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

OF THE HIGHLAND CLANS.
267
The following fragment has been dressed up like the two beginning " Oich
mar tha mi," already mentioned. The rnelody is called " Oran sith," by Mrs
Macdonell, but the subject of the verses usually sung to it is the very common,
though ever touching one in ballad poetry, — unhappy love : the melody itself,
however, is of the class called ceol-sith, or fairy music, and few even of this
class are more wild and pathetic, as played by Mrs Macdonell ; but the following
verses are not worthy of the melody. Though I have not made a connected
ballad to suit the air, from anxiety to preserve all I could find of the original,
the verses tell their own touching story : — The fair authoress was betrayed by
her sister, and the lover slain by her three brothers, but at the expense of two
of their own lives. They returned from the adventure covered with " their own
blood" but this seems to have increased, instead of diminishing the grief of the
loving sister, — so little did a spirit of revenge accord with the feeling of the
bereaved Highland maiden.
THA DHRIUCHD FEIN AIR BHAR GACH MEANGAIN.
EVERY BOUGH.
-ITS OWN DEW IS ON
Tha dhriuchd fein air bhar gach meangain. Its own dew is on every bough
ha yri-uc feyn ayr var gach mengayn
Tha gach gleannan a dol an guirmead,
ha gach glennaa a dol aa gnyrmed
Every glen is becoming more green ;
The mist is winding around the defiles.
Tha 'n ceo ag iadhadh mu na bealaich
han ce-o ag i'-a' mu na bel-aych
'S tha mo leannan a tighinn a shuireadh. And my lover is coming awooing.
's ha mo lennan a ti'-inn a huy-re'
Funii : —
Huvo i na horin ova,
Hurin i na horin o ;
Huvo i na horin ova,
Thug mi coinneamh dha sa choil.
hug mi coynn-ev ya sa choyl
Chorus : —
Huvo i na horin ova,
Hurin i na horin o ;
Huvo i na horin ova,
I gave him a meeting in the wood.
Aphiutharfhealsacharinnmomhealladh, False sister, who betrayed me,
a fi-u'-ar elsach a rinn mo vella'
Noir a leig mi riut mo run, When I disclosed to thee my love,
Doyr a leyg mi ri-ut mo run
Shaoil leam nach bu luaidhaidh 'n I thought my secret would as fast
haoyl lem nach bu lu-ay'n come
sgeuladh
sgeyl-a'
Tre do bheul na tre do ghlun. — Through thy knee as through thy lips,
tre do veyl na tie do ylun
Huvo, etc. Huvo, etc.