Unst Heritage Centre
READING THE SKIES
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).
Unst Heritage Centre [W3W: rave.booklet.caressed]
