BLACKBIRD 11 
The Manx Note-Book, No. 2, p. 55, gives the following 
popular rendering into Manx of the Blackbird’s notes :— 
Kione jiarg, Kione jiarg. Red head, Red head. 
Apyrn dhoo, Apyrn dhoo. Black apron, Black apron. 
Vel oo cheet ? Vel 00 cheet ? Are you coming? Are you coming? 
Skee fieau, Skee fieau. Tired waiting, Tired waiting. 
Lhondoo, Lhondoo. Blackbird, Blackbird. 
Mr. A. W. Moore in his Folk-Lore of the Isle of Man, 
p. 151, quotes ‘a quaint fancy derived from the notes of 
the Blackbird’s and Thrush’s songs. The Blackbird whistles 
“ Gow as smook,” which is Anglo-Manx for “ Go and smoke.” 
The Thrush replies, “ Cha vel thumbaga aym,” “I have no 
tebacco,” or literally, “There is no tobacco at me.’ To 
whom the Blackbird again, “ Kionney, Kionney,” “ Buy, buy.” 
The Thrush is then forced to confess, “ Cha vel ping aym,” 
“ There is not a penny at me,” and receives very bad advice, 
“Gow er dayl,’ “Go on trust”; but he closes the con- 
troversy by saying, “Cha der ad dou eh,” “ They won't give 
it me!”’ 
Mr. J. R. Moore, of Laxey, gives me a somewhat different 
version: ‘ Irree, Rovvin,' as gow smook! Cha nel thombaga 
aym. Kionneh! Kionneh! Cha nel ping aym. Thruss eh ! 
Thruss eh! Thruss eh! Cha der ad thruss dow. Quit eh— 
eisht, Quit eh !” 
Mr. Kermode gives me a third from the neighbourhood of 
Ramsey :— 
‘Callow Moar, Callow Moar,? 
Gow smook, Gow smook. 
Cha nel smook aym, Cha nel smook aym. 
Gow a thruss, Gow a thruss. 
Der oo thruss dou, Der oo thruss dou. 
Quit y quit, y quit!’ 
1 4.e, Rise, Robin ! 
2 Callow Moar, or Great Callow, was a well-known one of land at 
Claughbane near Ramsey. 
3 The Manx of the latter part of this is doubtless corrupt. Miss Morrison 
sends me two other versions from Peel, each varying a little from those given 
above, and being addressed to one Robin Quirk, likely well known in his time. 
The words were thus adapted locally, 
