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I have tried to spell the names so as to convey some idea of the sound of the Gaelic words to English minds.--J. F. C.
1.
HEARKEN a space if you wish a lay
Of the tribe that from us are gone,
Of MacCooal and of the Feen,
And of the prince there's a woeful song.
2.
Going to Vein Goolban to hunt
The boar that the weak arms cannot wound,
That venomous boar, and he so fierce
That Gray eyebrows had with her herd of swine.
3.
GRAINE.
Oh Yeearmaid slip not the hounds,
And trust not but this is a party of guile,
For it is hard to withstand MacCooal,
And he is in sorrow deprived of a wife."
LAOIDH DHIARMAID.
The MS. came to me without division into verses, I have so divided it, being nearly certain that I am right. The people talk of "ceathrannan," quatrains, and the metre is clear, and fits the music.--J. F. C.
1
Eisdibh beag ma 87-1 's aill leibh laoidh,
Air a' mhuinntir a dh' fhalbh uainn;
Air MacChumhail, 's air an Fhinn,
'S air mac an righ, gu 'm bheil sgial truagh.
2
Dol a Bheinn Ghulbann a shealg,
An tuirc nach dearg na h-airm chli; 87-2
'S e 'n torc nimhe, 's e ro gharg, 87-3
Bh' aig Mala liath 87-4 aig sealbh mhuc.
3
GRAIDHNE.
"A Dhiarmaid na leig na gadhair
'S na creid nach i 'n fhaghaid bhreige; 87-5
'S gur deacair cur ri Mac Chumhail
A 's cumha leis 'bhith gun chéile."
4.
DJEEARMAID.
"O Graine wilt thou not keep still,
And for thy first love earn not shame,
I would not let slip my share of the hunt,
For all the wrath of the men of the Feene."
5.
GRAINE.
"Son of O Duine, valiant chief,
Since exploits were done through thee,
Be thou mindful of thy hand,
Here is the death to be shunned by thee."
6.
The monster awakened out of the sleep,
She went round about the glen,
And when she heard the din of the Feean,
East and west she turned her head.
7.
The well Skilled Shield withstood her then,
And the spear went into the belly of the boar,
It broke in the midst of the shaft again,
And the toughest head was upon the hog.
8.
The ancient blade was drawn from sheath,
With which each battlefield was won,
The son of king Guyne slew the beast,
And he withdrew himself whole again.
4
DIARMAID.
"A Ghraidhne nach fuirich thu samhach
'S na coisinn naire dho d' cheud-ghaol;
Cha leiginn-sa mo chuid de 'n t-seilg
Air son feirge fir na Finne."
5
GRAIDHNE.
A mhic O Duibhne, a fhlaith threin, 87-6
Nis o rinneadh euchdan 87-7 leat
Bi-sa cuimhneach air do laimh;
Seo an t-eug o 'n tearnar leat." 87-8
6
Dhuisg an ulla-bheist 87-9 as an t-suain
Chaidh i mu chuairt air a' ghleann,
'L nuair chual i farum nam Fiann
Thug i 'n ear 's an iar a ceann.
7
Chaidh an sgiath urla 87-10 'na dāil
'S Chaidh an t-sleagh an tar 87-11 an tuirc;
Bhrisd i eadar 87-12 an crann a rìs
'S bha'n ceann bu righn' air a' mhuic.
8
Thairneadh an t-seann lann a truaill
Leis am buinichte buaidh gach blair;
Mharbh mac righ Dhuibhn' a' bhéist;
Thiarainn 88-13 e fhin 'na déigh slan.
9.
We sent the white hog to Leodrum,
And wishful we were to go to spoil. ( 86-a)
. . . . .
. . . . .
10
The fairy glen and the glen by its side,
Where used to be voice of hero and bird,
Where was the hoarse sound of the Feean
Upon the mountain after their hounds.
11.
But anger settled on Fiun of the Feean,
And he sat moodily on the mound,
About Mac O Duine of the mighty arms,
It was torture that he came whole from the boar.
12.
After he had been silent a while
He spoke, and it was ill to say,
"Oh Yeearmaid, measure the boar,
How many feet from his snout to his tail?"
13.
DJEEARMAID.
"Let us take thy counsel, Een,
Since it was grievous coming from home;"
He measured the boar on his back,
King Guyne's son of the rounded foot.
14.
"Fifteen feet of the measure good
Are in the back of the wild swine;" ( 86-b)
. . . . .
. . . . .
9
88-14 Chuir sinn a' mhuc bhàn do Leodrum
'S bu deoSach sinn a dhol a 'reubadh;
. . . . .
. . . . .
10
An gleann sith, 'san gleann ri 'thaobh,
Far am biodh guth laoich a's loin;
Far am biodh torman nam Fiann
Air an t-sliabh an deigh nan con.
11
Gu 'n d' luidh sprochd air Fionn nam Fiann,
'S shuidh e gu cian air a' chnoc, 88-15
Mu mhac O Duibhne nan arm aidh
Bu chràiteach leis tighinn slan o 'n torc.
12
A chionn e bhith treis 'na thosd 88-16
Labhair e, 's gu'm b' ole ri 'radh,
"A Dhiarmaid tomhais an torc
Co mhiad troidh o 'shoc g'a earr."
13
DIARMAID.
"Gabham-sa do chomhairl' Fhinn
O b' aithreach leinn tigh'n on taigh."
Thomhais e'n torc air a dhriom;
Mac righ Dhuibhn' a bu chruinn troidh. 88-17
14
"Coig troidhe deug de'n deagh thomhas
Ann an driom na muice fiadhain." 88-18
. . . . .
. . . . .
15.
FIUN.
"That is not his measure at all,
Measure him again, Oh Yeearmaid.
Against his bristles measure him,
And thou get'st each jewel ( 86-c) of a warrior proud"--
16.
"Oh, Yeearmaid, measure again,
Softly against (the hair) the boar,
And thou shalt get thy prayer from the king,
Thy choice of the tough keen spears."
17.
He rose, and that was no journey of joy,
And, as he measured the boar for them,
The venomous spike of agony pierced
The heel of the hero not mild in strife.
18.
DJEEARMAID.
"Give a draught from thy palms, Oh Een,
Son of my king for my succour,
For my life and my dwelling."
FIUN.
"Ochon! Oh king it is I that will not."
19.
"I will not give to thee a draught,
And neither shall it quench thy thirst,
And never hast thou done me good,
That thou hast not helped my ruin."
15
FIONN.
"Cha'n e sin idir a thomhas,
Tomhais e rithis a Dhiarmaid.
Tomhais e 'n aghaidh a' chuilg,
'S gheibh thu 'laoich bhuirb gach seud."
16
"A Dhiarmaid tomhais a ris,
'Na aghaidh, gu min, an torc,
'S gheibh thu t' achanaich o'n righ,--
Rogha nan sleagh ruighinn goirt. 88-19
17
Dh' eirich, 's cha b'e 'n turas aidh,
'S gu 'n do thomhais e dhaidh an torc;
Chaidh am bior nimh 'bu mhor cradh,
An sàil an laoich nach tlath 'san trod. 88-20
18
DIARMAID.
"Thoir deoch bhar do bhasan, Fhinn,
89-21A mhic mo righ, gus mo chobhair,
89-22Air son mo bhidh agus m' aodaich."
FIONN.
"Ochon, a righ, 's mi nach d' thobhair."
19
"Cha d' thoir mise dhuitse deoch,
'S cha mhò a chaisgeas dhe t' iota;
'S cha d' rinn thu riamh dho m' leas
Nach do leasaich thu dho m' aimhleas."
20.
DJEEARMAID.
"I have never done ill to thee,
Hither nor thither, nor east nor west
But travelling with Graine in a yoke,
While she planned to bring me under spells.
21.
"In the rowan tree dwelling, and thou in straits,
Bold was I for thy succour;
At the time when death was upon thee,
It was I that went joyously to thee.
22.
"Een, 'tis to thee that my succour was good;
Hast mind of the day of the combat of Conal?
The Cairbre and his tribe was before thee,
And I was behind thee to help thee."
23.
"How wretched my face towards Bein Goolban!
On another day was I good for thee;
When the white tooth was hitting thee,
I turned upon her from behind thee.
24.
"And I succoured thee in that time!
If the women of the Feene should hear
That I was wounded on this ridge,
Dejected would be their faces.
25.
How wretched my face towards Bein Goolban! ( 86-d)
. . . . .
. . . . .
. . . . .
20
DIARMAID. 89-23
"Cha do rinn mis' ortsa cron
Thall, na bhos, an ear, na 'n iar;
Ach imeachd le Graidhn' ann am braid;
'S i tur gam thobhairt fo gheasaibh.
21
"’S a' Bhruighin chaorainn, 's tu nad' chàs,
Bu dana mise gad' chobhair;
'S nuair a bha 'n t-eug air do mhuin
'S mis' a chaidh thugad le meodhail.
22
"Fhinn 's ann duit bu mhath mo chobhair;
An cuimhneach leat latha cath Chonaill?
Bha 'n Cairbre romhad 's a mhuinntir?
'S bha mis' as do dheigh gad' chobhair!
23
"’S gur truagh m' aghaidh ri Beinn Ghulbann!
Lath' eile bu mhath dhuit mi
Nuair a bha 'n Deud-gheal gad' bhualadh;
Thionndaidh mi orr' as do dheaghainn,
24
"’S chobhair mi ort anns an uair sin!
Na 'n cluinneadh mnathan na Finne
Mis' a bhith leont' air an driom seo,
Bu tursach a bhiodh an adhart!
25
"’S gur truagh m' aghaidh ri Beinn Ghulbann!
. . . . .
. . . . .
. . . . .
26.
"How wretched my face towards Bein Goolban!
As I pour in a flood forth my vigour:
And though I be the son of O Duine,
Farewell be to courting for ever."
27.
There was Djeearmaid on the hillock,
Heavy the hair was and fine,
And he ever losing the (life) blood
From the wound of the spike in his sole.
28.
FIUN.
"Poor is the counsel that grew with me
To slay the son of my sister;
For Graine that ill of a woman
That never again will make my joy.
29.
That is great the loss on the hillock,
For the price of the wild swine,
Graine king's daughter of Coig Ullain,
Djeearmaid and the two hare hounds.
30.
"Djeearmaid, deceiver of women,
Son of king Guyne of the brilliant hue,
No maiden will raise her eye
Since the mould has gone over thy visage fair."
31.
Yellow without white in thy hair!
Long thy cheek! thine eyelash slow!
Blue without rashness in thine eye!
Passion ( 86-e) and beauty behind thy curls!
26
"Gur truagh m' aghaidh ri Beinn Ghulbann
'S mi ar tuil-bhruchdadh mo nearta!
'S gad a's mise mac O Duibhne.
Soraidh leis an t-suiridh am feasda!"
27
Gu robh Diarmaid, air an tulaich,
Bu ghrinn am falt a's bu trom;
'S e ri sior chall na fala,
Le lot a bhior, air a bhonn.
28
FIONN.
"’S bochd a' chomhairl' a chinn agam,
Mac mo pheathar a mharbhadh
Airson Ghraidhn', an t-olcas mnatha,
'S nach dean i rithis mo leanmhuinn.
29
"’S mor sin a tha dh' easbhuidh na tulaich!
Air tàillibh na muice fladhain,
Graidhne, nighean righ Choig' Ullainn,
An da ghearr chuilean, agus Diarmaid. 89-24
30
"Diarmaid, fear mhealladh nam ban,--
Mac righ Dhuibhn' a bu ghlan snuadh!
Suireadh cha tog a suil 89-25
O chaidh uir air do ghnuis ghlain."
31
"Buidhe gun ghil' an n a’d’ fhalt!
Fada do leac! mall do rasg!
Guirme gun bhrais' ann a’d’ shuil!
Caise 's maise 'n cul nan cleachd!
32.
"Oh yesternight it was green the hillock,
Red is it this day with Yeearmaid's blood;
And with the Een it had been wretched
Unless it had been ordered by Fiun."
33.
OISEAN.
"On this night's night though I be wretched,
There was once a time that I was not weak;
Not lacking men, nor arms, nor feasting,
See each thing changes in the world!"
NOTES.--LETTERS.--J. F. C.
86-a The metre seems to require two lines here. I have not attempted to fill up the space, but I adhere to the division into verses of four lines, which the rhythm seems to indicate.
86-b Here there seems to be a break in the metre.
86-c Scud a jewel, an instrument. I understand it here to mean a warrior's jewels, his weapons, but it might mean some decoration. See Graidhne's answer. "A knife is the best jewel."
86-d Here three lines seem wanting to make up a stanza.
86-e CAISE, passion (Armstrong).
32
"’S ann an raoir bu ghorm an tulach;
'S dearg an diugh e le fuil Dhiarmaid!
'S gur h-ann leis an Fhinn bu duilich,
Mar a bhithe Fionn 'ga iarraidh!"
33
OISEAN.
"Air an oidhche nochd gad tha mi truagh,
Bha mi uair nach robh mi faoin;
Gun easbhuidh dhaoin' arm na fleadh;
Faic gach ni mu seach 'san t-saogh'l!"
NOTES--NUMBERS.--H. MACLEAN.
87-1 Laoidh, lay, ode, lyric; it differs from dan a poem, in being more melodious, and capable of being sung. It narrates rapidly a few events ending tragically, almost invariably the death of a hero.
87-2 Cli, weak, powerless. Duine gun chli, a man without strength. Airm chli, feeble weapons.
87-3 Garg, fierce.
87-4 Mala liath. The reciters pronounce this name Mala lìth, but the Irish pronounce ia, ee, so that the name means gray eyebrow, the old woman who owned the venomous boar and the swine, "aig sealbh mhuc," guarding her swine (herd of swine).
87-5 Faghaid bhreige, a lying hunting party, that is got up to deceive and destroy him.
87-6 Brave hero. Here the vocative is elegantly used.
87-7 Euchdan, exploits.
87-8 This is the death which you require to avoid.
87-9 A monster (feminine in Gaelic).
87-10 Sgiath urla or urlaimh. Expert shield, a name for Diarmid, from his adroitness in the use of the shield.
87-11 Tar, the belly.
87-12 Eadar an crann. Here eadar is used in a sense not common
now; between the shaft, that is in the shaft, not between the shaft and the head.
88-13 Tèarainn, to come off without hurt.
88-14 This stanza is not known to all the reciters, given by Donald M'Phie, Breubhaig, Barra.
Gleann mo chridhe an gleann seo ri m' thaobh,
Far am binn guth laoigh a's loin;
Far am bi farum Dam Fiann,
Air an t-sliabh an deigh nan con.
My heart's glen, this glen by my side,
Where sweet is the voice of calf and bird;
Where is the murmur of the Fean,
On the mountain side after their hounds.
(This is almost the same as a verse of an old manuscript poem, now in course of publication by Messrs. Edmonston and Douglas, 1861.--J. F. C.)
88-15 These are the lines according to Allan M'Phie, and Janet Currie, South Uist.
"Gu 'n d' shuidh e siar air a' chnoc," according to some; That he sat west on the knoll.
88-16 A chionn e bhith treis na thosd. After, or at the end of his being a while silent.
88-17 Bu trom troidh, of heavy tread. This is the version used by most of them, and they explain it as referring to the warrior's strong firm step, and the largeness and strength of the leg; however, I have inserted bu chruinn troidh, which implies a well formed or fine foot, which is Boyd's version.
88-18 Fiadhain, more poetic than fiadhaich.
88-19 This is Janet Currie's version of the line, which I think is best. Allan M 'Phie gives,
"Urram nan slighne ghear goirt;" a pretty line also, "The honour of the sharp keen spear."
A great many give "Taghadh nan sleagh ruighinn, geur, goirt," Choice of the keen, tough, sharp spears, which I think is inferior in poetic merit to the other two.
88-20 Nach tlath 'san trod. That is, "not soft in fight." Here the poet very beautifully, in an abrupt manner, turns off to the present tense, so as to produce a vivid impression of the hero's great bravery on the mind of the hearer.
89-21 "A dhealbhaich mo righ," Boyd.
89-22 "Air soil mo bheath' agus m' fhardoich," Boyd.
89-23 This beautiful dying speech of Diarmid is not known so full as this to any of the reciters, except to Donald M'Phie, Breubhaig.
Cobhair is repeated here often, from the exasperated feeling at the ingratitude of the uncle. Such repetition is always the language of deep passion, as for instance in the case of Coriolanus in his reply, when called "thou boy of tears."
The repetition of this line, and the abruptness with which he turns off from other subjects, is very pathetic. Whoever has been in the company of the dying can feel the truth of this line, how they refer constantly to some of their favourite haunts. The ruling passion, the last, a favourite theme with modern philosophers and novelists, is here finely illustrated.
89-24 "A dealbh-chuilean." This is the expression given by Janet Currie, who says it refers to the unborn child; Graidhne, according to her being with child to the Ciuthach. Boyd has da dhearbh chuilean. Macdonald gives the words inserted, who says they refer to the two best dogs of the Feen, after Bran, which were killed by the boar.
89-25 Suireadh, a maid. "Suireadh cha tog a suil," no maid will raise her eye; that is with grief. The line is repeated no doubt in a corrupt manner, thus--
"Suireach cha tog a shuil" no lover will raise his eye, which would make no sense.
Leac, cheek. Rasg, eyelash, also the eye itself.
"Guirme gun ghlaise," and "guirme le ghlaise." Janet Currie gives the line inserted, which is prettier, and at the same time a contrast to the piercing blue eye ascribed by Tacitus to the ancient Germans. Bulwer, in one of his novels, describes the French dark eye as milder and softer than the Italian.
Cleachd, a ringlet.
Cùis a's mais' air chul nan gleachd. Boyd.
The poem is not the complete version of one reciter, but is built up and selected from several long versions, written from the dictation of the people named. If the evil spirit of the Ossianic controversy still cumbers the earth, the papers can be produced, and the authorities are alive. I will answer for the honest intention of the collector and the translator, and I can do no more.
J. F. C.
Gaelic omitted
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