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

316
OWL
O'n 's mi fhin a b' fhearr an airidh,
Air mo bhogha ro mhath iubhair.
No thusa aois bhothar sgallach,
Bhios aig an teallach ad shuidhe.
Labhair an aois a rithis,
'S mo 's righinn tha thu leanbiil,
Ris a bhogha sin a ghiulan,
'S gur mo ba chiiibhe dhuit bata.
Gabh thusa uaimse 'm bata,
Aois ghranda chairtidh na pleide,
Cha leiginn mo bhogh' leatsa,
Do rahathas na d'ar, eiginn.
'S iomadh laoch a b' fhearr na thusa,
Dh' fhag mise gu tuisleach an-fhann,
'Ndeighifhaobhachadh as asheasamh,
Bha roimhe na fhleasyrach meamnach.
I am myself more worthy
Of my excellent bow of jew
Than thou, deaf, bald-pated age !
Who sittest ghastly upon the hearth.
Age again answered.
Too obstinately dost thou continue
To bear that tough and stubborn bow.
More seemly for thee were a knotted
staff.
Take thou from rae the knotted staff.
Feeble coward, old age, thou
mendicant,
Shalt thou deprive me of my faithful
bow ?
Offer not your bounty, O distress.
Many a hero thy superior
Once bold and vigorous in youth
Have I left nerveless and feeble
Despoiling him of stature, strength,
and courage.
Five verses of " Oran na Comhaehaig," from the Duanaire,
being numbered there 44, 45, 46, 55, and 56.
Bu mhath mo bhuachaile cruidh,
B' e sid uasal nam fear,
Bu deacar dhomh tarmus air d' fhuil,
Cha bu dubh, ach aobharrach glan.
Bu mhath mo bharanta-cogaidh,
Ge do thogair mi tigh 'n uaithe,
(Gure Eoin a Taigh-na-creige),*
Bho 'n a bhagair e mo bhualadh.
'S o'n a bhagair e mi gu teann,
Cho fad 's a mhaireas crann, no clach,
Cha tog mi h-ulge mo thriall,
Ni mo dh" iaraim dol 'no theach.
Soiridh uam gu Coire na cloich'.
An Coire 'm bu toigh leam 'bhi
thamh,
'S gu Uisge-Labhair nam faobh,
Cuilidh nan agh maol 's nam mang.
Soiridh eile gu Bac-nan-craobh,
Gu da thaobh Bealach-nan-sgurr,
\S dh' fhios an Eadar-bheallaich
mhoir.
Far nach cluinnear gloir nan Gall.
Good was my herder of cows,
Highest was he among men,
I could not belie thy blood,
Black was it not but pure and clean.
Good was my war-pledge
Tho' I elected to leave it
('Twas John of Rock-House)
Since he threatened to assault me.
And as he threatened me most direly.
So long as lasted tree or stone ;
I'll not direct my way to him
Nor seek to enter his house.
Bear ray blessing to the Corry of
stones
The Corry where I loved to dwell.
And to the sounding Lavar water
The hiding place of the deer and
hinds.
Another blessing to "Bac-nan-
craobh,"
To both sides of " Bealach-nan-
sgurr,"
And tell them in great " Eadar-
bheallach,"
Where the Lowland speech is not
heard.
The site of Maclan's castle, Glencoe.