CALF 73 



appears in Gaelic as Calbh, the sound of the / being fully retained. 

 Thus the Gaelic-speaking people call the Calf of Man An Calbh 

 Mannanach. An Calbh, the Calf (of Mull) is the name of the 

 island that stretches across and almost landlocks the bay of 

 Tobermory. On the north of lona this name has been transferred 

 from a little island to the farm on the adjacent shore, the island 

 becoming eileari Chalbha, the island of Calf. Finisgaid (Fionn 

 uisgeag, the white little water or streamlet) is fed by several 

 smaller streams called " calves/' of which the following lines are 

 a description : — 



'Nuair a bhios aon laogh aig Finisgaig theid gille Cur, 

 'Nuair a bhios da laogh aig Finisgaig theid each'us gille Cur.' 

 'Nuair a bhios tri laoigh aig Finisgaig cha teid Feachd no Fine 

 Cur. 



When Finisgaig has one calf a lad can ford the Coor, 



When Finisgaig has two calves a lad on horseback can ford the 



Coor, 

 But when Finisgaig has three calves neither Host nor Clan can 



ford the Coor. 



(The little river being then a raging torrent.) 



In the north end of Colonsay is Meall-a-Chuilbh, the mass or 

 lump of the calf; in this case the island in the vicinity was no 

 doubt once Calbh, though it goes now by a different name. 



Other names of places have been derived from " calf" even from 

 their being kept or enclosed in any place, as Cotan, Cotachan, etc., 

 which in Lewis and Harris, according to Mr A. Carmichael, are 

 terms for the enclosure of calves, whether this is a corruption of 

 the English word "cot" or a form of coimhdeachan, a safe or 

 secure place, a shelter, we are not told. 



The term " calf," as is fairly well known, is frequently used by 

 Celts as a terra of endearment. Gillies jrives : — 



Mo laogh fein thu laogh mo laoigh 

 Leanabh mo leinibh ghil chaoimh. 



My own calf you, calf of my calves, 

 Ciiiild of my gentle (or loving) fair child. 



This comes from Laoidh Osgair ; Fionn says of Oscar, a-dying — 



Mo laogh fhein thu 'laoigh mo laoigh 

 A leinibh mo leinibh ghil chaoimh 

 Mo chridhe 'leumraich mar Ion, 

 Gu la bhrath cha'n eirich Osgar. 



My own calf, thou calf of my calf. 

 Thou child of ray fair tender child. 

 My heart is bounding like an elk. 

 Not till the last day, rises Osgar. 



