The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

Qtier?i Songs. 625
Brath, brath, bleith !
Ho brath, brath, bleith !
Beil, a chailleach, a' bhrath
'S fear a' tigh'nn i^a d' iarraidh.
" Gu de 'n t-aodach a th' air ?"
Leineag is barlag.
Is seann chraicionn brathain,
Agus claidhe' air a leis.
" Beilidh mi gu tiobaint i,
Is fear a tigh'nn ga m' iarraidh ;
Beilidh mi gu tiobant i,
Gu tiobant i, gu tiobant i,
Gu luath, luath tiobant i
Is fear a tigh'nn ga m' iarraidh.
Beilidh mi gu driongant i
Gu driongant i, gu driongant i,
Ga sior chur mu 'n cuairt.
Beilidh mi gu tiolpant' i,
Gu tealpant' i, gu tiolpant' i,
Gu drionganta, gu dreanganta,
Ga sior chur mu 'n cuairt !
And the carlin worked at the quern till she fell dead of
sheer exhaustion on the " cyaicionn-brathain','^ where she sat.
For the benefit of such as may not have Chambers
interesting work beside them, I quote the rhyme referred
to by Mr Carmichael in his note
" Whistle, whistle, auld wife, and ye'se get a hen."
" I wadna whistle," quo' the wife, " tho' ye wad gie me ten."
" Whistle, whistle, auld wife, and ye'se get a cock."
" I wadna whistle," quo' the wife, " tho' ye wad gie me a flock."-
" Whistle, whistle, auld wife, and ye'se get a man."
" Wheep-whaup !" quo the wife, " I'll whistle as I can."
The following example of a Quern Lilt is taken by special
permission from that excellent collection of Genuine Scottish
Melodies, published by Mr R. Maver, Glasgow.^ It may
^NoTE, by Mr Carmichael.—The " craicionn-bralhain" is a skin or hide
placed on the floor, below the quern, to keep the meal clean. Compare this
with " The Auld Wife" in Chambers' " Popular Rhymes of Scotland."
^ Maver's Collection of Genuine Scottish Melodies, for the pianoforte
or harmonium, in keys suitable for the voice. Harmonised by C. H.
Morine ; edited
Ren field Street.
by George Alexander, Esq. Glasgow : Robert Maver, 1
—
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