OWL 317 



In reference to the English translation of above, there appears 

 in the Edinburgh Review for August 1811, a review of Mrs Grant's 

 essays on the Superstitions of the Highlanders, where the reviewer 

 says " All, we think, will be struck with the tone of enthusiasm 

 and pathos which the untutored bard has contrived to communicate 

 to an effusion, which treats neither of love nor of battles, nor 

 of any of the subjects which address themselves to the greater 

 passions of our nature. . . . This (the ballad) is certainly of a 

 loftier mood than we should expect from a huntsman or whipper- 

 in of Saxon breed, and would have appeared still more heroical 

 if we (the reviewer) had been able to make room for ^the banners 

 of Alexander of the Glen,' and the commemoration of various 

 other worthies of high rank and powers. All this inspired by an 

 old owl." 



The first verse of Professor Blackie's translation is as follows : — 



" O poor old owl of the Sron 

 Hard is your bed this night in my room. 

 But that if you be as old as Clan Donald, 

 You had cause enough in your day for gloom." 



The italics are added to note ichere they icere. 

 The following notes refer to the versions : — 



Alasdair carrach. — B'e Alasdair carrach brathair Dhomhnuill duibh, 

 Haria ; dh' eug e mu 'n cuairt do 'n bhliadhna 1440, bha mhac Aonghas 

 agus ogha Domhnull mac Aonghais ann an ceannairc Shiol Chuinn an aghaidh 

 an treas agus an ceathramh righ Seumas. 



Alasdair nan gleann. — B'e Alasdair nan gleann mac Raonuill mhoir chaidh 

 'ghlacadh airson a bhi 'am Blar-na-leine, agus 'am iomadh creachadh, agus 

 a chaidh 'dhith-cheannadh aig Eilgin comhladh ri Lochiall 's a bhliadhna 

 1547. Tha coltas gun do theasd Alasdair a mhac roimh bas athair. 



Raonull mac-I\aonuiU-mhic-DhomhnuiU-(/hlais. — Bha 'n duine 's an sar 

 laoch ainmeil so beo anns a bhliadhna 1578. Thog na chairich 'us a mheud- 

 aich an Raonull so Tigh-nam-fleadh, is e sin pubull fiodha agus fraoich, 

 aig ceann Locha Treig. B'e mhac Alasdair-nan-cleas, agus is ann mar so 

 thug Macmhurich clar-sloinneadh Alasdair anns a bhliadhna 1616, Alasdair 

 MacRaonuill mhic Raonuill mhic Dhonuill-ghlais mhic Aonghais mhic Alasdair 

 charraich mhic Eoin mhic Aonghais oig. 



The owl, being very fond of fish, often dips into a loch or 

 stream, or even the sea, in pursuit thereof. The common barn- 

 owl foretells rain by a peculiarly weird hooting, a saying in 

 reference thereto being "Tha chomhachag ri bron, tha na tuiltean 

 oirnn," when the owl mourns, the rain comes, or the owl is lament- 

 ing the floods are upon us. In the woods at night chiefly are 

 heard the dolorous notes of the tawny owl, with, occasionally, the 

 hawk owl, which latter, however, is a rare and not altogether a 

 night bird. The snow or snowy owl is the finest of its class. The 

 owl has also a very acute sense of smell, scenting its prey often 

 where it is thought non-existent. 



The short-eared owl is also called the woodcock or hawk owl 

 from the nature of its flight and habits, it being a day owl and 

 frequenting open moors, etc. It is a dire foe to the vole, which is 



