Blair Collection > Celtic monthly > Volume 6, 1898

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THE CELTIC MONTHLY
poor widow woman might have, is undergoing
the process, it no doubt would save the trouble
and expense of a proper "Luadhadh" to do it in
a more primitive fashion.
A proper "Luadhadh" then, be it understood,
was always a social function of a pleasant kind,
and often attended with much congenial mirth
and good humour, though perhaps in the
presence of strangers and superiors it might
assume a more sombre aspect. Some of the
songs sung during the process are very beautiful,
but a great deal depends on the understandinc^
of them. No one can fully appreciate a
"Luadhadh" who does not study it in all its
aspects. In fact, no one but a Gaelic-speaking
person can fully understand it. At the same
time anyone watching the process with a view
to understanding it, and listening to the excellent
songs, can hardly fail to appreciate it in a proper
spirit, and wish that such an interesting
ceremony should not die out among the people.
To us Highlanders the "Luadhadh" and its
songs— a specimen of which is given — are deeply
engraven in our hearts. They reminds us of
happy homes, "The Auld Hoose," many subjects
fit for tears, and the race from which we spran".
Note.— Apropoa of the subject of "waulking"
and clothnig, historians tells us that mankind did
not at first clothe themselves for the sake of
decency. The lirst efforts were to cover the body
with painted colours, next come covering the body
with the skins of animals, and lastly clothing. The
object of painting was for the purpose of retiderincr
themselves terrible to their enemies. It is alleged
of the Irish that they besmeared their faces with
the blood of the slain in order to drive terror into
their enemies. Cieaar says that all the Britons
painted with wood— a cruciferous plant of the genus
isatis. Isodore says that the Goths used red, and
the Picts, besides tatooing themselves, coloured
their bodies with the juice of green grass ; and
Ovid terms the Britons " Virides." Tacitus says
the remote Germans wore the skins of animals.
Ciesar also describes the Suevi as arrayed in skins.
According to Dio the Caledonians were naked, but
Dr. MacPherson observes we are not to believe they
were entirely destitute of covering. Herodian
represents them as being only partially clad. At
the period of C;t'sar's invasion of Britain, 54 B.C.,
most of the inhabitants were clothed with the skins
of animals, but woollen garments were also in use.
Diodorus says that the Celtic weavers were most
ingenious artists, and produced work that astonished
other nations by its richness and singularity. "If
we could give credit to the few dark intimations
concerning the Hyperborei of Britain, a proof that
the manufacture, which is plainly Tartan, existed
in this country, at a period long anterior to the
commencement of our credible history, would be
found, for Abaris, the high priest of that people,
wore a robe which corresponds from the description
exactly to the Scot's plaid."— K. N. M.
WAULKING SONG, &v.
Key G.—inth ijreat spirit, and marked time.
I d :-: d I d :
Now we've got
^ d I r :-:d I 1, :-:s,
the web before us.
ll|:-:d|r:— :n|s:— :l|d: — :
And a chor - us you must sing.
Chorus.
I 1 :-
0!
■I S : — : m I n J r : d | 1, :— : S|
yes we'll join the chor - us,
Mi: — -dlr: — :n|s:— :l|d:-: (I
While the whole we deft - ly fiing.
Music helps to lighten labour.
Sing then gaily with good swing.
Sing of ancient bards so famous,
To their lays we fondly cling.
Tell of gallant deeds of daring
That won favour from the king.
Raise your voices, merry maidens,
Till we make the welkin ring.
For the benefit of our Gaelic readers we give the
original words associated with this song.
Oran Luadhaidh.
Dh' eirich mi moch niaduinn Cheitein,
Seisd :— Fail ill e', ill ii, ill 6,
Hiiiraibh o, na hd-ro e'ile,
Fail ill e, ill ii, ill 6.
'S moch an diugh a rinn mi e'irigh.
'S binn a choisir rinn mi e'isdeachd.
Smeoraichean air hhiv nan geugan.
Uiseagan os cionn an t-sle'ibhe.
'S boidheach 'fliiamh 's a ghrian ag e'irigh.
Maduinn ohiiiin fo dliriiichd nan speuran.
Brie air linneachan a' leumraich.
Crodh air airidhean a' geumraich.
Na laoigh bheaga 'ruith a chuile.
Cailinn donn a chuailein cheutaich,
'S binue beul na ceul nan teudan,
'Dol do 'n bhaile le ceum eutrom —
» * »
Leanaidh slainte agus e'ibhneas.
Riiisan a bhios moch ag e'iridh.
Translation.
I arose one morning early.
Fall eil ay, eil oo, eil oh,
Hiuriv oh, na horo eile.
Fall eil ay, eil oo, eil oh.
When the sun was shining clearly ;
Deer on green sward glancing brightly ;
Calves on meadows skipping liglitly ;
Cows on hill-sides loudly lowing ;
Maid to milk them gaily going ;
Light her footstep, sweet her singing ;
Woodlands all with echoes ringing ;
'Mong the boughs the mellow thrushes ;
Robins jinking through the bushes ;
Skylarks soaring o'er the mountains ;
Grey trouts leaping in the fountains.
There be pleasures worth the prizing
To be had by early rising.
Fal eil ay, eil oo, eil oh.
END OF VOLUME VI.
7.