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

158
THE MUSIC
My quotations from Mari Nighean Alisdair Kuaidli have already trenched on
the space intended for other bards, her equals for elegance and tenderness, and
her superior for strength and sublimity ; but I must submit two or three verses
of " An Talla 'm bu gna le Macleoid," as a specimen of the numerous class of
triads that seem to have been such favourites with the bards.
GUR MULADACH THA MI. — SORROWFUL AM I.
Thy delight was swift dogs
and
Leat bu mheauach coin luthmhor
let bu vi-anach coya lu'vor
Dhol a shiubhal nan stuc-bheinn,
yol a bi-B-val nan stuc-veyun
'Sa gunna nach diulta ri ord. —
sa gunna nacli di-ulta ri ord
Leat, etc.
Si do lamh nach robh tuisleach
si do lav nacli rov tuyshlech
Dhol a chaitheamh a chuspair,
yol a chay'-ev a ohuspayr
Le d' bhoghadh caol ruiteach deo neoil.
le d' vo'-a' caol rnytech de-o ne-oyl
Si, etc.
Glac chrom air do shliosaid,
glao chrom ayr do h-li-asayd
Do shaighdean snaighte gu'n iaradh,
do hay'-den snay'te gun i-ar-a'
Among the rough and peaked
mountains.
And the gun that denies not the
hammer, (never misses fire.)
Thy, etc.
Thy hand is not erring
In the competition (of archery,)
With thy bow slender, ruddy, beauti-
ful.— Thy, etc.
The bending quiver on thy hip,
Of arrows polished and straight.
'M bar dosrach le sgiathain an fheoin.* — Their tops rough with the wing of
the eagle. — The, etc.
The waxed shaft
Is not dubious in its flight
When the bow-string springs from
thy fingers. — The, etc.
When released from thy hand.
Not an inch remains uninserted
Between the barbed point and the
cleft. — When, etc.
On coming to thy residence,
'm bar dosrach le sgia'-ayn an e-oyn
Glac, etc.
Bhiodh ceir ris na crannaibh,
vi' ceyr ris na crann-ayv
Bu neo-eisleanach tarruinn,
bu neo-eyslenech tarruynn
Noir a leamadh an taifead o d' mheoir.-
noyr a lem-a' an tayf-ed o d' ve-oyr
Bhiodh, etc.
Noir a leigte bho d' laimh i,
noyr a leygte vo d' layv i
Cha bhiodh oirleach gu'n bhathadh
cha vi' oyr-lech gun va'-a'
Eader corran a gaine sa 'n smeoirn. —
eder corran a gayue san sme-oyrn
Nair, etc.
Nam dhuit tighinn gu d' bhaille,
nam yuyt ti'-iuu gn d' vaylle
* The eagle ÌB, par excellence, called " coin," or " fiar-ian,"— the bird, or true bird, — in GaeUc poetry.
Its other name is descriptive, " eolaire ;" being compounded of the roots " eol, "or " iul," knowledge, and
" athar," pronounced a'-ar, sky.