Blair Collection > Carmina gadelica > Volume 2

INCANTATIONS 133
THE DITCH OF MARY
— all save the aspen alone^bowed their heads in reverence to the King of glory
passing by on the way to Calvary ; and the thorn-tree because of its prickly pride
in having been made into a crown for the King of kings. Notwithstanding,
however, the wand of safety and the hymn of the herdsman, a cow driven against
her will sometimes sinks into the ditch while crossing. This may necessitate the
assistance of neighbours to extricate her from her helpless position. Hence the
proverb : — ' Is e fear na bo fein theid 's an fheith an tos ' — It is the man of the cow
himself who shall go into the ditch first. The practice of throwing down the
wand and repeating the hymn gave rise to a proverb among the more sceptical
of the people : — ' Cha dean thu feith Mhoire orm-s' idir a mhicean ' — Thou wilt not
make a ' vein of Mary ' upon me at all, sonnie.
Ditch of Mary.
Ditch of Mary :
Heron legs,
Heron legs ;
Ditch of Mary,
Ditch of Mary ;
Heron legs mider you.
Bridge of warranty before you.
Mary placed a wand in it,
Bride placed a hand in it,
Columba placed a foot in it,
Patrick placed a cold stone.
Ditch of INIary,
Ditch of Mary ;
Heron legs,
Heron legs ;
Ditch of Mary.
Ditch of Mary ;
Heron legs under you,
Bridge of warranty before you.
VOI-. II. s