Faoilteach

-tich, sm The last fortnight of winter and first fortnight of spring (Old Style), proverbial for variableness — McL&D. Season of the wolf-ravage‡‡. It corresponded roughly to the present month of February. Sometimes the first half was called “Am Faoilteach Geamhraidh” and the second half “Am Faoilteach Earraich.” Is còir san Fhaoilteach na trì claisean taobh-ri-taobh a bhith làn uisge is làn sneachda is làn tugha nan taighean, or trì làin anns na claisean; uisge, sneachd is tugha nan taighean, in February the three furrows side by side should be full of water, full of snow, and full of house-thatch; chan eil port a sheinneas an smeòrach san Fhaoilteach nach guil i seachd uairean mun ruith an t-Earrach, for every song the mavis sings in February, she'll lament seven times ere spring be over. The Gael of old regarded stormy weather toward the end of January as prognostic of a fruitful season to follow and vice versa, as shown in the above proverbs. Smeuran dubha san Fhaoilteach, black bramble-berries in February — applied to anything very improbable or out of season. Na faoiltich, the equinoxes; see am Féillire.

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