Hew Morrison Collection > Adhamh agus Eubh, no Craobh Sheanachais nan Gàël

162 HISTORY OF THE
through the twelve signs of the zodiae, and unques-
tionably the Largo {El-Ar-Og), Lota, or stone-of
power of the Druids.
If this be true, we think we hear some say, we
would expect some more CabaUstic, or reUgious
names about the neìghbourhood of this famous
stone. That the remark is just we atonceconcede.
And what is the result ? Why, the very narae of
the county, ^^- Fife" is expressive of the Eph, or
solar-serpent ! as is " Kilcon^n)\ax" of the sepul-
ture of the dog-worshippers : " Elie," of the swan-
worship : " Cupar" (Cii-Op-Ar), of the dog, the
serpent, and the sun, of which " H-Orestii," and
" Peithii" or " Pehs," the names for the inhabi-
tants, are but a variety. It is not a bad attempt
that Mr Leighton makes at the etymology of the
term Fife, when he says, —
" Thosc who are aware that the P in the ancient Celtic
changed in the oljlique cases into Ph with the sound of F,
will not doubt that greater changes in orthography have taken
place than the softening of Peithi into Fife."
The reader wiU see no caU for this accommoda-
tion when he thinks, not of " Peten" but of
" Eph," of which Fife is but a redupUcation.
The mind, at our comparatively mature stage of
language, reaUy requires to be frequently led back
to the origin of it : but if we picture to ourselves,
for instance, Pharaoh I. tattooed with, or otherwise