192 MOUSE 



MOUSE (see also Shrew). — Fiolagan, feasgar-luch (field) ; 

 Labhallan, lanihalaii, lliygoden (Welsh), luch, luchag. 



Foittac'k (Field); Harvest-row (Wilts); Maase, nieawse, moose, 

 moss, mellot (short-tailed), mouel (field), mousey, muss (plur.),myss 

 (Jonson) ; Uana, raima, ranny (shrew), reiny, rennie ; Schrocrop, sew, 

 shroe (shrew ; Thraw-mouse (shrew) ; Water-ranny (field). 



The etymology is said to mean " stealing animal," from " mus," 

 to steal, while the Gaelic " luch " is from " lokos " (Gr.), a wolf, 

 or vice versa. 



The mouse is known everywhere, but we question whether 

 greater attention has been paid to it anywhere than in the 

 Highlands. For one thing it (as well as its big brother, the rat) 

 is supposed to dread, or at least hate, sarcastic rhymes, how, it is 

 not said, but the alleged results are adduced as sufficient evidence. 

 A satire of eight verses called "Aoireadh le Alasdair Catanach 

 an Saor ruadh anns a Chreagan 'nuair bha e 'fuadach nan luchan 

 bho sabhal" — A satire by Alexander Cattanach, the red carpenter, 

 on the occasion of his putting to flight the mice from a barn, 

 will be found in Vol. XH. of the Celtic Magazine, page 257. The 

 following is a child's or nursery rhyme : — 



" Thuirt an luch bheag 's i san toll 

 ' De'n fonn th' air a chat ghlas ' } " 

 Fonn math is deagh shaod 

 Gum faodadh tusa tighinn a mach ; 

 *S mor m'eagal romh 'n dubhan chrom 

 A th' agad ann am bona do chas, 

 Mharbh thu mo phiuthar an de 

 'S fhuair mi fein air eigin as. 



Another version is : — 



Luch— Thuirt an luch 's i 's an fhroig Mouse— S&id the raousie in the hole, 



"De 'ra fonn a th' ort a chait "What is that purr of the 



roraach ghlais ? " grey cat ? " 



Cat—*' Comunn 'us cairdeas 'us gaol, Cat—'' A good purr and a pleasant 



faodaidh tusa tighinn a mood 



mach." That thou might'st come 



out of that" 



Luch—"'S eolach mi mu'n dubhan Mouse— " Great is my fear for the 



chrom crooked hooks 



A tha mach e bonn do chas That thou hast got in the 



Mharbh thu mo mathair an d6 sole of thy feet, 



Ge caomh rium do bheus an Thou killed'st my sister 



diugh." yesterday 



And! myself got hardly quit.'* 



Cat—*' Cha mhis' a bha sin ach cat Cat—" That was not me but John 



Mhic Iain ruaidh Roy's cat 



A b'abhaist a bhi ruagadh That used to be the hens' 



chearc, distress, 



Ghoid i 'n caise bha's a chliabh. She stole the cheese that was 



'S dh'ith i 'n t-iasg a bha 's a in the creel, 



phreas." And ate the fish that was in 



the press.** 



