J. F. Campbell Collection > Prophecies of the Brahan seer (Coinneach Odhar Fiosaiche)

10 THE PROPHECIES OF THE BRAHAN SEER.
US with a version in the Seer's vernacular Gaelic: —
" Thig an latha 's am faicear laraichean Sasunnach air
an taiTuing le srianan corcaich seachad air cul Tom-na-
hiuraich." (The day will come when English mares,
with hempen bridles, shall be led round the back of
Tomnahurich.) It is quite possible that a man of
penetration and great natural shrewdness might, from
the appearance of the country, with its chain of great
inland lakes, predict the future Caledonian Canal.
Among others which might safely be predicted,
without the aid of any supernatural gift, are, " that the
day will come when there will be a road through the
hills of Ross-shire from sea to sea, and a bridge upon
every stream." " That the people will degenerate as
their country improves." "That the clans will become
so effeminate as to flee from their native country before
an army of sheej)." Mr Macintyre supplies the follow-
ing version of the latter :— Alluding possibly to the
depopulation of the Highlands, Coinneach said " that
the day will come when the Big Sheep will overrun the
country until they strike (meet) the northern sea."
Big sheep here is commonly understood to mean deer,
but whether the words signify sheep or deer, the pro-
phecy has been very strikingly fulfilled. The other
two have also been only too literally fulfilled.
Mr Macintyre supplies another version, as follows:
" The day will come when the hills of Ross will
be strewed with ribbons." It is generally accepted
that this prediction finds its fulfilment in the many
good roads that now intersect the various districts
of tlie country. Other versions are given, such as ' a
ribbon on every hill, and a bridge on every stream '