cloie er yn clou.

[36] CHRISTMAS CUSTOM.[19]

[19] IoME, Sat, Dec 14 1901; P: 6

In old times the farmers and fishermen used at Christmas time, after coming from the Oie’l Verree to go to a public-house and have a spree of Manx ale.

jough vie

a spree of Manx ale

Ta tree gholl thie dy gholl dy lhie

It’s time to go home to go to bed

[37] THE MANX UNNESUP.[20]

[20] IoME, Sat, Dec 21, 1901; P: 6

I alluded in the first part of my Manx Folklore (see Lioar Vanninagh) to a custom still remembered in Cregneish on Christmas. The fiddlers then used to go about after twelve o’clock playing and singing some Manx song which they called the Unnesup. It ran thus:—

Goll er yn Unnesup,

Going on the ‘unnesup’,

goll er yn Unnesup,

going on the ‘unnesup’,

Daa oor roish yn laa,

Two hours before daybreak,

Dooinney ta ny lhie marish ben dooinney elley,

A man that is in bed with another man’s woman,

Te bwaagh dy girree ayns traa.

He is courteous to get up in time.

Goll er yn Unnesup,

Going on the ‘unnesup’,

goll er yn Unnesup,

going on the ‘unnesup’,

Daa oor lurg y mean oie,

Two hours after midnight,

Dooinney ta ny lhie marish ben dooinney elley,

A man that is in bed with another man’s woman,

Te bwaagh dy girree ayns traa.

He is courteous to get up in time.

unnesup

a good thrashing, a clamour, a turbulent outcry

[39] The Old Manx Braains

braain laue

a kind of mill similar to the quern, but made of harder stone

braain vwillin

A large scale mill

[40] The Manx Carranes

Carrane

an oval piece of raw cow or horse hide, drawn neatly round the foot by thongs of the same material by means of holes in the margin. The hair was often kept inside for warmth, they were perfectly flexible and pierced with small holes for the purpose of allowing the water received in crossing rivers and morasses to escape.

[41.] Fragment of an old song which used to be sung to the children :— [21]

[21] IoME, Sat, Jan 11, 1902; P: 7

Nagh ren mee my lhiabbee,

Did I not make my bed?

As hie my gys fea ?

And went to my rest ?

As haink mitchoor stiagh,

A rogue came in,

As cha s’aym quoi ve.

I know not who he was.

Nagh ren mee my lhiabbee?

Did I not make my bed?

As hie mee dy lhie ?

And then lay down ?

As tra dirree mee[22] moghrey,

When I rose in the morning

[22] mee] text gives

[my] (typo).

Va’n lhiabbee fud thie.

My bed was scattered over I the house.

And then there was the chorus :—

Yn cadley kiune or y beggan vree!

Oh ! the calm sleep of weakness,

Ny mooar y nhee haink orrym!

Whatever came over me! [lt; [Wasn’t what happened to me (a) big (matter)!]

[42 ] THE UHSAG VEG RUY (another version).

Ushag veg ruy ny moanee doo,

Little red bird of the black heath,

Cre’d chaddil oo riyr s’yn oie?

Where slept thee last night in the night?

Nagh chaddil mish riyr er baare yn dress,

Didn’t I sleep last night on top of the brambles,

Tra va’n gheay sheidey gymmyrkey lesh.

When the wind blew, carrying away

Ushag veg ruy ny moanee doo,

Little red bird of the black heath,

Cre'd chaddil oo riyr s’yn oie ?

Where slept thee last night in the night?

Nagh chaddil mish riyr er baare y thooane,

Didn’t I sleep last night on top of the roof lath,

Myr shimmey mac dooinney t’er chadley ayn roym

As many the son of man has slept in before me

Ushag veg ruy ny moanee doo,

Little red bird of the black heath,

Cre’d chaddil oo riyr s’yn oie?

Where slept thee last night in the night?

Nagh chaddil mish riyr er baare y crouw,

Didn’t I sleep last on top of the bush,

Lesh fliaghey tuittym er dagh cheu.

With rain failling on every side

It will be seen that this rendering differs from the one given in the Manx Ballads and Music by A. W. Moore, p. 43. It is by far better and more rational, and should be substituted instead for accompaniment of the music.

[43] A SONG (fragment).

Mooinjer yn jiass ta bunnys roit ass,

The men of the South are nearly driven out,

Lesh gleck noi geay as tidey.

With striving against wind and tide.

Ta’n jough cheet stiagh, yn argid goll magh,

Ale comes in and money goes out,

As neddy Gawne yn eirey.

And Ned Gawne is the heir.

*Ned Gawne was the great brewer.

[44.] A wedding with none of the bride’s relatives was calleel a crow’s wedding, and we have the following rhyme :—

YN POOSEY BEG FANNAG

THE CROW’S LITTLE WEDDING

Poosey beg fannag

The little wedding of the crow

Hie shiar yn bayr,

Went over the road,

Gyn mummig ny jyssig,

Without mother and father,

Ny shuyr ny braar.

Or sister and brother.

[45] SAYING.

Dy neeagh ny fee ny fannagyn,

If the raven would eat the crows,

As ny fannagyn ny fee,

And the crows eat the raven,

Cha beagh unnane er-mayrn,

There would not be one alive

Dy ee convayrt erbee.

To eat any carcas at all.

[46] THE CAT AND THE MOUSE.

Old women used to say this rhyme to the baby about the cat and the mouse :—

Lugh va sneeu er queeyl yn mwyllin,

A mouse was spinning on the mill wheel,

Haink yn kayt as yeeagh eh urree ;

Up came the cat and looked upon her;

Cre’n red t’ou jannoo my ven ainshter ?

What are you doing my landlady ?

Sneeu sheeidey as srol* da ben y ree.

Spinning silk and gauze* for the wife of the king.

Roish my jig bishaght ayn bainney yn baa,

Before the milk of the cows increases,

Beem’s kiart dy liooar my jig yn laa.

I'll be even with you before those days.

* New to the Manx Dictionary.

[47] PROVERBS AND SAYINGS.

Ta saynt shiaght saggyrtyn ayns dooinney dyn cloan, as ta saynt shiaght eirinee ayns dy chooilley haggyrt.

There is the greed of seven parsons in a man without children, and the greed of seven farmers in every parson.

[48] I have heard a man, when fishing bollans at the rocks, saying :—

Bollan beg ny feeaklyn croie,

Little bollan with the sharp teeth,

Car uss rach, as veryms rach dt’oi.

Give me a rip, and I will rip against thee.

[49.]

Er coonlagh ta arroo,

On straw is corn,

Cha vel veg er renniaght;

On fern is none ;

Ayns jiuys ta therr,

In fir is tar,

Cha vel veg ayns darragh ;

In oak is none ;

Ayns dorrys ta treiney,

In door is nail,

Ayns kurn ta jough.

In can is ale.

[50 ] Part of a nursery song:—

Vuddee veg, vuddee veg, cur mysh dty vraagyn,

Little damsel, little damsel, put on your shoes,

Gow dy reih Balladool, ny Ballakeigyn.

Either Balladool, or Ballakeggan choose.

[51] WEATHER RULES : [23]

[23] IoME, Sat, Jan 18, 1902; P: 7

VA’N SHEN SLEIH GRA:

The old people were saying:

Yn geay voish yn niar as yn fliaghey voish yn neear, Cha vel fastee rish cleigh ny thammag.

The wind from the east and the rain from the west,

There is no shelter by a hedge or bush.

Kiune dy bra, geay jiass s’niesaey da; Tra ta bwoaillee ey yn ghrian vow mayd sterrym as fliaghey.

When it is very calm, south wind will come next; When there is a circle [lit; enclosure] round the sun, we will get rain and storm.

Tra ta yn geay shiedey ta yn muir radey.

When the wind blows the sea stirs.

Tra ta shag getlagh harrish yn thalloo,

When a cormorant flies over the land,

Dy row eh doora* fliaghey.

It was a sign of rain.

*doora —, proof, evidence. [‘dearbhadh’ in Gaelic. This word is not noted in the Manx dictionary.]

[52] WEATHER

The weather the old Manx used to wish was—

Geurey rioagh as arragh kayagh.

A frosty winter and foggy spring.

Tra ta ny keyrrey ghoaill fastee, Cha bee e agh frass, agh tra t'ad gyndyr ayns y fliaghey,

When the sheep shelter in rain, it will be only a shower,

Bee a cheau son traa liauyr.

But when they browse in the rain, it will rain a power.

It is just now (July) what the old fishermen used to call—when there was a calm at sea :—

Kiunid villish nagh dug rieau straiu[24] ayns craue dhooiney.

(Sweet calm that never sprained a man’s bone.)

[24] straiu] likely either a typo for English ‘stain’, or for Manx

[strieu].

[53] PROVERBS.

Nagh ghow gys dty obbyr laa fegooish brishey dty hrostey.

Don't go to your day-work without breaking your fast.

Doonaght sheeidey, shiaghtin kennipey

A silken Sunday, a hempen week.

Myr s’moo ny cheayney, Myr s’moo ny mooin.

The greater the crying, The greater the mooin [urine].

myr s'doo, s’graihagh

the blacker, the lovlier

[54] PROVERBS AND SAYINGS.

My vac, my vac gys yow eh ben,

My son is my son till he gets a wife, But my daughter is my daughter all the days of her life.

Agh my inneen, my inneen aeg ny shenn.

Ta dhooiney ny ghaa leaystey yn clean,

Many a man is rocking the cradle, The child was not his own.

Nagh vel yn lhannoo bentyn da hene.

Baase mie mraane as aigh vie keyrragh

The death of wives and good luck for sheep

Ta er yannoo deiney ny ga berchagh.

Has made many men rich.

Ta’n dhooiney creeney smooniaghtyn ooilley ny ta gra,

The wise man thinks all that he says, But the fool says all that he thinks.

Agh ta’n ommidan gra ooilley ny te smooinaghtyn,

Raad ta mraane ta plate,

Where there are women there is talk, Where there are geese there is keck, Where there are tailors there are crabs [lice], Where there are carpenters, there are chips.

Raad ta guoiee ta keck,

Raad ta thalhearyn ta thollagyn,

As raad ta seyir ta spollagyn.

This is given only fragmentarily in Moore's Folk Lore of the Isle of Man, see page 183.

Ta un red cur lesh red elley cordail rish [y] shen raa.

One thing brings another as the old proverb says.

Te ny share gholl dy lhie accrysaagh ny gholl dy lhie lesh bolg lane.

It is better to go to bed hungry than to go to bed with a full belly.

Ta carrey sy cooyrt ny share ny ping ’sy sporran.

A friend in court is better than a penny in the purse.

[55. ] PROVERBS.

Ta e[25] aigney hene ec dooinney, agh ta e[26] raad hene ec ben

Man has his own will, but woman has her own way.

[25] original text gives

[y], rather than

[e].

[26] original text gives

[y], rather than

[e].

Yn doinney ta jeeaghyn dy mie lurg y[27] obbyr hene ta palchey ec eh [echey] dy yannoo.

The man who minds his own business well has always enough to do.

[27] original text gives

[y], rather than

[e].

Lhag laueys mergys yn annym.

Idleness is the rust of the soul.

Quoi erbee ta jeeaghyn son carrey fegooish foiljyn cha jean eh dy bragh geddyn shen ny te shirrey er y hon. Ta shin graihagh orrin hene lesh ooilley nyn voiljyn as lhissagh shin ve graihagh er nyn garjyn er yn aght cheddin.

Whoever looks for a friend without fault will never get what he seeks, we love ourselves with all our faults aud we ought to love our friends in like manner.

Ta jeih thousanyn jeh ny voiljjyn smoo ta ayns nyn nabooyn jeh ny sloo dy vadyr dooin ny yn foill sloo ta ayn-in-hene.

Ten thousand of the greatest faults in our neighbours are of less consequence than the smallest of our own.

Doinney ta poost ta y hreisiiteil roit ass,

A man that is married has lost all his hopes,

Te kiart gollrish muc lesh teidd er y chass.

He is just like a pig with her leg in a rope.

Sollan, sollan, sailley blass dy chooilley vee.

Salt, salt, bring taste to every meat; [was a proverb among the people, they liked plenty of salt in everything.]

[58] THE NEW MOON.[28] It was thought unlucky to see the new moon through glass.

[28] IoME, Sat, Jan 25, 1902; P: 7

Ta mee er chlashtyn ad gra fakin yn eayst noa yn chied cheayrt :—

I have heard them say on seeing the new moon for the first time:—

Dy bannee Yee yn eayst noa,

God bless the new moon,

Dy bannee Yee mish troor cheayrtyn

God bless me three times,

Nagh doghan erbee cheet orroo

That no disease would fall upon them

Choud as vagh [veagh] yn eayst shen ayn.

As long as the moon was in.

That was a charm to keep them without an accident, and to keep from gathering hands and and fingers while the moon lasted.

[62] THE MANX COWEEE. [29]

[29] IoME, Sat, Feb 08, 1902; P: 6

If you ask me the three things the old Manx worshipped above all things, from an epicurean point of view, I may whisper in your ear :

skeddan

herring

prinjeig

haggis

cowree

sowan* or flummery

Mooinjer ny gione veggey

The small head people (the ‘little people’)

Yee marin!

God with us!

[66] Sundries[30]

[30] IoME, Sat, Mar 08, 1902; P: 6

Lhemeen y Sceddan

The Herring Moth [I have seen a very large moth sometimes come in the house late in the evening, when the weather was fine, and it was called the herring moth. When one was seen going about in the house they said there would be good herring fishing that night.]

Yn thollog faiyr

tit-mouse [was reckoned to be a very bad thing for cattle]

[75] JACULATORY PRAYERS.[31]

[31] IoME, Sat, Mar 22, 1902; P: 6

Shee yee dy row marym

[The old people, when going out of the house at a late hour used t0 say] The peace of God be with me :

Dy bee Jee eddyr ayms as dy-chooilley ghrogh red

[going along the road if they got ‘fearful’ and feeling as if they walked in the air not feeling the ground under their feet, without seeing or hearing anything, the old folk used to say] God between me and all evil things.

Dy banney Jee eh (ish)

[When a baby sneezed it was the custom for the mother or some other woman present to say :] - God bless him (her) [and that is kept up still more or less by most of the country women in the Island.]

[78] GAMES.

butt thurran, tip thurran

[We used to be playing, when I was a boy, in the farmer’s haggart, running among and around the corn stacks. One was putting his head against the stack, and the rest getting away among the other stacks, and then the one that was lying was coming out and trying to tip some one and make him lie in his stead, and if he chased one to a certain distance from his own stack, whoever would catch him, then he had to ride them back to his stand again. We used to spend moonlight evenings in the winter at that] game.

Stag yn ree.— [There was another] game

[we called stag yn ree. There would be about twenty of us gathering on moonlight evenings in winter, in a field, and casting lots who would be the stag, and whoever was the one he had ground marked out, and if he came beyond his boundaries, who ever would get behind and get hold of him, he had to ride him back to his stand ; and if the stag could tip one of the rest first, they had both to be stags and hold each other’s hands, and everyone they could tip had to join hands with them until they were all tipped; but the one at each end had authority to tip another, and when there would be a lot of them holding one another's bands, those that were free used to make a race at the middle of the line and burst through, and when the line would be broken, all the free ones would be catching hold of one and getting a ride on his back to the stand. If any of them could get to the stand without being caught, they had to ride no one. They had to continue until all were in the line, and then the first that had been caught by the first stag had to be stag himself for the next game.]

[79] Scaayn GOANLYSAGH (MALICIOUS SPIRITS).[32]

[32] IoME, Sat, Mar 29, 1902; P: 6

Scaayn Goanlysagh

Spirits of living people haunting those they had any spite to.

IoME, Sat, Apr 05, 1902; P: 6

[80] AN OLD MANX PROVERB.

Tra ta’n gheay ’sy villey,

When the wind is in the tree,

Yiow shiu magh yn Glass ghuilley [guilley glesh, guilley glass].

Soon the lockman [a sort of sherrif’s officer] here will be.

fer croghee, crogheyder

executioner

[81] YN DREAN (THE WREN).

Keayrt dy row va ny ushagyn chaglym dy hoiljaghey da y chooilley cre obbraghyn va’d son yannoo. Va’d loayrt unnane ec cheayrt, ginsh quoid dy eean va’d troggal, as cre cha mie va’d laboragh. Tra haink yn drean beg dy nish cre foddagh ee jannoo, dooyrt ee —

The birds all met together once upon a time to tell of all the great things they could do. They were speaking one at a time, saying how many young they were rearing, and how good they were labouring. When the little wren came to tell what he could do. he said:—

Myr s’beg mee hene,

Though I am light,

myr keyl my chass,

and my leg is small,

Un eean jeig verym lesh ass.

Eleven chicks I bring out for all.

[82] MANX SEA LORE.

keayn ny traie

sea or tide

mollag fammyn

tail buoy

[84, 85, 86] WITCHCRAFT[33]

[33] IoME, Sat, Apr 12, 1902; P: 6, Sat, Apr 19, 1902; P: 6, Sat, Apr 26, 1902; P:

fer obbee

sorcerer, wizard

bouch crout

buitch

witch

cailleach [caillagh]

an old woman possessed with a sprit of prophesying.

crosag [croshag]

amulet — the great Christian Talisman

pishag

charm[s]

doo-spyrryd

black spirit

drogh spyrryd

evil spirit

ny keimee as ny cughtee

the church stiles and the houghs

three mraane aegey haink harrish yn ushtey

three young women who came over the water

drui, druai,

a druid, wizard, charmer

druiaghtagh

enchanter, charmer, wizard

Fer druiagh

a wizard

Druiaght,

charm.

laue druiaght

Chiromancy

marroo druiaght

necromancy

fer druiaght

necromancer

cloagey druiagh,

invisible cloak, (rendering invisible at pleasure the person who wore it).

cowrey druiagh

amulet

fer obbagh

wizard

Buitch

witch

buitchyn

witches

faaishneyder

wizard, juggler

spyrrydyn faishnee

familiar spirits

fir faishnee

wizards

faaishnys

charm

fer ysseree, fer fysseree

sorcerer

caillagh ny ghuesagh

the hag or witch of spells

cailleach [caillagh] vear,1

A [caillagh] that sends destructive tempests

cailleach [caillagh] ny faitheag

prophetess, witch

Pisag

spell, conjuration, amulet

Guesag

spell, charm

Rhusagh

amulet

Duilgarnee, Doalgaanhee

a charm, a darkness cast upon the eyes by witchcraft or to see everything double

A Charm against the Fairies.

Shee Yee as shee ghooinney,

Peace of God and peace of man,

Shee Yee er Columb-Killey,

Peace of God on Columb Killey,

Er dagh uinnag, er dagh ghorrys,

On each window and each door .

Er dagh howl joaill stiagh yn Re-hollys,

On every hole admitting moonlight.

Er kiare corneilyn y thie.

On the four corners of the house,

Er y voayl ta mee my lhie,

On the place of my rest,

As shee Yee orrym pene.

And the peace of God on myself.

AMULETS, ETC.

Sheean

a charm, fortune

Gwee, guee

pray, intreat, imprecate, curse

[89.] Ghaw Ving.—Between Fleshwick Bay and Bradda Head there is “Castle” Rock, called called Cashtal Backley, or Seckley, and at its outside is a cave, Ghaw Ving, so named on account of the echo that it produces. I have no doubt that it has been a place where the old Manx repeated charms. When an infant was sick, and thinking it would die, they used to go to the Ghaw Ving for it, and repeat :—

Ghaw ving, Ghaw ving,

Curjeead [Cur jeed] yn throo;

Put off the envy;

Va’n lhannoo ching jea,

The child was sick yesterday,

As bee eh ny share jiu.

And it will be better today

cughtagh

evil spirit, bugbear, hobgoblin

[92] CHARM TO PROTECT HORSE AND PLOUGH.[34]

[34] IoME, Sat, May 03, 1902; P: 6

mooin

urine, piss, pee, chamberlye

[93] The Cabbyl Ushtey

Cabbyl Ushtey

Water Kelpie, Water Wraith, Each Uisge

cabbyl ny hoie, glashtin

night horse (grey)

dub

pool

Nigison, Nikison

a haunted pool, a water nixie

[94] LHIANNAN SHEE

lhiannan shee

familiar spirit

[95] THE DOOINNEY OIE

dooinney oie

nightman [a kind of tutelar spirit, attached to certain families, and the fore-warner of coming ill-fortune or calamity]

[96] THE TARROO USHTEY

tarroo ushtey

[a harmless creature, which mixes and breeds with the farmer's cattle, known by its sparkling eyes and short ears. It prefers swampy places and streams.]

[97] THE BUGGANE[35]

[35] IoME, Sat, May 10, 1902; P: 6

buggane

a creature of which the Manx peasantry stood always in great fear and trepidation.

Keeil Pharick y drummagh

Ringian

St. Trinian

Ghaw ny Spyrryd

Cove of the Spirit(s)

Buggane y Chione dhoo

The Buggane of Black Head

noid ny hanmey

‘the enemy of the soul’ (the devil)

Keeil Pharick

St Patrick’s Church

Laair vane

white mare mummery [was performed in the island, even within recent years. This was a horse's head, and so contrived that the person who had charge of it and concealed under a white sheet, was able to snap the mouth at the guests].

[98] GLASHAN — MANX BROWNIE[36]

[36] IoME, Sat, May 17, 1902; P: 6

glashan

[Of these we seem to have in the Island two distinct sets, the semi-domesticated and the roaming or wild Glashan. The former attaches himself to the farmer and his stead, and good-naturally assists him, for little, in his labour; while the other, more sullen and intractable, and a rather savage specimen, roams at large, haunting and preferring the lonely glens, caves, and moorland shelters. Both have this in common that they are big powerful men, very hairy and shaggy, and dark complexioned, who disdain (for they wear, of course, skins, and grow long hair) the offer of cap, coat, shirt, and breeches.]

[99] THE FINNODDEREE.[37]

[37] IoME, Sat, May 24, 1902; P: 6

Finnodderee [Phynnodderee]

A powerful and strong giant, covered like a he-goat with shaggy hair, disdains clothing, distinct from the Glashan, or Manx Brownie.

lus ny ollee

cattle herb

[116.] FAIRIES[38]

[38] IoME, Sat, Jul 12, 1902; P: 6

ferishyn

Manx fairies.

[122] Fairy visitors

Ta'n çhenn chellagh ny chadley er aght erbee.

The old cock is asleep anyway

[133] FAIRES PULLING A BOAT ASHORE

ooilley cooidgagh

all together

[148] BLESSING THE DEAD. [39]

[39] IoME, Sat, Aug 02, 1902; P: 6

I have heard the old people, especially the women, say that it was right to bless the dead , whenever they were mentioned, and I have often heard them saying, when talking of the dead :

My vannagh [vannaght] lesh ny merroo [merriu]

My blessing with the dead

My vannagh [vannaght] lesh yn marroo.

My blessing with the dead (if one person was spoken of)

Dy bannee Yee yn lhannoo

[Also when a baby was born the old women would say:]

May God bless the child.

[119] UNBAPTISED CHILDREN. [40]

[40] IoME, Sat, Aug 09, 1902; P: 6

It is said of children dying without being baptised that, their ghosts used to be lamenting in the churchyard in the dead of the night. I have heard them tell about some man that was passing the churchyard, and he heard a little voice saying-.—

Lhannoo [Lhiannoo] dyn ennym mee,

I am a child without a name,

lhannoo [lhiannoo] dyn ennym mee.

I am a child without a name.

and the man said:—

My she guilley oo, ta mee bashtey oo Juan, as my she inneen oo ta mee bashtey oo Joney.

If thou art a boy I christen thee John, and if thou art a girl I christen thee Joney.

Myr shen va yn scaan shen ec shee.

Therefore that ghost, was at rest

[153] THE ARKAN SONNEY, OR LUCKY LITTLE PIG.

arkan sonney

lucky little pig

Thomas Bushell[41]

[41] IoME, Sat, Aug 23, 1902; P: 6

Thie Vushell

Bushell’s House

[156] ENCHANTED ISLANDS.[42]

[42] IoME, Sat, Sep 06, 1902; P: 6

Onny Vaddrill

Onnee Madderell [name of the last person to see the enchanted island on a May Day Sunday south west of the the Calf.]

[157] GIANTS.

Lheim y chenney (Fox leap)

the perpendicular cliff adjoining the Bowyn Poort [Purt] Chiarn, in Bay Fine

Bowyn Poort [Purt] Chiarn

The reefs of Port Erin, in Bay Fine

Slieau ynnyd my cassyn

‘the mountain of the place of my feet’, [is situated quite near to it and about a hundred yards from the cliff. Tradition says that the rock bears the marks of a giant who jumped over from Ireland, and you can see his club foor sunk into the rock.]

[159] THE GHOST OF PAT NY KEYLLEY.[43]

[43] IoME, Sat, Sep 06, 1902; P: 6

Pat ny keylley

Pat of the forest [the ghost of an old beggar-man]

[165] A Horse Seeing a Ghost

Sarah yn Varron [Marran?]

Sarah of the ?? [Mistake? Barron?]

[167] Yn Ghoayr Haittagh (or Haddagh)

Yn ghoayr haddagh

the antic goat shouting in the Island of a calm night.

[183] THE ROYAL VISIT TO RAMSEY IN 1847.[44]

[44] IoME, Sat, Oct 04, 1902; P: 6

Lhergy [Lhiargee] Frizzel

Fraser’s gorse covered slope, aka; Albert Hill

[186] A BIG WHEEL OF FIRE

Beyr yn chlag glass

The grey stone road

[188] LEGENDS CONNECTED WITH THE STONE CIRCLE ON THE MULL.[45]

[45] IoME, Sat, Oct 11, 1902; P: 6

CROSH MOLLEY MOOAR

great deceiving cross,

POYLL VILL

honey pool [both Poyll Vill and Crosh Molley Mooar are situated a little south of the stone circle on the Mull, up the way to Cregneish.]

Lhiack ny virragh[46]

a sharply pointed pile of stones [the name of the stone circle on the Mull]

[46] Roeder writes: The name in the mouths of the Mull people is Yack y Veddach and Yack y Verrach — the d is often in common parlance used for r. We have also such Manx place-names as Gob birragh, Balla-birragh, Lag birragh, the Berragh

[Birragh] = sharp, pointed.

Lhag ny Boirey —

The Hollow of Trouble [an erroneous name for the stone circle]

Chibbyr ny gabbyl

the horse well, haunted by fairies.

Chibbyr ny garval

an erroneous name for Chibbyr-ny-Gabbyl

[190] Poyll Vill

Penprock

[I think they are called] crayfish [in English].

[191] BALLAQUEENEY IN RUSHEN.

Magher clagh ard

High stone field [where a runic cross originally stood]

[194] ON CRONK NY ARREY LHAA AND MANX WATCH HILLS IN PARTICULAR[47]

[47] IoME, Sat, Nov 08, 1902; P: 6

Cronk ny arrey lhaa

Hill of the Day Watch

Cronk ny arrey lhaa

a hill between Niarbyl Bay and Fleshwick

Cronk ny irey lea

a hill near Point Cranstal

Cronk arrey lhaa A

a tumulus in Jurby South of Sartfield

Cronk ny Harrey

a hill on the Mull, South of Cregneish

Cronk ny Watch

a hill near Scarlett

Cronk ny Irree Laa

The Hill of the Rising Day

Cronk Brishey yn Lhaa

daybreak hill

[197] ARRAN AS CAAJEY BREAD AND CHEESE.[48]

[48] IoME, Sat, Nov 22, 1902; P: 6

arran as caajey [caashey] ayns y cornaill [corneil] ayns ny straueyn

[Euphemisms for] confinement[49]

[49] Confinement — in this context it is the older term for labour, delivery, post-natal rest; the time when a woman gives birth to a baby.

Caajey [Caashey]

Manx cheese made of milk with the whey squeezed out, and had plenty of salt in it.

Dollan

a peck, or wooden hoop three or four inches deep, and 20 inches diameter, covered with a sheep skin, which was heaped with cakes and cheese and kept in the room where the woman was confined.

Qualtagh

the first person met when a child was taken to church to be baptised.

[199] A DEAD MERMAID.[50]

[50] IoME, Sat, Nov 29, 1902; P: 8

Lhag ny Killey

The Hollow of the Church

[200] THE MERMAID’S GREEN.

Lhiondaig Pohlinag

Mermaid’s Green, or Garden [Between Bow Veg and Glen Wither on the coast north the Sound ... the tradition is that the mermaids haunted it and sported about, basking themselves there.

[201] SHENN LAA CHIBBYR USHTEY.

Shenn laa chibbyr ushtey

Old feast of the water well

Laa giense

A day of revelling, a day of dancing

Laare vane

white mare

roagan, raucan, creachan[51]

scallop[52]

[51] Roeder writes: We see that the Manx name for scollop, which occurs in Kelly's and Cregeen's Dictionaries, as roagan and raucan, has no real existence, and should be replaced by the proper word creachan, to make sense of it!

[52] IoME, Sat, Dec 06, 1902; P: 8

slhlig screebey

large mussel shell, which the country people used to scrape their sowen pots with.

tan rogan

scollop shell [was also used by the Manx fishermen for a lamp. They put the rush in, which was hanging out from the edge, and the former was filled with cod oil. (from teine and creachan).

[203] RANGE OF WELSH TRADITIONS IN THE ISLAND.[53]

[53] IoME, Sat, Dec 20, 1902; P: 8

Cronk-y-Vretney Veg

‘Little Hill of the Welsh’

Cronk-y-Vretney Vooar

‘Big Hill of the Welsh’

[A hill above the Struggan on the Mull, and another near Castletown, which, is I am told, had their names from the fact that Wales could be discerned from them.]

THE LEGEND OF CRONK NY MOOAR IN RUSHEN

Hom Mooar

[name of] a glastin [glashtin] musician

[206] SEA-LORE.[54]

[54] IoME, Sat, Jan 03, 1903; P: 8

mooir, muir

the proper old Manx word for the sea

[the words below followed by [at sea] are euphemisms words that were taboo whilst at the fishing:]

Joan gorrym

‘Blue Jane’ = ‘the sea’, or ‘mermaid’

Joan Muir, or Mere[55]

mermaid, or personification of ‘the sea’ [near the Chasms ... had her house and well]

[55] Joan Muir] Elsewhere identified as male; ‘Juan Mooir’, ‘Juan Gorrym’, ‘John Meare’.

pohllinagh

merman [on land]

gilley [guilley] beg

‘little young fellow’ = merman [at sea]

mooinjer veggey

the fairies

fer yn cleaysh wooar

‘the man of the big ear’ = a hare [at sea]

lonag

a mouse [at sea]

lugh

a mouse [on land]

sackots, uncle

a rat [at sea],

pommit

a rabbit [at sea]

scraaverrey, scraavrey, scraper

a cat [at sea]

Scraavrey Harry

‘Harry’s Cat’ a place between Bradda Head and Fleshwick Bay

swoiney

a pig [at sea]

moddey

a dog [on land]

choll

a dog [on sea]

IoME, Sat, Jan 17, 1903; P: 8

Muckyn doo ta fakin yn geay

Black pigs [that] see the wind

Lhergy [Lhiargee]

A gorsy hillside

yn nhee bwoirrinagh

‘the woman’s thing’[56]

[56] ‘the woman’s thing’, ie ‘vulva,vagina, etc.’

chunnag

‘the woman’s thing’ [at sea], [also a nickame for a boat called the Diamond]

Gloyr yn Seihll

‘[The] Glory of the World’ = The Sun, when rising above the sea [at sea]

Ree yn Laa

‘[The] King of the Day’ = The Sun [at sea]

Ben-rein ny hoie

‘[The] Queen of the night’ = The moon [at sea]

gobbag

dogfish[57]

[57] IoME, Sat, Jan 24, 1903; P: 8

mollagyn

buoys

Gaaue garroo

‘Course Smith’ [a nickname]

Polly beg

‘Little parrot’ [a nickname]

ljoag[58], gube, mooir

sea [at sea]

[58] Ljoag] — not found elsewhere, likely a typo.

PEEL SEA LORE.

carrag-cooar

great northern diver

Skeddan beg er y wayrt

A young herring caught on the ‘wart’ fishing ground 2 miles northwest from Peel.[59]

[59] A first line of well known macronic saying; ‘skeddan beg er y wart, the best herring ever caught’. There is another fishing ground called ‘wart’ close to land near Spanish Head.

Ooig-ny-Sieyr

Cooper’s Cave[60]

[60] IoME, Sat, Jan 31, 1903; P: 8

aird

direction

[206] THE ANCIENT ROAD OF THE TWENTY-FOUR KEYS, AT MAUGHOLD

Raad Kiare as Feed

The Road of the Twenty Four

[207] SOUTH BARRULE.[61]

[61] IoME, Sat, Feb 14, 1903; Page: 10

Oie feaill Eoin

John's Eve

Keamool

Kione Rhuilry ??

Oie Voaldyn

May Day Eve

[213] THE HERRING MEASURE, OR MEASE.[62]

[62] IoME, Sat, Feb 21, 1903; P: 8

mease

[a measure of] 620 fish

[213] THE STORY OF THE BODDAGH YN COOIT LAATCHAGH, OR THE CHURL WITH THE LACING COAT[63]

[63] IoME, Sat, Feb 28, 1903; P: 8

Boddagh yn cooit laatchagh

the body with the lacing coat

[218] THE LEGEND OF ORREE (=GOREEE)[64]

[64] IoME, Sat, Mar 28, 1903; P: 8

Fin As Oshin

Fin And Oshin[65]

[65] The English version given here is a close transliteration rather than a translation.

HIE Fin as Oshin magh dy helg,

FIN and Oshin went out to hunt, (1)

Lesh sheshaght trean as moddee elg,

With a noble train of men and dogs,

Cha row un dooinney sloo ny keead,

Not less in number than one hundred men,

Coshee cha bieau cha row ny lheid,

So swift of foot and keen, none were their like;

Lesh feedyn coo eisht hie ad magh,

With scores of Bandogs fierce they sallied forth,

Trooid slieau as coan dy yannoo cragh,

O’er Hill and Dale, much Havock for to make.

Quoi daag ad ec y thie agh Orree beg+

-Whom left they then at home, but youthfull Orree!

Cadley dy kiune fo scadoo’n creg !

Who slept secure beneath the shadowy rock;

Slane three feed quallian aeg gyn unnane sloo,

Full three score Greyhounds, with their whelps they left,

Lesh three feed cailleeyn dy yeeaghyn moo,

(With three score lovely maidens, young and fair,)+

As many old dames to attend the young.

Dooyrt inneen Fin ayns craid as corree,

Says Fin's fair Daughter, in Disdain and Scorn,

“Kys yiow mayd nish cooilleen er Orree ?”

“How on young Orree shall we be revenged ?”

Dooyrt inneen Oshin; “kiangle mayd eh,

Says Oshin’s Daughter

Lesh folt y ching chionn gys y clea,

“Fast to the Harrows we will tie his Hair,

As chur mayd aile gys y cass cha bieau.”

And to his nimble feet, we'll set a train of Fire.”

Clysht tappee eisht hug Orree ass,

Then up starts Orree, with a nimble Spring;

Tra dennee’n smuir roie ass e chiass,

Feeling his Feet a broiling with the heat.

Loo Mollaght Mynney ad dy stroie,

With Curses direful, vowing to destroy,

Va er n’yannoo craid er mac y ree,

Those who presum’d t’affront a King, his Son!

Dy farbagh breearrey ry ghrian as eayst,

Swearing most bitterly by Sun and Moon.

Dy losht ad hene as thieyn neesht,

To burn themselves and all their habitations;

Hie Orree beg magh dys ny sleityn,

Then to the Mountain hies he fast away,

As speih mooar connee er e geayltyn,

His heavy Gorse-hack poized upon his shoulder,

Hoght bart mooar trome hug eh lesh cart,

Eight pond’rous Burthens thence he carried off,

Hoght kionnanyn currit ayns dagh bart ;

And eight large Faggots cram’d in ilka[66] Burthen.

[66] ilka] ‘each’ or ‘every’ (from Scots).

Hoght deiney lheid’s sy theihll nish t’ayn,

Not eight such Men as in the world are now

Cha droggagh bart jeh shoh ny v’ayn

Could from the Ground one of these Burthen's raise.

Ayns dagh uinnag hug eh bart as ayns dagh dorrys,

Into each Window, he a Burthen thrust,

Into each Door, a Burthen of the same,

Agh mean y thie mooar hene yn bart mooar sollys.

But, the grand blazing Burthen, on the Floor, Of the great Hall he laid, and set on Fire (2).

Va Fin as Oshin nish shelg dy chionn,

Meanwhile, our Heroes, Fin and Oshin hight,

Lesh ooilley nyn treanee, ayns ollish as joan

They and their hardy men pursued the chase,

Yaagh wooar ren sheeyney ass y glion, neear,

Eager, in sweat and dust, all cover’d o’er.

Troggal ayns bodjallyn agglagh myr rere;

Vast clouds full floating from the west

Were seen like Billows dreadful, as I ween.

Roie Fin as roie Oshin derrey d'aase Oshin skee,

Then Fin he ran, and Oshin also ran,

Till faint, and out of breath, he sat him down:

Agh she Fin mooar hene chum sodjey nish roie;

But Fin, the hardy chief, still held it out,

Eisht dyllee Fin huggey lesh coraa trome,

Then lift he up his lamentable Voice, Calling to Oshin, who was far behind,

“Cha vel faagit ain nish agh tholtanyn lhome,”

“We’ve nothing left but rueful, ruin’d walls!”

“Quoi ren yn assee shoh nagh re Orree beg ?”

“This mischief who has done? Who but young Orree?”

Va'r chosney voue chelleerid gys oig fo yn creg,

Who fled, and in a rocky Cavern bid himself,

Raad plooghit lesh yaagh hayrn ad magh er y cass.

Then choak’d with Smoke, they drag him by the heels,

(And tore him Limb from Limb (they say) with Horses wild.)

AN OLD MANX BARD AND SOME TEMPERANCE HYMNS, TRANSLATED BY HIM INTO MANX.[67]

[67] IoME, Sat, May 02, 1903; P: 8: John Quirk of Carn y Greie: G.

W. Wood writes: “I resolved if possible to see the old bard for myself, so accompanied by a ‘Mannmagh dooie,’ who had met him and knew something of the eerie district in which he lived, we, i.e., my wife and I, set out to discover him. After traversing some miles of a steep and rugged mountain road we were directed to the house we sought. It was not, however Carn y Greie. The bard had moved to another abode near by. We were admitted by his wife, now, as she proved to be, his widow, for she told us the object of our search was no more. He had been dead several years. She was pleased to see us, and seemed gratified at our desire to see him. She willingly sought out the old bard’s books and papers to show us and amongst them was his old MS. book of “Manx hymns or songs for the use of temperance meetings, and several pieces of poetry suitable on other occasions. Partly composed originally in Manx and partly translated from the English language, by John Quirk, parish of Patrick.” Such is the title it bears on the cover. It had been kept in a damp place, and but for our timely rescue would soon have been illegible, or, indeed, have perished altogether. After drying it before the fire she generously offered it for my acceptance, of which offer, needless to say, I glady availed myself. The book is now well cared for, and I have had all the pieces it contains carefully copied out. These number 69. Of the original compositions, a few have already been published, the best known of them being perhaps “Yn Jeirkagh meshtyllagh” (“The drunken beggar”). The others are Manx translations of English and American hymns. I have sought for some time to discover the originals of these, because no versified translation that could be made into English could be so satisfactory, and I wished to print them in both Manx and English. I have now succeeded in finding the source of a few in a little hymn book kindly lent me by Dr Julian, author of the “Dictionary of Hymnology.” With the editor’s concurrence I purpose sending these for publication, when perhaps some of your Manx linguists will express their opinion upon the merits of the old bard’s translations. To me the rhythm seems particularly pleasing and faithful to the original version. ... After this brief digression I now give the first of the “Temperance Hymns” to be followed by others as opportunity offers for their insertion in the “Examiner.” G. W. WOOD.”

S’LIACK LHIAM BINE DY YOUGH.

I Like a Drop of Drink [See notes for original version of the hymn] [68]

[68] I LOVE A LITTLE SUP.

Lhig dauesyn sailloo[69] shassoo seose

Let those who please stand up

Dy choadey’n stroialtagh,

To protect the destroyer,

Ta aigney mie aym hene da'n chooish.

I have goodwill myself for the cause.

Agh s’liack lhiam bine dy yough.

But I like a drop of drink.[70]

[70] The temperance cause I wish it well, It cries “to help come up” ; Help you that choose, but for myself I love a little sup.

Nee’m kinjagh taggloo ass e lieh

I will always speak on its behalf

Myr chooish feer ymmyrchagh,

As a truly necessary cause,

Ny yeih cha jeanym signal eh,

Yet I will not sign it,

Son s’liack lhiam bine dy yough.

For I like a drop of drink.[71]

[71] The noble effort I approve, And ever cry it up, But I'll not sign the pledge, because I love a little sup.

Fer-lhee ta gra dy vel e ghah

A doctor says that its sting

Cur naardey’n challin voght;

Destroys the poor body;

Lurg ooilley shoh cha dreigym eh.

Despite all this I won’t forsake it.

Son s'liack lhiam bine dy yough.

For I like a drop of drink.[72]

[72] The doctor says “it hastens death, And why not quit the cup?” And so I would, but — I know why — I love a little sup.

Preachooryn neesht ta kinjagh ginsh

Preachers too are always telling

[73] The preacher urges next, "'tis sin, And shames the church, give up"; My secret plea is stronger yet, I love a little sup.

Jeh trimmid mooar e loght,

Of the great weigh of its sin,

Agh mian my chree t’erskyn dagh nhee,

But my heart’s desire is above everything,

Son s’liack lhiam bine dy yough.

For I like a drop of drink.

Ta mraane as paitchyn geamagh noi

Women and children shout against it

Fo gortey rooisht as boght,

Under poor and naked famine,

Ta’d doostey chymmey ayns my chree,

They awaken sympathy in my heart,

Still s’liack lhiam bine dy yough.

Still, I like a drop of drink.[74]

[74] Ten thousand tortur’d wives cry out, And beggar’d babes, “give up!” I hear their cries, and pity, but — I love a little sup.

Spyrrydyn caillt ayns torchagh geam

Spirits lost in torment call

Noi chappan meshtyllagh,

Against [the] intoxicating cup,

Ec clashtyn jeu ta’n cree er-creau,

On hearing of them the heart trembles,

Agh s’liack lhiam bine dy yough.

But I like a drop of drink [75]

[75] The spirits lost in anguish shriek, “O quit this poisou'd cup”; I feel the terror strike, but still I like a little sup.

Nee’m shassoo magh roish dagh argane

I’ll stand up to every argument

Ta noi jough veshtyllagh,

That is against alcoholic drink,

Ta shoh my oyr yn slane gansoor,

Here’s my reason, the whole answer,

Still s'liack lhiam bine dy yough.

I still like a drop of drink. [76]

[76] All argument I can outbrave That bids “the pledge take up”; This one is proof against their force I love a little sup.

Brooghyn [77] as fuill, toyrtmow as baase,

Roars and blood, destruction and death,

[77] Brooghyn] taken here to be a contraction of

[Buirrooghyn] ‘roars’.

Ta loayrt feer atchimagh,

Speak truly awfully

My chreenaght eisht dy scarrey rish,

(For) My wisdom then to separate from it (drink),

Agh s’liack lhiam bine dy yough.

But I like a drop of drink. [78]

[78] Tho’ groans and blood, and death, and hell All cry “forsake the cup,” I know ’twere best, but then — but then — I love a little sup.

— American.

[234] King Gorry the Mythical King of Man [79]

[80] IoME, Sat, May 23, 1903; P: 8

Raad mooar Ree Gorree

‘the great road of King Gorree’ the Manx name for the milky way.

[237.] THINGS UNLUCKY WHEN GOING TO SEA [80]

[81] IoME, Sat, Jun 27, 1903; Page: 3

kishen

a piece of ale [sic]

Cum ort! palchey ayn jeh.

Stop! There’s plenty in her.

[229] HERRING FISHING IN PEEL A HUNDRED YEARS AGO.[81]

[81] IoME, Sat, Jul 04, 1903; Page: 3

Thie Jack

Jack’s House [fishing mark]

Gob ny Clieau

‘mountain point’ [fishing mark]

scraybeyder

a cat [sea word]

yn fer lesh cleaysh liauyr

‘the fellow with the long lugs’, a hare [sea word]

debyagh [debejagh?]

cussed

bonnag

cake [here, made from barley meal and potato kneaded well together]

mollag

buoy

polt

bump, bang

yn eirey

‘the heir’ ‘the first son’, ‘the first herring caught’

jough

ale

[231] MANX SEA FISHING IN EARLY TIMES.[82]

[82] IoME, Sat, Jul 25, 1903; P: 7

scowte, scoute

early Manx fishing boat

[241] CHAPTERS ON THE MANX HERRING FISHERY.[83]

[83] IoME, Sat, Jul 25, 1903; P: 7

kybbon

a bucket, or basket measure of herrings

creggyn yaghee

tithe rocks

stiuri [stiuree]

a short oar used as a rudder on a scoute (early Manx boat)

gobbag

dogfish

bock

a species of shark

[260] MISCELLANEA IN CONNECTION WITH THE HERRING FISHERY.[84]

[84] IoME, Sat, Oct 10, 1903; P: 8: Roeder writes: Even when Ango-Manx is spoken distinct, Manx names are used by all the crew for the various qualities of herrings.“

“Ta mish laccal skeddan lesh oghyr aynjee.”[85]

“I want a herring with roe (in it)”

[85] ... if down in the cabin at dinner and one man wanted a roe herring, or perhaps a milt herring, he would say, as the case might be, to the cook :

“lesh molg ayn”

“with roe (in it)”

skeddan oghyr

roe herring [feminine]

skeddan molg;

milt herring [masculine]

skeddan beg aeg, skeddan beg, skeddan aeg

young herring

skeddan mie

a grown herring

skeddan spendit

spent [shotten] herring, (‘spendit’ — a loan word from English) [spent herring have lost all their milt or roe]

fray

fry (no particular name for herring fry, [sill])

skeddan fray

herrings which chase and feed upon fray (fry). [Skeddan fray are big enough fish, but are of poor qualitv. as fray feeding makes herrings soft, and causes black gut.]

skeddan

herring [at sea and on land]

Ta’n snaa ta goaill grunt lane crossan.

The net is taking a groundful of coral.

Ogh! Snaa lane crosaan!

[When nets come on board full of coral the exclamation will be :] [Oh!] a net full of coral!

THE COMPASS IN MANX.[86]

[86] Roeder writes: In the fishing fleet Manx is a constant means of conversation among the older men ; the compass is generally boxed in Manx by them.

The only variation is that some box it from N. to E., others from N. to W. The men say they could box the compass in Manx before they could in English.

Twoaie.

N. [North, 0°]

Twoaie as lesh y shiar

. [North by East 11.25°]

Twoaie-shiar hwoaie.

N.N.E. [North-Northeast 22.5°]

Shiar-hwoaie as lesh y hwoaie

[Northeast by North, 33.75°]

Shiar-hwoaie.

N.E. [Northeast, 45°]

Shiar-hwoaie as lesh y shiar.

[Northeast by East, 56.25°]

Shiar-shiar hwoaie.

E.N.E. [East-Northeast, 67.5°]

Shiar as lesh y hwoaie

[East by North, 78.75°]

Shiar E

[East, 90°]

Shiar as lesh y jiass.

[East, by South 101.25°]

Shiar-shiar ass. E.S.E.

[East-Southeast, 112.5°]

Shiar-ass as lesh y shiar

.[Southeast by East, 123.75°]

Shiar-ass.

S.E. [South-East 135°]

Shiar-ass as lesh y jiass.

[Southeast by South, 146.25°]

Jiass shiar-ass

S.S.E. [South-Southeast, 157.5°]

Jiass as lesh y shiar

[South by East 168.75°]°]

Jiass.

S. [South,180°]

Jiass as lesh y sheear.

[South by West, 191.25°]

Jiass-sheear-ass

S.S.W.[South-Southwest 202.5°]

Sheear-ass as lesh y jiass.

[Southeast by South 213.75°]

Sheear-ass. S.W.

[South-West 225°]

Sheear-ass as lesh y sheear.

[Southwest by West, 236.25°]

Sheear-sheear ass.

W.S.W. [West-Southwest 247.5°]

Sheear as lesh y jiass.

[West by South 258.75°]

W. Sheear.

S.W. [South-West, 270°]

Sheear as lesh y hwoaie.

[West by North, 281.25°]

Sheear sheear hwoaie.

W.N.W. [West-Northwest, 292.5°]

Sheear hwoaie as lesh y sheear.

[Northwest by West, 303.75°]

Sheear hwoaie.

N.W. [North-West, 315°]

Sheear hwoaie as lesh y hwoaie.

[Northwest by North, 326.25°]

Twoaie sheear hwoaie.

N.N.W. [North-Northwest, 337.5°]

Twoaie as lesh v Sheear.

[North by West, 348.75°]

Twoaie.

N. [North, 360° / 0°]

THE HERRING AND ITS HABITAT.[87]

[87]

[86] IoME, Sat, Dec 26, 1903; P: 8, IoME, Sat, Jan 16, 1904; P: 8, IoME, Sat, Jan 23, 1904; P: 8, IoME, Sat, Jan 30, 1904; P: 8, IoME, Sat, Feb 20, 1904; P: 8, IoME, Sat, Feb 27, 1904; P: 8, IoME, Sat, May 14, 1904; P: 8

Yn skeddan glass ayns shoalyn chiu cloie

The pale-blue herring in thick bushes [shoals] plays

As cowrey lieen trooid ooilley y coamrey roie. [88]

And marks of netting on his robe displays.

[88] Lines from Pargys Caillit.

The Shoulder or South Corner Fishing

Geaylin y Cholloo

The Shoulder; a corner of the Calf of Man the well known fishing ground — the Shoulder is off this, say about 6 miles W.S.W.

PEEL FISHING.

Son y Feaill-Eoin

By St. John's feast day

Bee mayd goll roin

We shall be away

Dy yeeaghyn son warpyn skeddan

To look for the warps of herring

Heear ’sy chione roauyr

West at Contrary Head

Lesh yurnaa liauyr

With a long journey

Goaill neose nyn shiaull fo'n Carrron

Furling our sails under Carron

As hie shin son y Gheaylin.

And we made for the Shoulder.

Skeddan beg er y Wart, [89]

An average small-sized herring, known as Wart herring, hence the old couplet:

[89] “Skeddan beg er y Wart, Best herring ever caught.” An average small-sized herring, known as Wart herring, hence the old couplet.

If an imaginary line was drawn between Peel and the Mull, it would pass over the Wart about two miles off Peel in a northerly direction. The fishing mark for the Wart was the top of Greeba mountain. The herring has disappeared off the Wart for some years past. The fishing on the Peel Wart is now confined to the nobbies, the nets of the luggers and nickeys being too deep to fish there. The Wart bank lies in about 9 fathoms of water and was noted for the abundance of small, sweet herring on it.

reeayllagh

a scattering of the herring shoal (rather than gathering in ‘bushes’)

DOUGLAS BACK FISHING.

Yn chiagtoo laa jeh'n vee September

The seventh day of September month

Hie shin er shiaulley ass baie Rumsaa

We sailed out of Ramsey Bay

Kiarail dy gheddyn dys geaylin Vaughold

Intending to get to Maughold Shoulder

Dy akin caslys lane vie traa.

To see a sign there in good time.

bock

a species of shark

gobbag

dog fish

back

[ ‘back fishing’ — the fishing off the East coast from Maughold head to Langness, up to 12 miles off Douglas.]

Kione Roauyr

Contrary Head

reeayllagh

scattered and spread (herring)

skeddan

little shad[90]

[90] etymological explaination of the word

[skeddan] as ‘little shad (sceadd — Anglo-Saxon word for a river-shaoling herring).

[Herring Recipes]

GASTRONOMICAL NOTES ON THE HERRING.

Cha nel veg goll-rish praaseyn as skeddan.

There is nothing like potatoes and herring.