480 H'ujhlaiuh and Islands Commission. 



XCIX. The Milking Song.— Close Translation. 



I. 



Alexamler 

 Canuichael 



! my heifer, ho ! my gentle heifer, 

 My heifer so full of heart, generous and kind. 

 In the name of the High King, 

 Take to thy calf (1). 



II. 



That night the Herdsman \va.s out, 

 No shackle went on a cow. 

 Nor ceased a low from a calf, 



Wailing the Herdsman of the Hock. 



III. 

 Come Mary (Virgin) and milk the cow ; 

 Come Bridget and encompass her ; 

 Come Culuni Cille, the beneficent, 

 And wind thine arms around my cow. 



IV. 

 My lovely black cow, thou pride of the shealing ! 

 First cow of the liyre, choicest mother of calves ! 

 Wisps of straw round other cows of the town land, 

 But a shackle of silk on my heifer so loved. 



V. 



Thou black cow mine ! own gentle black cow ! 

 The same disease afflicts thee and me ; 

 Thou art grieving for thy beautiful first calf ! 



And I for mine only beloved son under the sea ! 



And I for my only beloved son under the sea ! 



' One touch of Nature makes the wliole world akin.' 



Taladh Na Banachaig.— The Milkmaid's Lullaby. 



The following poem is interesting from the three chiefs introduced at the end. 

 Although these lilts were meant only to soothe and quiet the cows in being 

 milked, they yet show, unconsciously, nmch that is interesting of the past, il 

 not of the ]jresent, life of the Highlands and Islands. 



Fonn. — Ho m' adhan ! ho m' adh min ! 

 Ho m' adhan ! ho m' adh min ! 

 Ho m' adhan ! ho m' adh min ! 

 A chrigheag cliri, is toigh lorn thu. 



Fhaic thu bho ud air an liana, 

 'S a laogh mear aic air a bialaobh 

 Dean thusa mar a rinn i chiana 



Their am bain a laoigh na Fianaich 

 Ho m' adlian, &c. 



