Blair Collection > Carmina gadelica > Volume 2

INCANTATIONS 129
THE SPELL OF THE FOX
found that by bending the marked mountain ash to a certain degree from its
perpendicular and at a certain angle to the plane of the precipice, it touched
a narrow thread-like sinuous ledge that might yield a precarious footing to a
cat, to a marten, or possibly to a fox. This ledge led away to other ledges up
and down the cliff. The fox-hunter cut the marked sapling, securing it, however,
in its place. When the next havoc of the sheep had occurred, and the next
pursuit of the fox had followed, the fox was found dead at the foot of the
precipice, the marked mountain ash in his mouth ! Choosing the tough mountain
ash sapling in preference to the other less tough saplings showed sagacity,
leaping from the precipice and seizing the sapling in mid-air to arrest his fall
showed courage, and taking the precipice at an angle by which to get the sapling
to land him in the only possible spot showed intelligence of a high order in the
fox. The scene of this story has ever since been called ' Creag an t-Sionnaich '
— precipice of the fox.
The conduct of this fox gave rise to many sayings of the people, ' Co carrach
ri sionnach ruadh Maol Chinntire,' — as crafty as the red fox of the Mull of
Kintire. 'Co seolta ri sionnach na Maoile,' — as cunning as the fox of the Mull.
' Co siogada sinn seanarach ri sionnach na Maoile,'— as great-great-great-grand-
fatherish as the fox of the Mull. ' Bheir e leis a chreaig sibh mar a thug an
sionnach na todhlairean,' — He will lead you over the cliff as the fox led the hounds.
Be the spell of the wood-dog,
On the feet of the fox,
On his heart, on his liver,
On his gullet of greediness.
On his surpassing pointed teeth.
On the bend of his stomach.
Be the charm of the Lord upon the sheep-kind.
The charm of Christ kindly-white, mild-white.
The charm of Mary lovely-fair, tender-fair.
Against dogs, against birds, against man-kind.
Against fairy dogs, against world dogs.
Of the world hither, of the world thither.
VOL. II. I