\ 



CATTLE 8^ 



"Lifting," " Creach " or " Preit," was also common to 

 Ireland, and it appears that a preliminary ceremony thereto was 

 in vogue, viz., something called a " migratory overthrow " or an 

 gheal mhaidhin, partaking, it is thought, of an invocation to some 

 "powers" for a "bright defeat or overthrow of the owners of 

 the spoil to be Mifted'." This was of course preliminary to the 

 actual driving off of the cattle. The Irish word or term for a 

 "lifting" or "spoiling" is Comkgahkail, lit. taking together or all 

 at once. The name " Machany " in Perth is just magh an ni, the 

 plain of the cattle. 



As may be surmised, superstitions, etc., as to cattle are or were 

 numerous. A place in Strath Lachlan, Argyllshire, contains a 

 large stone called " Cailleach-bheithir " or the Serpent-hag, which 

 was personified and said to have a large property in cattle. When 

 any cattle in the neighbourhood went amissing she was said to 

 have seized them, and consequently no farther search was made. 

 They were said to have been taken to Treud'ail a chaillich. A 

 house for cattle, it may be noted, is Tredoil in Irish, Treudail, i.e., 

 tred or treud fail or foil, a cow or flock stye. In Lewis we have 

 Neid-a-lan and Nead-alt, from " nawt " Norse for " cattle." 



Cameron, in his Gaelic names for plants, etc., says the cowslip 

 is an aversion to cattle, and that they refuse to eat it. It is 

 thought to give them the cramp or colic, and cattle, when seized 

 by this or some similar disorder, from having incautiously eaten 

 any such noxious herb, are said to have been shot by the arrows 

 of the daoine sith, peace men, fairies, when various supposed 

 remedies, too numerous to detail, are resorted to — these are, or 

 were, weird and mysterious in the extreme. Tein eigin or " need- 

 fire " was had resort to, and carried round the sick cattle, " deasiul." 

 For cattle diseases, murrain, etc., see Cow. 



Sayings and proverbs, which may be quoted in connection 

 with cattle are few, as they will be found elsewhere. 



A favourite toast among drovers, etc., used to be and probably 

 still is, Pris air an fheudail, a price (i.e., a good one), on the cattle, 

 as given in full under : — 



Am bronnach geamhraidh 's an seang earrach. 



Squabby in winter and skinny in spring. Young cattle. 

 Cha 'n e faighinn na feudalach a's miosa ach a' cumail 'an 

 deaghaidh a faotainn. 



The getting of the cattle is not so hard, as the keephig after 



getting. 



Crodh druim-fhionn, crodh guaill-fhionn, air do bhuaile mar 



chomhla', te eile ga'n cuallach 's do bhean a fuaigheal 'na seomar. 



White-backed and speckled-shouldered cattle in your fold 



together, another tending them while your wife sits in 



her chamber sewing. A good wish. 



