The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

624 The Higklana Monthly.
the Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Glasgow, published
by Mr Archibald Sinclair of that city. I am
indebted to my good friend Mr A, Carmichael, Edinburgh,
who has done so much to collect the folk-lore of the
Hebrides, I give it exactly as Mr Garmichael has written
it down from recital :
—
BEIL, A CHAILLEACH, A' BHRATH.
[From Duncan Maclellan (Donnacha Ban) crofter, lochdar, South Uist,
29th May, 1869.]
Introduction.—There lived in the long, long ago, an old
carlin, and she was very old. But old as she was she still
cherished the desire and even the hope to marry. She
came to a crofter house one day while the women were
grinding at the quern, and making meal for the food of the
family. The women asked the carlin to take her turn at
the quern in the following manner :
—
Brath ! brath ! bleith !
Ho brath, brath, bleith !
Beil,^ a chailleach, a' bhrath
'S gheobh thu 'm blaths-teinne bhuam.
" Gha bheiP mi, 'ghraidh,
Gha triog^ liom sin !
Gha triog liom sin !"
Brath, brath, bleith !
Ho brath, brath, bleith !
Beil, a chailleach, a' bhrath,
'S gheobh thu 'm bonnach brathain bhuam,
" Gha bheil mi, 'ghraidh,
Gha triog liom sin,
Gha triog liom sin."
Brath, brath, bleith !
Ho brath, brath, bleith !
Beil, a chailleach, a' bhrath
'S gheobh thu 'n cart bainne bhuam
" Gha bheil mi, 'ghraidh,
Gha triog liom sin,
Gha triog liom sin !"
^ Bleith. - trie leam.