#Lus Buidhe Bealltainn

[blairstales]

Scottish Folklore of the Beltane Flower

Marsh marigolds(caltha palustris) are known as “lus buidhe Bealltainn,” in Scottish Gaelic, which translates too “the yellow plant of Beltane.”

“Yellow is a colour traditionally connected to prosperity, blessings. Even today we say ‘Nach buidhe dhut!’ – something like  ‘Hasn’t a lot of yellow come your way!’ to convey the English expression ‘Aren’t you lucky!’.“ Seaboardgaidhlig

They tend to grow in wet areas; such as bogs, alongside streams, or around ponds.

There is a very short window in spring when the plants are young that they can be cooked to make them safe to eat, but in all other times they are inedible do to toxicity levels.

Despite how toxic they are, the flowers were seen as protective, and were scattered on doorsteps during May Eve, or woven into garland or wreaths to protect homes or barns.

"He took in Lus-buidhe-bealltainn, (marsh marigold) and putting its stalks in the milk turned it to curds and whey. This is said to be the first cheese that was made in Mull." Waifs and Strays of Celtic Tradition V by Lord Archie Campbell (1889)

They could also be used to help predict the future, such as with this rhyme for foretelling a future marriage, to be spoken while counting the seeds of the plant.

"Silk, satin, muslin, rags, Boots, shoes, slippers and blowchers A coach, a gig, a cart, a barrow A peerie hoose, a muckle hoose, a pigsty, a barn A cradle, a ladle, a basket, a box A sojer, a sailor, a tinkler, a tailor, A plooboy, a pottifer, gentleman, a thief." Tobar An Duelchai

[sgribhisg]

LÀ (NA) BEALLTAINN / LÀ BUIDHE BEALLTAINN

'S e Là Bealltainn a th' ann an diugh agus 's e Là Buidhe Bealltainn a th' ann an-diugh.

[It is May Day / 1st of May today.]

IPA airson "Bealltainn": bjauLdɪNʲ 🎧 Faidhle-Fuaime le "Là Bealltainn" le Learn Gaelic: http://bit.ly/2ZLZtG1 🎧 Faidhle-Fuaime le "Là Buidhe Bealltainn" le Learn Gaelic: http://bit.ly/2PEmPZp

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[sgribhisg]

LÀ (NA) BEALLTAINN / LÀ BUIDHE BEALLTAINN

’S e Là Bealltainn a th’ ann an-diugh agus ’s e Là Buidhe Bealltainn a th’ ann an-diugh.

[It is May Day / 1st of May today.]

IPA airson “Bealltainn”: bjauLdɪNʲ 🎧 Faidhle-Fuaime le “Là Bealltainn” le Learn Gaelic: http://bit.ly/2ZLZtG1 🎧 Faidhle-Fuaime le “Là Buidhe Bealltainn” le Learn Gaelic: http://bit.ly/2PEmPZp