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Minstrelsy of the Scottish border - National Library of Scotland

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THE SCOTTISH BORDEK. 327<br />

THE MERMAID.<br />

J. LEYDEN.<br />

1 HE following poem is tbunded upon a Gaelic ti'adi-<br />

tional ballad, called Macphail <strong>of</strong> Colo?isai/, and <strong>the</strong> Me/-<br />

maid <strong>of</strong> Corrivrekin. The dangerous gulf <strong>of</strong> Corrivre-<br />

kin lies between <strong>the</strong> islands <strong>of</strong> Jura and Scarba^ and <strong>the</strong><br />

superstition <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> islanders has tenanted its shelves and<br />

eddies with all <strong>the</strong> fabulous monsters and daemons <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> ocean. Among <strong>the</strong>se^ according to a universal tra-<br />

dition, <strong>the</strong> Mermaid is <strong>the</strong> most remarkable. In her<br />

dwelling, and in her appearance, <strong>the</strong> mermaid <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

nor<strong>the</strong>rn nations resembles <strong>the</strong> syren <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ancients.<br />

The appendages <strong>of</strong> a comb and mirror are probably <strong>of</strong><br />

Celtic invention.<br />

The Gaelic story bears, that Macphail <strong>of</strong> Colonsay was<br />

carried <strong>of</strong>f by a mermaid, while passing <strong>the</strong> gulf above<br />

mentioned : that <strong>the</strong>y resided toge<strong>the</strong>r, in a grotto be-<br />

neath <strong>the</strong> sea, for several years, during which time she<br />

bore him five children : but, finally, he tired <strong>of</strong> her so-

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