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Carmina Gadelica, Volume 1, by Alexander Carmicheal, [1900], at sacred-texts.com


 

p. 292

p. 293

AM BEANNACHD LOMBAIDH [108]

THE CLIPPING BLESSING

 

WHEN a man has shorn a sheep and has set p. 293 it free, he waves his hand after it and says:--

 

 

p. 292

 

p. 293

F

FALBH lom ’s thig molach,
Beir am boirionn Bealltain,
Bride mhin a bhi dha d’ chonaill,
Moire gheal dha t’ aurais,
     Moire gheal dha t’ aurais.

Micheal mil a bhi dha d’ dhion
Bho ’n mhi-chu is bho ’n an-chu,
Bho ’n mhac-tir ’s bho ’n mhadhan stig,
’S bho ianaibh ineach call-ghob,
     Bho ianaibh ineach cam-ghob.

 

Go shorn and come woolly,
Bear the Beltane female lamb,
Be the lovely Bride thee endowing,
And the fair Mary thee sustaining,
     The fair Mary sustaining thee.

Michael the chief be shielding thee
From the evil dog and from the fox,
From the wolf and from the sly bear,
And from the taloned birds of destructive bills,
     From the taloned birds of hooked bills.

 


Next: 109. The Chant of the Warping. Duan Deilbh