Appemlix A. 479 



Banachaig Nam Bo.^ — The Milkmaid of the Cows. 



The following air, one of many, is sung by milkmaicls in South Uist as they ^ 

 milk their cows. 



I. 

 O m' adhan ! ho m' adh min ! 

 M' adhan cri', coir, gradhach, 

 An' ainm an Ard-Righ, 

 Gabh ri d' laogh (1) ! 



II. 



An' oidhche bha am Buachaille muigh, 

 Cha deachaidh buarach air boin, 

 Cha deachaidh geum a beul laoigh, 

 A caoineadh Buachaille chruidh 1 



III. 



Thig a Mhoire 'us bUth a bho, 

 Thig a Bhride 's comraig i ; 

 Thig a Chalum Chille chaoimh, 



'Us iadh do dha laimh mu m' bhoin ! 



IV. 

 Mo bho lurach dhugh, bo na h-airidh, 

 Bo a bhathaiche ! mathair laogh ! 

 Luban siamain air crodh na tire, 

 Buarach shiod air m' adhan gaoil ! 



Y. 



'Sa bho dhugh sin ! 's a bho dhugh ! 

 'S ionan gah^r domhs 'us duits — 

 Thus a caoidh do cheud laoigh caoin, 

 Mise 'us m' aona mhac gaoU fo'n mhuir ! 

 Mise 'us m' aona mhac gaoU fo'n mhuir ! 



(1) Occasionally a calf dies, and the mother cow is restive, and will not give 

 the milk. To quiet her, and obtain her milk from her, the skin of her dead calf 

 is placed on a skeleton frame calf, made for the purpose. This is placed before 

 the cow, and the deception has the desired effect. The skin, however, must be 

 that of the cow's own calf. That of another cow's calf, however much like her 

 own in colour and size, is disdainfully tossed aside and kicked away by the 

 cow. 



In wooded districts, where rods are got, the frame calf is made of wickeiwork. 

 This sham calf is variously called Laoicionn, Loircean, Lulagan, Tulgan, and 

 Tulachan. The first two names refer to the skin and appearance of the sham 

 calf, while the last three names refer to the rocking, fretting motion of the calf 

 when sucking under its mother. A boy near moves the tulachan now and 

 again, to make the cow believe that all is right, while the maid is busy the 

 while taking away the milk from the pleased cow ! This is the origin of the 

 term ' tulchan,' as applied to a bishop who draws the stipend but does not 

 perform the work of a bishop — a term sufficiently known in Scottish ecclesi- 

 astical historv. 



