Blair Collection > Popular tales of the West Highlands > Volume 2

MAC lAlX DIREACH. 349
a b' fhearr an Albainn, 's bha an fhklaire bhuidh cho luath is gum
fagadh i an darna gaoith, 's blieireadh i air a' ghaoith eile, 's chum-
adh an t-seabhag ghorm am pailteas sithinn ris, 's chumadh, an
claidheamh gea!-soluis air falbh gach namhaid, 's bha Mac Iain
Dirich gu socbdrach sona dheth.
Thuirt Mac Iain Dirith ris a' gliille mhairtean, " 'S è do blieatha
'iUe-mhàirtean gudol feadh mo glirimd 's beotliach air bith a shand-
aicheas tu fein a gbabhail a thoirt leat, 's blieir mise iiitline do m'
ghillean, nacb tilg iad saithead, 's nach marbli iad thu fiiein na gin
do d al, ga b'e aon do an trend a bheir thu leat.
Thubhairtan gille-mairtean, "Gleidh thusa do threud dhuit fhein,
is iomadh fear aig am bheil muilt a's caoirich cho math is a tha
agadsa, 's gheibh mise am pailteas feoil an kite eile gun tighinn a
chuir dradh ortsa, 's thug an gille-mkirtean beannachd le Mac Iain
Dirich 's dh' fhalbh e, 's theirig an sgeul.
Told by Angus Campliell, quarryman, Knockderry, Eoseneath.
"Written by John Dewar, whose language has been strictly fol-
lowed. This dialect of Gaelic seems to contain English idioms ;
and varies from the island Gaelic, especially in grammatical con-
struction.
In this form the intention of the story seems to be the same
as that of Murchag or Mionachag, Xo. 8. Every incident gives
rise to another till the whole unwinds as a chain of cause and
effect ; a single feather is the first link, and a Princess the last,
and then the whole is run back again and the chain wound up,
and it ends with Theirig an sgeul, which means that the story
came to an end because there was no more of it.
It is worth remark, that the objects sought are those which
have been valued from the very earliest of times ; a Falcon, a
Sword, a Horse, and a fair Lady. The story might belong to any
country and to any age. The scene is as usual laid to the west-
ward, as far as it will go, and then it turns back to the nearest
and best known foreign country.
Only two spots are specified — one is close to the Gulf of Corrie
Bhreacan, the most remarkable place in the Highlands ; the other
the most conspicuous rock on the top of one of the most con-
spicuous and peculiar mountains in the West Highlands.
It seems hopeless to speculate who these seven great women
who guarded a shining sword may have been, but the worship