Blair Collection > Gaelic names of beasts (mammalia), birds, fishes, insects, reptiles, etc

310
OWL
'N uair ba bhinn guth gaJlain gaodh-
air,
A cur graigh gu gabhail chumhainn.
'S binn na h iolarain ma bruachabh,
'S binn a cuachan 's binn a h eala,
A's binne no sin am blaoghan,
Ni an laoighein mean-bhreac ballach.
A's binn leam toraman na'n dos.
Re uilinn na'n corri-bheann cas,
'San eiJid bhiorach is caol cos,
Ni foise fuidh dhuilleach ri teas.
Gun do cheil aic ach an damh,
'S e 's muime dhi feur a's cnearah,
Mathair an laoigh rahean'-bhric mhir.
Bean an fhir mhal-rosgaich ghlain.
'Siiibhlach a dh' fhalbhas e raon,
Codal cha dean ann san smuir,
B' fliearr leis no plaide fui' thaobh,
Bar an fhraoich bhadanaich iiir.
Gur h aluinn sgeamh an daimh
dhuinn,
Thearnas o shireadh na'm beann,
Mac na h eilte ris an t shonn,
Nach do chrom le spid a cheann.
Eilid bhinneach, mheargannt,
bhallach,
Odhar eangach uchd re h ard,
Damh togbhalach croic-cheannach
sgiamhach,
Cronauach ceann-riadhach dearg.
Gur gasda a rithe tu suas.
Re leachduinn chruaigh a's i cas,
Moladh gacli aon neach an cii,
Ach molams 'n tru tha dol as.
Creag mo chroidhe-se a chreag
mhor,
'S ionmhuinn an Ion tha fuidh ccann,
Where melodious rose the cry of the
noble hounds.
Driving the herds of deer in their
fastnesses.
Loud were the eagles round its preci-
pices,
Sweet its cuckoos and swans,
More cheering still the bleating
Of its fawns, kid-spotted.
Sweet to me as the murmurs of the
tufted wood
At the elbow of the steep craggy rock.
And the light -formed hind, with
slender limbs
Reposing under the foliage, in the
sultry heat.
She is nursed by the herbage of
hart's tongue.
The stag is her beloved and only
mate —
Mother of the sportive, small-spotted
fawn —
Spouse of him that abides (or stands
firm).
Swiftly he scours the plain —
He makes not his bed in the dust,
The top of the fresh-tufted heather
He prefers to the softest couch.
Graceful is the beauty of the brown
deer
Descending from searching the moun-
tains.
The son of the hind, and the excellent
one
That bent not his head in disgrace.
The hind sharp-horned, of quick
movement,
Dun-speckled, of nimble step, her
breast mountainwards.
The hart spirited, antler-headed,
majestic.
Murmuring, as it were, an indistinct
song — red, of brindled head.
Admirably wouldst thou course it
Up against the hard and steep
declivity.
Let every one praise the swift pursuer
Be mine to praise the speed and
beauty that escapes.
Rock of my heart ! the great rock !
Beloved is the green plain under its
extremity,