Blair Collection > Carmina gadelica > Volume 1

252 OIBRE
BEANNACHADH BRATHAIN [92]
The quern songs, like all the labour songs of the people, were composed in a
measure suited to the special labour involved. The measure changed to suit the
rhythmic motion of the body at work, at times slow, at times fast, as occasion
required. I first saw the quern at work in October 1860 in the house of a cottar
at Fearann-an-leatha, Skye. The cottar-woman procured some oats in the sheaf.
Roughly evening the heads, and holding the corn in one hand and a rod in the
other, she set fire to the ears. Then, holding the corn over an old partially-
dressed sheep-skin, she switched off the grain. This is called 'gradanadh,'
quickness, from the expert handling required in the operation. The whole straw
of the sheaf was not burnt, only that part of the straw to which the grain was
attached, the flame being kept from proceeding further. The straw was tied up
and used for other purposes.
Having fanned the grain and swept the floor, the woman spread out the
sheep-skin again and placed the quern thereon. She then sat down to grind,
filling and reUeving the quern with one hand and turning it with the other,
singing the while to the accompaniment of the whirr ! whirr ! whirr ! birr ! birr !
birr ! of the revolving stone. Several strong sturdy boys in scant kilts, and
sweet comely girls in nondescript frocks, sat round the peat fire enjoying it fully,
and watching the work and listening to the song of their radiant mother.
In a remarkably short space of time the grain from the field was converted
into meal, and the meal into bannocks, which the unknown stranger was pressed
to share. The bread was good and palatable, though with a slight taste of peat,
which would probably become pleasant in time.
The second time I saw the quern at work was in January 1S65, in the house of
a crofter at Breubhaig, Barra, and it reminded me of Mungo Park's description
of a similar scene in Africa. The quern was on the floor, with a well-worn cow-
hide under it. Two women sat opposite one another on the floor with the quern
between them. The right leg of each was stretched out, while the knee of
the other leg formed a sharp angle, with the foot resting against the knee-joint
of the straight leg. A fan containing here lay beside the women, and from
this one of them fed the quern, while the other relieved it of the constantly
accumulating meal. Each woman held the ' sgonnan,' handle, with which they
turned the quern, and as they turned they sang the Quern Blessing here
given, to a very pretty air. Then they sang an impromptu song on the