LARK 301 



A toirt sgeul an Earraich as ur dhuinn 



An deigh a ciurradh le fuachd breun 



A taisbeanadh maise agus umhlachd 



Do 'n Triuir a tha 'n aird nan nearah 



Mar fhianuis an aghaidh nan slogh 



'S mar dhearbhadh air gloir nan neamh 



Tha ribheid a cleibh a' toirt urraim air gach ceol 



Truailleachd naduir no gniomh lamh 



Cha chuirear mar thair air a h-eoin 



Craobh mheangannach dhosrach 



O dhuslach na talmhainn 



Mar sin an t-uine 's e falbh ann an ceo 



Gun subhailc neo-bheusach Ian truailleachd 



Tha 'n duine fo bhuaireadh mar sgleo 



A Thi phriseil nam buadhan caomha 



Ceadaich dhuinn aomadh gu ceol 



A sheinn do na naomhaibh 



Tha 'comhnuidh an saoghal nam beo 



Far nach fuaraich an gaol, 



'S am maireann an ceol. 



Muire nan gras, 



Peadair is Pol agus Eoin. 



Amen. 



The foregoing is not translated, brevitatis causa. 



The Irish are by no means behind their neighbours — Celtic or 

 others — in their admiration and praises of the lark, one saying 

 being — 



Mo run geal thar eun thu 



Mo sgiath ar leun thu. 



My pure choice of birds thou 



My wing upon meadows thou. 



It is hardly necessary, it is hoped, to add that it is a heinous 

 sin to rob a lark's nest, and to see one even is reckoned a good 

 sign, even though once it was supposed to be a bird of evil omen. 

 It is said that the lark has the power to utter as many curses on 

 the stealer of her eggs as there are spots in or on her tongue. 

 Generally the lark is considered sacred, and often called " Mary's 

 bird or lark." Ossian's grave is called " Carn-na-h-uiseig," the 

 lark's cairn, and this bird is frequently referred to in Gaelic 

 poetry. Wordsworth calls it '^ethereal minstrel pilgrim of the 

 sky," and Shakespeare says, " Like to the lark at break of day 

 arising from sullen earth sings hymns at heaven's gate." The 

 lark sings strongest while ascending, probably because more force 

 is necessary to raise him or herself, and thus the notes are made to 

 gush out more freely. So soon as the lark begins to sing, so sure, if 

 wet, will the weather clear up. The rock or field lark is fond of 

 feeding on the shore on sea-weed, especially dilse or dulse, whence 

 one of its names. In Irish Gaelic, according to O'Reilly, the word 

 "uiseag" is akin to the word "uisi," humble, whence probably 

 the other word "uisiarach," a petitioner. In Eriskay it is called 

 "uiseag Muire," where it is plentiful, though the island of Lewis 



