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

122
THE POETRY
Let tears fall from the maidens of
the forest,
The beautiful maidens of Morven.
We must strike in the battles of Erin,
For the race of the mighty who fell
by Cairber.
The days of my years are under a
cloud ;
My aged arm is becoming weak, —
My fathers are looking from their
clouds
On the feeble course of their
haired son ;
But I will not resign without victor}',
rey-
Sileadh deoir 'o oighean na frith, —
sile' de-oyr o oy'-en na fii'
oigheanan aillidh na Morbheann.
o oynnen aylli' na mor-venn
Buaille sinne a'n comhraig na h-Eirinn,
biiylli sinne an cov-rayg na hey-rinn
Mu shiol nan treun a thuit le Cairber.
mu hi-ol nan treyn a huyt le cayrber
Tha laithean mo bhlianaibh fo nial ;
ha lay'-en mo vli-an-ayv fo ni-al
Tha mo ruigh aosda fas fann,
ha mo ruy' a-os-da fas fann
'S m athrichean a sealtain 'o nial,
8 ma'-iicb-en a se-altayn o ni-al
Air faoin astar an liadh-mhic ;
ayr faoyn astar an li-a'-vic
Ach cha treig e'n arach gu'n bhuaidh,
ach cha treyg en aracb gun vuy'
Gu'n dealradh f hagail ma chliu, —
gun delra' agayl ^^ cbli-u
Gu'n ainm fhagail mar sholus nan speur,
gnn ayn-em agayl mar bolus nan speyr
Do bhardaibh nan teud cuin."
do vard-ayv nan teyd ci-uyn
Down to the period at which the whole " pomp and circumstance" of
warfare was changed by the discovery and universal use of gunpowder, the
chief bard acted as aid-de-camp of the ceann-cath, and the clan bard as the
adjutant of the chief The former was often dispatched to an overmatched or
receding division, for the purpose of rekindling their fire and energy with his
war-song or prosnachadb, as reinforcements are now sent. We have an instance
of this in the poem of Fingal, where the bard is sent to encourage the over-
matched division of Gual. This prosnachadh or war-song has been carried
down by oral recitation more fully thjtn in the version of it found in Mr Mac-
pherson's repositories, and is now submitted to the reader.
Without leaving a blaze of fame, —
Without leaving my name like the
light of heaven,
To the bards of tuneful strings."
A shiol mharcaichean nan steud
a bi-ol varcaych-an nan steyd
Is airde leum 'sas fiate srann,
is ayr-de leym sas fi-a-te srann
A righ nan claidheamh geur 's nan sleagh ;
a ri' nau clay'v geyr 's nan sle-a'
A lamb threun an cruaidh-chas,
a lav hreyn an cru-ay'-clias
A chridhe aird nach eur bas,
a chri'-e ayrd nach eyr bas
A cheannaird shonn is euchdar toirt ;
a cbenn-ayrd lionn is eyc-ar toyrt
Cuir sgrios air marachean nan stuadh,
cnyr sgris ayr mara-chen nan sta-a'
Descendant of the riders of steeds
Of highest bounds and wildest snorts.
King of sharp swords and spears ;
Strong arm in extremity,
High heart that fears not death,
Chief of heroes of deeds illustrious ;
Destroy the mariners of the waves,