The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

2 28 The HigJiland Monthly.
evil courses, led him on the right path, and saved him from
various calamities, such, for instance as a sudden death
Bas obann}
While it was believed to afford general protection as
above described, it was specially useful in the case of
women in travail ; and the belief in its efficacy is
not yet a matter of the past. There is a tradition in Uist
that on one occasion the Virgin Mary and Jesus
were travelling on a stormy night. They came to a
strange house for shelter. The goodwife of the house
was kind and gentle, but the husband was churlish. The
wife gave them quarters, much against the husband's wishes.
During the night the wife was seized with the pains of
labour. Her case seemed to be a critical one, and the
assistance of the guests was asked for. Jesus, observing
that the woman was in great danger, said
The Virgin replied
—
Seall a Mhoire a' bhean
'Si air fod a' bhais.
(Mary, behold the woman
In the throes of death).
—
Seall fhein oirre a Mhic,
'Sann orra [air do] chomus a tha.
(Son, succour her thyself.
For thou hast the power).
Whereupon Jesus told the woman in travail to make the
sign of the cross three times, and
A' choinneal a lasadh.
An leanabh a bhaisteadh,
'S a' bhean a bhi slan.
(To light the candle.
To baptise the child,
And that she [the wife] might recover),
' The above is an account of the virtues of the Airiie Moire as told me by
an Uist crofter. In St Patrick's Hymn, already referred to, we have a similar
idea. The hymn, we are told in the prefatory note, is a "Corslet of faith for
the protection of body and soul against demons, and men, and vices. Every
one who shall sing it every day, with pious meditation on God, demons shall
not stand before his face : it will be a defence to him against every poison and
envy : it will be a safeguard to him against sudden death : it will be a corslet
to his soul after his death."
—