Ossian Collection > Macdonald bards from mediaeval times

Another song also attributed by some to Donald
Donnis "Oran an Amadain Bhòiclheich," in which
he is supposed to liave mistaken his lady-love, a
beautiful girl, who was dairymaid to his father,
for a (lufk swiunuing upon the river and shot her
by accident, having been deceived by his mother,
who wished to put a stop to his amour. The girl
is said to have been bathing in the river, and on
his mother informing him that she saw a beautiful
duck upon the river, he took his gun and soon
turned his love into mourning. Such a thing is
possible in the dusk of an evening, but it savours
strongly of an improbability. The song, however,
is a good and romantic one, as will be seen by the
following stanzas : —
A Mhairearad òg 's tu 'rinn mo leòn,
(xur cailin bhòidlieach lurach thu,
Gur t,'uirm' do shùil na niaduinn dhriùclid,
An dearc air chill nan duilleagan.
Uur guirm' do shiiil na maduinn dhriiichd
An dearc air chùl nan duilleagan ;
Gur gil' thu 'ghràidh, na'n sneachda ban,
A' cur air àrd nam monaidhean.
Och, 's i nio mhàthair 'rinn an call,
'N uair chuir i 'shealg na tunnaig mi !
'S 'n uair a rain' mi 'n linne chaoil,
'S ann bha mo ghaol a' siuthladh innt'.
'S e 'n gunna caol a rinn mo leòn,
Cha tèid e òirleach tuillidh leam,
'S a' the 'rinn dhomh-sa leine chaoil
Cha dean thu, 'ghaoil, gin tuille dhondi.
Righ nan dùl, cum rium mo chiall,
Cha robh mi riamh 's a' chunnart so !
'S a Mhairearad òg's tu rinn mo leòn,
'S tu 'dh' fhàg fo bhròn 's fo mhulad mi.
The writer is of opinion that this song nmst
have been confounded with hh\ song to the laird
of Grant's daughter, composed the night before
his execution, or by some other person who copied
Donald Donn's style.
Another " Moladh a' Phiobaire," to Donald
Campbell, piper to Gilleasbuig na Ceapaich, by
Donald Donn : —
Slàn ioraradh do m' ghoistidh,
Beul nach loisgeach 'an cainnt.
Slàn iomradh, &c.
Mo run air Caimbeulach suairc,
A theid air ruaig thar a' mhàim.
Mo riin air Cain)beulach siobhalta
Nach cosnaicheadh earn.
Gura math 'thig dhuittriubhas
Gun bhi cumhan no gann.
'S cha mhiosa 'thig dhuit osan
'S bròg shocair bhuinn
Bròg bhileach nan cluaisein
Air a fuaigheal gu teann.
Bhindh do phiob mhòr gu spreigeadh,
'8 cuid de h-eagal air each.
'N uair a chluinninn toirm t' fheadain
Nàile ghreasainn mo làmh.
Thugadh bean leat bho'n Bheugich
'S an cluinnt' beucadaich mhang.
'S ro-ndiath 'b' aithne dhonih 'n nighean
A bha 'cridh' ort 'an geall.
Anns a' ghleannan bheag laghach
'S ann 'bhiodh tu taoghal os n-àird.
DONALD GRUAMACH.
(GRIM DONALD.)
It is mentioned in the Glenbard collection that
John MacDonald of Bohuntin had tliree sons, viz.,
— Alastair, Donald Donn, and Donald Gruamach.
It would thus appear that Donald Gruamach was
a brother of the famous Donald Donn. As a poet
he was considered not much inferior to his better
known brother. He and Iain Lom were on bad
terms, and frequent passage of arms in the poet-
ical line passed between them. Very few of his
poems have been preserved, but those that have
show him to have been no mean hand at versific-
ation. On one occasion at least he managed to
make the famous bare John lose his temper badly,
as shall be seen presently. The following was
a dialogue in verse that passed between them : —
DOMHNULL GRUAMACH AGUS lAIX LOM.
DONALD GRUAMACH.
A bliean nam pòg meala,
'S nan gorm-shùilean meallach,
'S ann a tha mo chion-faUich
Fo m' bhannan do m' ghràdh.
A bhean, etc.
Cha'n'eil mi 'gad leirsinn,
Ach mar gu 'm biodh reul ann
An taic ris a' ghrein so
Tha 'g eirigh gach la.
IAIN LOM.
Air leatsa gur reul i,
'S gur coltach ri grein i,
'S òg a chain thu do leirsinn
Ma thug thu 'n eisg ud do ghràdh.
Boladh iiilleadh an sgadain,
De dh' ùrluinn na h-apa,
'8 i 's ciibaiche faicinn
A tha 'n taice ri tràigh.
DONALD GRUAMACH.
Fios bhuam gu Iain Mapach,
Do 'm bu chèird a bhi 'gadachd,