The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

Gaelic Incantations. 235
And the glow-worm came,
With its silvery flame,
And sparkled and shone
Through the night of St John ;
And soon has the young maid her love-knot tied.
With noiseless tread.
To her chamber she sped,
Where the spectral moon her white beams shed :
" Bloom here, bloom here, thou plant of power,
To deck the young bride in her bridal hour !"
But it droop'd its head, that plant of power.
And died the mute death of the voiceless flower ;
And a withered wreath on the ground it lay,
More meet for a burial than a bridal day.
And when a year was passed away.
All pale on her bier the young maid lay ;
And the glow-worm came.
With its silvery flame,
And sparkled and shone
Through the night of St John ;
And they closed the cold grave o'er the maid's cold clay.
— ( Vide Hone's " Every Day Book," Vol I., p. 427).
An Uist lady described AcJilasan-CJialiun-CJiille to me
as growing in out of the way corners, in little branches,
with pretty yellow flowers — " Bithidh e 'fas 'na ghasan
agus dithein bhoidheach bhuidhe air." To get it growing on
the hillside at a time when it was not looked for was consi-
dered very lucky, for prosperity and success followed in its
train— " Bha buaidh ga ruith." When it was found
unsought for, the following Incantation was said :—
Achlasan-Chalum-Chille
Gun sireadh, gun iarraidh.
Mo niarrachd ^ a gheibheadh e.
Buainidh mise duilleach an aigh,
Mar a dh' orduich an t-Ard-Righ.
Cha 'n 'eil aite 'n teid e suas
Nach buinnigteadh leis buaidh a's cis.
^ Foinne mu 'n iadh bri)g
Mo niarrachd bean ^g air am bi ;
Foinne mu 'n iadh glaic,
Mo niarrachd am mac air am l^i.
—