Blair Collection > Carmina gadelica > Volume 2

338 NOTES
The badger is now rare in Scotland, being only seen occasionally in the
Highlands and on the Border.
From the fact that all grazing animals are then in best condition, October is
called 'mios sultain,' month of fatness.
T
Tachar, tacar, heap, quantity, fruitage. ' Fhuair thu tachar eisg ' — Thou hast got a
heap of fish. ' Fhuair mi tachar ian ' — I got a number of birds.
Tachradli, produce, substance ; from ' tachar,' quantity.
Tachran, tacharan, a kelpie, a water-sprite, a dwarf — one of the many supernatural
beings with which the Highlanders peopled their glens and woods, streams and
lakes.
A place in Islay is called 'Clachan an tacharain,' the ford of the kelpie ; and
one in Perth is called ' Poll an tacharain/ the pool of the kelpie.
The term occurs in the touching lament of a Kintail woman whose husband
was slain bj' Donald Macdonald, known as 'Domhull odhar,' dun Donald, 'an
tacharan,' the dwarf, and Finlay Macrae, known as ' Fionnladh dubh nam
fiadh,' black Finlay of the deer : —
' Is olc a fhuaradh Tacharan 111 have done the Dwarf
Us Fionnladh dubh nam fiadh — And black Finlay of the deer —
A dh' fhag mo ghaol an cadha cumhan, They left my lo\'e in narrow pass.
Far naeli eirich grian. \V'liere no sunshine shall appear.
'Dh' fhag- iad mo thaigh mor gun tubha, They reft my big house of its thatch.
Mo shabhal tur gun dion. My barn made wholly bare.
An dubhra trath 's t-anamoch aun. In tlie gloomy winter night-watch,
'S mo chlann air blieag dh'an bliiadh.' And my children without fare.
Their neighbours alleged that the people of Corrsabal, in Islay, wished to
secure as a man-servant —
' Bolanach do gheinneanach, A sturdy stumpy of a fellow,
Do bhalach math laidir, A youth of e.\ceeding strength,
Dheanadh gniamh ceatharnaich, Who would do the work of a hero,
'S nach itheadh ach biadh tacharain.' Nor eat but the food of a dwarf
'Tachran cuthaig,' 'tachan cuthaig,' the page of the cuckoo — generally the
meadow-pipit. When the cuckoo sings, the pipit emits a hissing sound resem-
bling ' tach ! tach ! tach ! ' This may have originated the name in this case.
Taghan, polecat, foumart. The polecat is detested for its destructiveness and evil
odour. It is now nearly extinct in the Highlands.
Tail, taileadk, sail, saileadh, cause, sake of, on account of. ' Fhuair mise trod air
taileadh do ghnothaich ' — I got a scolding on account of thy business. ' Tha mi
air taileadh mo ghnothaich f hein '—I am after my own business.