326 RAVEN 



of Moytura. The word " fitheach " is applied to birds of prey in 

 general, as will be gathered from the following verses which arc 

 given here. They are all we can recollect of a long string of 

 descri])tive and humorous versifications, by one of the many 

 minor bards of Skye. 



** 'S ann tha 'n comhradh binn aig na With clangour and shriek and loud 



fithicli refrain 



Air mo lothan duinn thug mi dhaibh Are gathered together the birds of 

 an itheann (? sithionn). prey» 



To pick the bones of my dun colt's 



frame 

 Of which I gave them the eating. 



Man, addressing the corpus delicti 



" Chuir mi null thar sail' thu " I sent you out on the wide salt sea, 



'Dh' fhaicinn do chairdean, Your friends and neighbours per- 

 Nach do mheal thu do shlainte chance to see, 



Bho 'n a thain' tu 'rithisd " ! But here you're back again to me, 



'S ann, etc. You surely have been ailing " ! 



Birds, loq. 



Sin mar thuirt an iolaire spogach First spoke the eagle swooping free 



'S e 'nuas troimh na rahointich, O'er moor and moss-hag airily, 



•' Gheibh mise mo leoir dhi, " I'll get the most, for he's to me 



Tha i dhomhsa dligheach.*' A perquisite unfailing." 

 'S ann, etc. 



Sin mar thuirt an corra-ghriobhach, Thus said the handsome heron then, 



'S e teannadh ri sgriobhadh, About to write with ready pen ; 



Tri fichead 's a tri orr' bho 'n 's mi " Sixty- three of us are in the ken, 



fhein is breitheamh. For I'm a judge unerring." 

 'S ann, etc. 



Sin mar thuirt an calaman The pigeon then with plaintive 



'S e 'crioraadh na h-eanchainn, maens 



" Sguiribh dhe 'ur mealagan Said softly, as she picked the brains, 



'S an t-sealgair a' tighinn." "You'd better cease these noisy 



'S ann, etc. strains 



For see, the hunter's coming." 



As to proverbial sayings the following may suffice : — 



Am fitheach a' cur a mach a theanga leis an teas. 



The raven putting out his tongue for (or with) the heat. 

 Am fitheach a dh' eireas moeh 's ann leis a bhios suil a 

 bheothaich a tha 's a pholl. 



The raven that rises early gets the eye of the beast in the 

 bog. A dainty. 

 Aon de thri subhailcean a bhaird. 



One of three gifts of the bard. Only applicable to mock, 

 and some modern bards. (See Nicolson's note hereto.) 

 Bas an fhithieh ort. 



The raven's death to you. It was a jiopular belief among 

 the Gael that the young raven kills the old one. This is 

 not compatible witli its alleged long life. 



