The Loch Ness Monster

[BIAD]

Question: might "sith" be the Scots equivalent of the Irish "sidhe"?

I have a nephew that can speak Scots Gaelic, but he's never around when I have a question!

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Yes Nin,
That's pretty much my understanding exactly.

The Scots Gaelic: "sith" (*pronounced Shee I think?) is indeed the same or equivalent to the Irish "Sidhe", meaning a faery / spirit / ghost or referring to the places associated with such creatures.

Probably came from the same roots I reckon.

Thanks for the info. I reckon then that "Bean" is cognate to Irish "Bhean" for "woman" then, and "Jenny wi the airn teeth" is "Jenny with the iron teeth"... which last there is a pretty horrifying thought.

So I may be able to talk some words of Scots Gaelic, but not be able to spell them. Pretty much my same situation with English...

Jenny Wi’ the Airn Teeth

What a plague is this o’ mine, Winna steek his e’e,
Though I hap him ow’r the head as cosie as can be.

Sleep! an’ let me to my wark, a’ thae claes to airn;
Jenny wi’ the airn teeth, come an’ tak’ the bairn:

Tak’ him to your ain den, where the bowgie bides,
But first put baith your big teeth in his wee plump sides;
Gie your auld grey pow a shake, rive him frae my grup
-Tak’ him where nae kiss is gaun when he waukens up.

Whatna noise is that I hear comin’ doon the street?
Weel I ken the dump-dump O’ her beetle feet.
Mercy me, she’s at the door, hear her lift the sneck;
Whisht! an’ cuddle mammy noo closer roun’ the neck.

Jenny wi’ the airn teeth, the bairn has aff his claes,
Sleepin’ safe an’ soun’, I think  dinna touch his taes;
Sleepin’ weans are no for you; Ye may turn about
An’ tak’ awa’ wee Tam next door- I hear him screichin’ oot.

Dump, dump, awa’ she gangs back the road she cam’;
I hear her at the ither door, speirin’ after Tam.
He’ a crabbit, greetin’ thing, the warst in a’ the toon;
Little like my ain wee wean— losh, he’s sleepin’ soun’.

Mithers hae an awfu’ wark wi’ their bairns at nicht—
Chappin’ on the chair wi’ tangs to gi’e the rogues a fricht.
Aulder weans are fley’d wi’ less, weel aneuch, we ken—
bigger bowgies, bigger Jennies, frichten muckle men.