DOG 141 



In Reliquiae Celticce an account is given of how Bran was 

 killed, which apparently does not coincide with that formerly 

 given. Elsewhere we read that Bran was killed really by Fionn 

 himself in saving his mother, who, in the shape of a fawn, Bran 

 was chasing ; she, by Fionn's advice, passed through between his 

 legs, and when Bran followed Fionn squeezed her to death. Fionn 

 is said never to have wept except twice — once at the death of his 

 grandson Oscar, and again at the death of Bran, whose " shaggy 

 foot" is referred to in Temora, Duan VI., beginning "Is teann air 

 'n a shineadh air feur, cas mjiolach an treun choin Bhran." And 

 near it (the shield), stretched on the grass, lay the hairy paw of 

 the noble dog Bran. It will be noted how the gender of Bran 

 varies. 



Other famous Celtic dogs, ancient and modern, are countless. 

 We have room for only a very few references to one or two. 



A famous Welsh dog, for instance, was " Cavall," Arthur's dog, 

 referred to by Tennyson — "the baying of the deep-mouthed hound 

 Cavall," probably so called from his noble size — cahall means a 

 horse — Caballus (Latin). To go to the other extreme, viz., a lap- 

 dog as being "famous" on account of the tradition or history 

 hanging round the first oircne or lapdog introduced into Ireland 

 from Britain, and which was called " Mug-eime " or Mogh Eimhe, 

 which is said to mean " Slave of the hilt or haft." This animal was 

 brought from Britain by one Cairbre Muse ; it was a female. See 

 Cormac's Glossary for account thereof. Some other accounts give 

 it as the first dog of any kind which was brought to Ireland. In 

 Leabhar na Feinne, in "Laoidh a choin duibh," a famous dog, 

 supposed to be from Innis nan Tore (Orkney), is described as 

 follows : — 



Bha allt luidh fad o cheann 

 Meadhan leathann leodhar-chliabh 

 Uileann fhiar agus speir cham. 



More fully and correctly in " Caraid nan Gaidheal " : — 



Sud mar thaghadh Fionn a chu 

 Suil mar airneig, cluas mar dhuilleig, 

 Uchd mar ghearran, speir mar chorran 

 'S an t' alt luthaidh fad o'n cheann. 



Thus would Fingal choose his dog, 

 Eye like sloe, ear like leaf. 

 Crest like horse, hough like reaping hook. 

 And the neck-joint far from his head. 



Or, 



Miann Mhic Cumhal air a chu. 



MacCumhal's choice of a dog. 



