00:00
Local sayings
Listen to local sayings and proverbs about Shetland’s weather, read by local folk, Angela Fraser and Derek Jamieson. Recorded in 2021 for the Wild Skies Shetland project, from a collection of proverbs and sayings on Shetland for Wirds.
Shetland’s sailing heritage is evoked in the poem Fauld up da Feddoms, written and read by Lise Sinclair (1971-2013) from Fair Isle. Reproduced here by kind permission of Shetland for Wirds.
Mist fae da hill
Mist fae da hill will turn da mill;
Mist fae da sea nae rain sall be.
(Mist on the hilltop told of approaching rain, but from the sea dry weather was expected).
Joolie sky
Never trust a Joolie sky
(Don’t trust over-fine appearances. July weather can be deceptive).
Bumble bee
If da klokk afore da bee you see, a weet simmer he will be:
If da bee afore da klokk you see, a finer simmer he will be.
(Old weather saying – it is better to see the bumble bee before the beetle flies).
Da Voar nicht
Da Voar nicht comes slowly owre da moss,
Bit da Hairst nicht comes gallopin on a horse.
(This refers to the light in Spring contrasted to Autumn. Can also be used respecting Youth and Age).
Setterday's mön
Setterday’s mön an Sunday’s prime Never cam in a guid time.
(Bad weather followed a moon which came on a Saturday and was full on Sunday)
A gaa afore
A gaa afore is something more,
a gaa behind you needna mind,
Bit a gaa afore an ane behind is wadder i da sam kind.
(A ‘gaa’ is a spot or ray of a rainbow colour which appears near the sun: if before the sun, then a change is expected, if behind then no change.)
Der mony a change
Der mony a change in a simmer dim, far less a winter’s nicht.
(Things can change very quickly, even in the most favourable circumstances.)
De mön is glaipit
De mön is glaipit de cloods (‘the moon has swallowed the clouds’)
De mön’ll scaff him (‘the moon will eat it up’)
(It was believed that clouds cleared on the rising of the full moon).
Loard hadd his haand
Loard hadd His haand aboot da coarn an blaw da bait ida fish’s mooth
(An old proverb for a good harvest from land and sea)
A göd maet year
A göd maet year is a göd paet year.
Bit a göd mael year was never a göd kale year.
(Dry sunny weather was best for ‘maetin’ (or ripening) the corn and drying the peats; wet, misty or rainy weather grew best kale).
Fauld up da Feddoms
Fauld up da Feddoms
Fauld up da feddoms an stow dem awaa
Turn da tide nu til a flaow
Lat da wind clear his ert an da sails fill
My ain hert, du’ll fin
Dy ain coors heem
Hentin da horizon on a white ship’s keel
We’ll screev anidder line o da teil
On dis duy’s page – clean aes sail
Blyde, da blue sky liftin
Fer isna fer
Time shifts aa an nauthin
Laeves wis dew an staurs makkin new
Constellations ida riggin
Fold up the fathoms
Fold up the fathoms and put them away
Turn the tide now to flow
Let the wind blow clear and the sails fill
My own heart, you’ll find your own course home
Gathering the horizon under a white ship’s keel
We’ll write another line of the tale
On this day’s page – clean as sail
Happiness, blue sky in the air
Far is not far
Time shifts all and nothing
Leave us dew and stars making new
Constellations in the rigging