The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

Gaelic Incantations. 119
across each other, it is a sign that all will be well. On
getting outside, he proceeds round the house sunwise
(deisinl), repeating the following incantation :
Dia romham ;
Moire am dheaghaidh
'S am Mac a thug Righ nan Dul
'S a chairich Brighde na glaic.
]\'Iis' air do shlios, a Dhia,
A's Dia na'm luirg.
INIac Moire, a's Righ nan Dul,
A shoillseachadh gach ni dheth so,
Le a ghras mu'm choinneamh.
God before me ;
The Virgin Mar}* after me ;
And the Son sent by the King of the Elements ;
And whom St Bridget took in her arms.
I am on thy land, O God !
And God on my footsteps ;
May the Son of Mary, King of the Elements,
Reveal the meaning of each of these things
Before me, through His grace.
Another version of the incantation is as follows :
Tha mise falbh air srath Chriosd :
Dia romham, Dia am dheighidh,
A's Dia a m' luirg.^
A Frith a rinn Moire dha 'Mac,
A sheid Brighde troimh glaic,
]Mar a fhuair ise fios firinneach.
Gun fhios breige,
Mise dh-fhaicinn samhla 's coltas -
I go forth on the track of Christ
God before me, God behind me.
And God on my footsteps.
The Frith that Mary made for her Son,
Which Bridget blew through her hand ; (?)
And as she got a true response.
Without a false one,
Mav I behold the likeness [or similitude] of
' A B .
^ We have similar expressions in St Patrick's Hymn, already referred to
" Crist lim Crist rium Crist imdegaid "
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(Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ after me).
- Here the name of the missing person was said.
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