The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

—
Gaelic Incantations. 429
he himself had lived for a long time in that district, and
took a special note of the Mams mentioned in his formula.
His own words were— " Bha mi-fhein a' fuireach fada ann
an Cnoideart, 's chum mi beachd air na Maim." Like the
Psalmist, he might well say
—
" I to the Hills will lift mine eyes.
From whence doth come mine Aid!''
The method of " apportioning the Mam'' in Arisaig and
Morar was as follows :—The edge of the axe was placed,
in the name of the Trinity, on the swelling. Lifting the
axe, the operator then struck its edge into a block of wood
—generally the door-step (inaide-biiinn or stairsneach)—at
the same time saying, " So air Mam-Chlachard" i.e., " This
part of the swelling I apportion to Mam-Chlachard"- -and so
on, until each of the nine hills mentioned in the formula
received its due portion !
—
If one recital did not prove suc-
cessful, the rite might be performed two or three times.
The following is the formula as practised by Donald
Maceachan :
1. Tha mi cur so air Mam-Chlachard [above Loch-
Nevis].
2. Tha mi 'cur so air Mam-Uchd [Knoydart].
3. Tha mi 'cur so air Mam-Uidhe [Knoydart].
4. Tha mi 'cur so air Mam-Bharasdail [Knoydart].
5. Tha mi 'cur so air Mam-Eadail [Knoydart].
6. Tha mi 'cur so air Maman-Odhar [Knoydart].
7. Tha mi 'cur so air Mam-Suidheag [Knoydart].
8. Tha mi 'cur so air Mam-Unndulainn [Knoydart].
9. Tha mi 'cur so air Mam-Lidh [Knoydart].
AN TROMA-LAIDHE, OR NIGHTMARE.
The following is a charm against Nightmare, or
Troma-laidhc, It was to be said as soon as the person
awoke :
—
Aisling a chunnaic mi 'n geilt,
Thug Criosd oirre deagh bhreith ;
Dh'innis Peadar i do Phol,
'S thubhairt Pol gum bu mhath.