Ossian Collection > Carmina gadelica > Volume 1

LA HOUR
HUNTING BLESSING
not to take life wantonly. He was not to kill a bird sitting, nor a beast lying
down, and he was not to kill the mother of a brood, nor the mother of a suckling.
Nor was he to kill an unfledged bird nor a suckling beast, unless it might be
the young of a bird, or of a beast, of prey. It was at all times permissible and
laudable to destroy certain clearly defined birds and beasts of prey and evil reptiles,
with their young.
From my loins begotten wert thou, my son,
May I guide thee the way that is right,
In the holy name of the apostles eleven
In name of God the Son torn of thee
In name of James, and Peter, and Paul,
John the baptist, and John the apostle above,
Luke the physician, and Stephen the martyr,
Muriel the fair, and Mary mother of the Lamb.
In name of Patrick holy of the deeds,
And Carmac of the rights and tombs,
Columba beloved, and Adamnan of laws,
Fite calm, and Bride of the milk and kine.
In name of Michael chief of hosts,
In name of Ariel youth of lovely hues,
In name of Uriel of the golden locks,
And Gabriel seer of the Virgin of grace.
The time thou shalt have closed thine eye,
Thou shalt not bend thy knee nor move,
Thou shalt not wound the duck that is swimming,
Never shalt thou harry her of her young.