Blair Collection > Treatise on the language, poetry, and music of the Highland clans

112
THE POETRY
Thog mo mliac sleagh Chormaic na
hog mo vec sle-a' chormayc na
laimh ;
la-iv
Blia ceud baird a seinn air sliabh,
va ceyd bayrd a seynn ayr sli-av
Ach cheil Cairber am bas bha snamh
ach cheyl cayrber am bas va siiav
Fo dliubhradli san am, na chliabh.
fo yuvra' san am na chli-av
Fleagh tha sgailte, sligean a faaim,
fle-a' ha sgayltè slegen a fu-aym
'S eudain au t-shluagb an sohis deah-ach
s eydayn an thiy' an sohis delrach
Ach chiteai' solus* mall is fann
ach chiter sohis mall is fann
A dearsadh fada tliall air Lena,
a dersa' fada hall ayr lena
Sa cheann dearg le-cbleite an dorchas.
sa chenn derag le-chleyte an dor-chas
Db-eiricli Cairber tball an airm,
yeyrich cayrber hall an ayrm
'S dubhradh a bhais na ghruaidb.
s duvra' a vaysli na yru-ay'
Chaisg fonn chlarsaichean nan teud,
chaysg fonn chlarsaychen nan teyd
Chualas screadan nan sgiatb m'an cuairt.
chu-al-as scredan nan sgi-a' man cu-ayrt
Fada tball air uchd an t-shleibh,
fada hall ayr uchd an tleyv
Thog 011a dubb-ruadh guth a bbroin.
hog olla duv-ru-a' gu' a vroyn
Db-aitbnicli Oscar comhara bhais :
yay'uich osoar covara vays
Ghluais is ghlachd gu'n dail a shleagh.
ylu-ays is ylachd gun dayl a le-a'
" Oscair," arsa Cairber ruadh,
oscayr arsa cayrber ru-a'
" Tha mi faicean sleagh buaidh na
ha mi faycen sle-a' bu-ay' na
h-Eirinn,
heyrinn
Sleagh fhada Thighmora nan stuadh,
sle-a' ada hi' -mora nan stu-a'
A boillsgeadh a t-laimh noir dh-eirich.
a boylsga' at layv noyr yeyrich
A mhic Morbhein nan coiltean ciar,
a vie mor-veynn nan coylten ci-ar
* See a previous note
My son carried the spear of Cormak
in his hand ;
There were a hundred bards singing
on the wold,
But Cairber concealed the death that
was swimming
In the dark thoughts of his bosom.
The feast is spread, the shells sound,
: And the faces of the people are in a
blaze of light :
But a light* slow and faint is seen
Afar on Moilena,
With its red head half bid in the
darkness.
Cairber started opposite in arms,
The darkness of death on his cheek.
The tuneful sound of the harp ceased,
And the harsh sound of shields was
heard.
At a distance, on the breast of the
hill,
Dark-red Olla raised the song of
lamentation.
Oscar knew the sign of death :
He rose in haste, and seized his arms.
" Oscar," said red-haired Cairber,
" I see the spear of victorious Erin
in thy hand,
The long spear of Timora of waves.
Shining in thy hand, when thou arose.
Son of Morven of dusky woods,
on the death-meteor.