January 19, 2005

pixie devil? she brought me a book!

I have yet another book. It arrived today.

Carmina Gadelica: Hymns & Incantations Collected in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland in the Last Century, by Alexander Camichael (1832-1912), is a book I have wanted for a very long time. It is a great catalogue of Christian and non-Christian prayers. Much of what Iona and Northumbria are about stems from this collection and others like it. Very sweet it is! Here is a sample for you.

The bairnies of this townland,
This townland, this townland,
The bairnies of this townland
Will be romping on an knoll.
Romping, romping,
Romping on a knoll,
Romping untiringly,
Romping without pause.
I will not give my laddie
My laddie, my laddie,
I would not give my laddie
For twenty white kine.

I'd rather have thee in the meadow,
In the meadow, in the meadow,
I'd rather have thee in the meadow
Than any of my kindred's bairns.

Dainty and cream I'll give to thee,
And the white milk of the gentle cows;
Wine of the wort I'll give to thee,
So thou come home with me to the knoll.

This is a great book! According to the end notes, "this fairy song was heard in a fairy mound on Mingulay." Who knew?

Isle of Mingulay

Posted by tripp at January 19, 2005 09:51 PM
Comments

I would not give my laddie for 20 white kine, either. In the first place, where would I put 20 kine, white or otherwise, in my 2nd-floor Chicago flat??

And then there's the pooing. No litterboxes for kine, as I understand it. Not to mention that they really aren't very cuddly, even if they do mean well.

Posted by: kate at January 20, 2005 10:11 AM