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212 Gaelic Society of Inuerness.
antique gem, "Tlic ilesirc of the aged Bard," which was undoubtedly
composed near the head of Glen-Nevis; but as it is
already redeemed from the moth and the rust I will pass it over.
The lullaby was a great element in Gaelic poetry—the words
always fraught with love and tenderness, the melodies soothing and
plaintive. The following onf; must have been composed about the
year 1520 on a child of the family of Lochiel, and from the genealogy
of the child, as given in the lullaby, he must have been " Eobhan
Beag Mac Dho'ill 'ic Eobhain," the father of the great Cameron
warrior, " Taillear dubh na Tuaighe 'chuir an ruaig air Mac-an-
Toisich "— " The black tailor of the Battle-axe, who put the Mackintosh
to flight," -and the grandson of the famous Chief, Ewen
Allanson. The great great grandfather, referred to in the lullaby,
must have been " Donald dubh " the Chief who fought at Harlaw
ill 1411. The lullaby must have been composed by the nurse, who
was one the clan. Had it been the mother that composed it, she
would have made loving mention of the child's father, but the
nurse would ignore him as he died without attaining to the honour
of being chief, and she could only feel entitled to l)e })roud of her
nursling as the offspring of a line of chiefs. She was very anxious
that he would get a charter for his land, and from history we find
that this was the very time when the first charters
the house of Lochiel.
The lullaby runs as following :—
were given to
Hi, ha, ho, mo leanabh
B' fhearr learn gun sgribhteadh dhuit fearann
Hi, ha, ho, mo leanabh,
Ogha EolDhain 's iar-ogh' Ailean.
Hi, ha, ho, mo leanabh
'S iar-ogh Dhonuill Duibh bho'n darach.
Hi, ha, ho, mo leanabh
B' fhearr gun sgriobhtcadh cinnteach d' fhearann.
Hi, ha, ho, mo leanabh
Ceann-Lochiall 'us Druim-na-saille.
Hi, ha, ho, mo leanabh
'S Coire-bheag ri taobh na mara,
Hi, ha, ho, mo leanabh
Acha-da-loagha 'san Anait,
Hi, ha, ho, mo leanabh,
'S a Mhaigh luhor 's an t-Sron 'san-t-Earrachd