Armad ard in crand…

Armad ard in crand is móide co mór benaid* na gaetha fris.

(so-might-be * high * the * tree * tis * the-more * greatly * strike * the * winds * against-it)

The higher the tree is, the greater the winds beat upon it.

The metaphor continues. The fulll sentence, which is found in “Tegasc Ríg Solmain” in the Yellow Book of Lecan, col. 865, is:

Armad ard in crand is móide co mór benaid na gaetha fris,
ocus cach airde bias in torad bid trumaide a thuind-seom ac toitim.

… and the higher the fruit is, the greater its crash when it falls.

*benaid = benait in Old Irish

Topics: Maxims & Wise Counsel