Blair Collection > Carmina gadelica > Volume 2

236 NOTES
Cailleach, a woman, a single woman, an old woman, a carlin, a woman without off-
spring, a nun ; the counterpart of ' bodach,' carle ; also a supernatural of malign
influence dwelling in dark caves, woods, and corries ; a period of time.
' Cailleach uisg,' water woman, water carlin ; akin to the ' bean nigh,' ' uraisg,'
' peallaidh,' and many other water divinities with which the old Highlanders
invested their lakes, streams, and waterfalls. The term ' cailleach uisg ' is
applied to a diseased potato containing only water. According to some people,
' cailleach ' as a period of time is the first week of April, and is represented as
a wild hag with a venomous temper, hurrying about with a magic wand in her
withered hand switching the grass and keeping down vegetation, to the detri-
ment of man and beast. When, however, the grass, upborne by the warm sun,
the gentle dew, and the fragrant rain, overcomes the ' cailleach,' she flies into a
terrible temper, and throwing away her wand into the root of a whin bush,
she disappears in a whirling cloud of angry passion till the beginning of April
comes again, saying, as she goes : —
' Dh' fliag e mhau mi, dli' f hag e 'n ard mi. It escaped me below, it escaped me above,
Dh'fhag e eadar mo dha lamh mi. It escaped me between my two hands,
Dh' fhag e bial mi, dh' f hag e cul mi. It escaped me before, it escaped me behind,
Dh' fha e eadar mo dha shul mi. It escaped me between my two eyes.
Dh' fhag e shios mi, dh' fliag e sliuas mi, It escaped me down, it escaped me up,
Dh" fhag e eadar mo dha chluas mi. It escaped me between my two ears,
Dh' fhag e thall mi, dh' fhag e blios mi, It escaped me thither, it escaped me hither,
Dh' fhag 6 eadar mo dha chos mi. It escaped me between my two feet.
Thilg mi 'n slacan druidh donai I threw my druidic evil wand
Am bun preis crin cruaidh conuis. Into the base of a withered hard whin bush.
Far nach fas fionn na foinuidh, Where shall not grow 'iionn'nor 'foinnidh,'
Ach fracau froinnidh feurach.' But fragments of grassy 'froinnidh.'
Cairn, cam, a loop, a curve, a circle, a sanctuary, an imaginary circle described with
the hand round himself by a person in fear, danger, or distress.
'Caim,' a sanctuaiy, is a term of frequent occurrence among the people, as
— 'caim Dhe,' the sanctuary of God; 'cairn Chriosd,' the encompassing of
Christ; 'caim Mhoire mnin,' the encircling of the fair Mary, and many other
forms. ' Rinn mi caim Mhoire orm fein,' I made the sanctuary of Mary on
myself. 'Rinn mi caim na Cro-Naoimhe,' I made the sanctuary of the Sacred
Heart. This making of the sanctuary is not confined to illiterates nor to
Catholics. A distinguished scholar and rigid Protestant told me that he often
found himself unconsciously making the 'caim.'
I had the following story from a woman who evidently accepted it in its
literal aspect : —
A maiden, tending her father's flocks, met a ' lasgaire loinneil,' handsome young
man, on the lone hillside. The man pressed his suit upon the maiden; but though
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