The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

436
The Highland Monthly.
No o mhilleadh sluic,
A Bhride mhin fagam agad,
Moire tilleadh thugam
Le leas Dhia 's Chalum-Chille,
Casan cuiribh fothaibh,
'S drochaid Mhoire romhaibh.
In the following charm noted from an old Lochbroom
man we have St Columba's cure of the cattle disease
known as
Translated
—
All Tairbhean.
An t-eolas a rinn Calum-Cille
Dh' aona bh6 na caillich.
Cas air muir, cas air tir,
Cas eile 'sa' churachan.
Air mhial, air bhalg,
Air ghalair dearg, air thairbhein.
An tairbhean a tha na do bhroinn
Air an ailbhinn ^ sin thall, -
Slainte dhut a bheathaich!
The charm made by St Columba
For the old wife's only cow.
One foot on the sea, one foot on land,
And another foot in the corracle.
Against worm (louse ?), against swelling.
Against red disease (strangury ?) and tairbhean.
May the tairbheaji that's in your body
Go t(j yonder hard stone.
Health to you, beastie !
We often have St Columba presented to us with one
foot on land and the other on the sea, suggesting his sway
over sea and land
—
per mate per terras. According to the
foregoing, we have the Saint with three feet—one on the
sea, one on the land, and a third in the corracle !
' My informant explained ailbhi77n as " A' chreag is cruaidhe 'th' ann"—
(the hardest rock there is). He said it was to be found in the desert, and was
so hard " that blood alone would soften it !"
•^ Here mention the name of the beast— Niseag, Blarag, or whatever it may
lie.