[78] O'Curry, Manners and Customs, ii., p. 253, thought that a _caer comraic_ was 'a ball of convergent ribs or lines,' perhaps such a bead or ball of mosaic glass as is depicted in Joyce's _Social History of Ancient Ireland_, vol. ii., p. 32, fig. 171. _A cáer comraic_ of eight different colours is mentioned in LB. 108_b_ 20.
122. Three things that constitute a harper: a tune to make you cry, a tune to make you laugh, a tune to put you to sleep.[79]
[79] _Cf._ H. 3. 18, p. 87: tréide nemtighther cruit; goltraiges, gentraiges, suantraiges.
123. Three things that constitute a poet: 'knowledge that illumines,' '_teinm laeda_,'[80] improvisation.
[80] The names of various kinds of incantations. See Cormac's Glossary and Ancient Laws, s.v.
124. Two ominous cries of ill-luck: boasting of your first slaughter, and of your wife being with another man.
125. Three things betokening trouble: holding a plough-land in common, performing feats together, alliance in marriage.
126. Three drops of a wedded woman: a drop of blood, a tear-drop, a drop of sweat.
127. Three caldrons that are in every fort: the caldron of running, the caldron _goriath_,[81] the caldron of guests.
[81] Quite obscure to me. There is a heavily glossed poem in H. 3. 18, beginning _Coire goriath_. In H. 2. 15, p. 117^b, after the colophon to Dúil Laithne (Goid.,^2 p. 79), there are some further glosses, among which I find: goiriath .i. gardhamh in gach iath, erma .i. uasal-iompú no iar-iompa. But _érma_ seems the genitive of _érim_, 'a course.'
128. Trí comartha láthraig bendachtan: clocc, salm, senad.
[Note 128: lathrach bennachtan H bendacht L senad NBMH ocsenad L]
129. Trí comartha láthraig mallachtan: tromm, tradna, nenaid.
[Note 129: mallachtan HM neanad B neanntoch M tradnai BM tradna H]
130. Teora muimmecha táide: caill, coim, adaig.
[Note 130: tri muime BM tri buime gaiti H coill HM]
131. Teora ranna sluinte fri cáintocad: trumma, toicthiu, talchaire.
[Note 131: sloindti caintocaid N toicte N]
132. Teora ranna sluinte dotcaid: tlás, áes, airbire.
[Note 132: dotcaid N tlass ois oirbire N]
[Note 133: siair L tlas [et] trousca N truaighe BMH]
134. Dá derbráthair: tocad [et] brugaide.
[Note 134: brathair M toice [et] blailaige N togud B tacad H]