The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

382 The Highland Monthly.
Translated
—
—
—
A gentle wife,
A churlish husband ;
Christ lying on the awns [of corn],
That will stop the sealg [colic or spleen].
Another Uist version is
Bean fhial, 's duine borb,
Criosd 'na laidhe air a' chalg
Eirich a's leighis an t-sealg.
Translated
— —
—
A hospitable wife, a churlish man ;
Christ lying on the awns
Arise and cure the spleen.
The version of the story given in Vol. VIII. is substantially
the same as the one now narrated. It is noteworthy,
however, that in Protestant Lochbroom there is
whilst the version
no mention of the Virgin Mary ;
obtained in Catholic Uist assigns to her a prominent place.
The Lochbroom version of the formula was as follows —
:
An ainm an Athar, a' Mhic, 's an Spioraid Naoimh !
Duine fiat a muigh,
Bean fhial a stigh,
Criosd 'na laidhe air calg a' hn
'S math an leigheas air an t-seilg sin.
Translated
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
A fierce, churlish man without,
A hospitable wife within,
Christ a-lying on the beard of flax
That is a good cure for the spleen.
It will be noted that one of the Irish charms above
given deals with the sealg. There is also a charm for the
" Stitch " in a MS. of the nth century, given in Cockaynes
Leechdam and wort-cunning of early England :- -
With gestice.
" Writh Cristes mael and sing, thriwe thaer on this and
pater noster Longinus miles lancea ponxit dominum et
restitit sanguis et recessit dolor. For a stitch. Write a
cross of Christ and sing over the place this thrice.''
CASGADH FOLA, OR STAUNCHING BLOOD.
The belief prevailed that some of the old Highlanders
could staunch blood. Horse gelders were supposed to be