CRICKET— DRAGON 403 



CRAB-LOUSE (see Louse). 

 CRANE-FLY (see Fly). 

 CROCODILE.— Corcardull. 



CRICKET. — Buail-a-chnag or ehrag (balm); Cuil'-theallaich ; 

 Finnein-fionn, fionnan-feoir ; Gabha or gobha-dubh, gobhachan, 

 greollan, griathran, grillus, griuUus, grollan, grullan ; Leumadair- 

 feoir, leumadair-uaine (green) ; Teine-chiarag ; Uirchir (fen), 

 urchuil. 



Bruck (field) ; Charker, cheiper, crackel, crekytt (A. S.) ; Grig ; 

 Hama ; Knid (Somerset). 



In the Highlands, as well as elsewhere, crickets are believed 

 to be enchanted, but not evil; indeed, they are considered to bring 

 good luck to the house in which they are. They are supposed to 

 live for hundreds of years. The term " buail-a-chnag " is from the 

 sound the insect makes recovering its position if laid on its back, 

 incited thereto by a boy or girl saying — 



Buail an t-ord a ghobhachan Strike the hammer, little smith. 



No buailidh mi 's a cheann thu. Or I'll strike you on the head. 



Crickets singing or chirping on the hearth is said to be a good 

 omen, and the token of coming riches to the family. This is subject 

 to much latitude like other similar beliefs. Cowper calls the cricket 

 "always harbinger of good." 



DRAGON. — Arach Dragon, draig, drauch, dric; Nathair- 

 sgiathach ; Tentide (Ir.). 



The etymology of this word conveys the idea of a winged 

 serpent, the seeing one, the sharp-sighted one. 



The dragon was not unknown in some parts of the Highlands. 

 In Sutherland, for instance, it was famous and called there " Beisd- 

 a-ghiubhais duibh" or " Beisd-an-dubh-ghiubhais," the beast of 

 the black firs. It was shot by St Gilbert who was termed " An 

 gobhain saor," the free or noble blacksmith, with the first of five 

 arrows. The stone of the beast " Clach-na-beisde " is said to be 

 on the moor between Skibo and Dornoch. This creature is also 

 thought to be a salamander, " Corra-chagailt," it having been born 

 from a fire, which lasted seven years. It is chronicled that in the 

 year 1500 one of the Lovat family shot a dragon in Glenconvinth 

 which was more than "tue elis of lenth." The dragon on the 

 Culloden medal is said to commemorate (among Englishmen) the 

 overthrow of the Jacobites. 



DRAGON-FLY (see Fly). 



DRONE (see Bee). 



