The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

'i^']! The Ilig/iland Monthly.
sion Fat]i FitJie is now seldom heard ; but there can be no
doubt that in former times it was considered a protective
charm of some kind. In the verses from the Kenlochewe
Bard, ah-eady referred to, the word is used, but there
obviously in the sense of rosad as previously described.
The power to bring about darkness is an old belief among
the Celts, and an interesting instance of a charm used in
this connection is given in the Book of Lismore.
In the life of Senan (Book of Lismore) we are told of a
wizard (Druidh) who went to the King (Mac Tail) saying
he would make a charm (sen) to Senan the Saint, and that
thereby he would either die or leave the land. The King
was glad with this ; and the wizard went to Senan and
" sang incantations against him and said ' leave the land
with this spell.'" The saint replied, ''I will resist thy
spell ;" and he prevailed. Then the wizard " brought dark-
ness over the sun, so that no one in the island could see his
comrade's face. Senan however charmed the darkness.
In that case we have the wizard using his charm or
Sen, and the superior powers of the Church getting the
better of the powers of darkness. Similarly in the same
work we are told of a cloud of darkness enveloping the
mother of St Findchua from her pursuers, and thus saving
herself and the saint, who v.-as not then born, from the
rapacity of an enemy.
Again, the Tuath de Dannan were credited with the
power of raising storms and causing darkness. When the
invading Milesians reached Ireland, the Tuath de Dannan,
by means of sorcery, enveloped the Island in mist, and hid
it from their view. A sorcerer among the Milesians
directed them how to act, and they eventually landed.
The Fath Fithc is believed to be equivalent to the
modern Irish Feth Fia or the FaetJi Fiada of old Irish.
The Hymn of St Patrick previously referred to is called
'' Faeth Fiada," or, to use the language of the original text,
" 7 Faeth Fiada ahainm" (and Faeth Fiada is its name).
In modern Irish it is called " Luireach Phadruig," or, St