DASG Blog

Cainnt nan Eun: Pàirt 1

The Gaels, of every corner of the world, are of the belief that some animals speak their own language, much in the way that we have. There is a richness in the talk of the birds with what they are saying to us or to each other, some of them nice, some of them not so nice! We shall have a look at them in this blog.

The book “Aithris is Oideas” is exploding with recollections, language, talk and the voices of the birds. The book itself is completely full of folklore, verses, games, riddles, etc. but it is with the voice of the chicken the book starts. She’s a very talkative bird by the looks of it because of the three things she says:

(1) “Tog, tog, tog, tog,
Tog an rud a dh’fhàg mi,
Ge beag an t-ugh, ge beag an t-ugh,
Tha stà ann, tha stà ann.”

[“Lift, lift, lift, lif,
Lift what I have left,
Though it be little, though it be little,
There is profit within, there is profit within.”]

(2) “Rug, rug rug a dhà
Rug, rug, tug a dhà.”

[“Bear, bear, bear two,
Bear, bear, take the two.” You can hear this one on Cultural Equity, Alan Lomax’s audio archive.]

(3) “Gog gog gog gog gog gog gù
Beiridh mise a h-uile là agus cha bheir an crodh-laoigh.”

[“Gog gog gog gog gog gog gù
I shall bear everyday but the calf wont.” Cultural Equity.]
 
For its size the talk of the robin is more threatening that you would expect:
“Big big bigean,
Cò chreach mo neadan?
Mas e duine mòr e,
Bogaidh mi san lòn e:
Mas e duine beag e,
Cuiridh mi ri creig e:
Mas e duine beag bìodach, bìodach, gun chiall, gun nàire e
Gun glèidheadh Dia mhath dha athair is dha mhàthair fhèin e.”

[Big, big, bigean
Who plundered my nest?
If it’s a big man,
I shall plunge him in the loch:
If it’s a small man,
I’ll put him to the rocks:
If is is a shameless, senseless, tiny, tiny, small man
May great God preserve his father and mother to him.”]

The same call can be seen in Aithris is Oideas and on Tobar an Dualchais – in the recording here – as well as for the lark but there is another call for it:
“Is minig, minig, minig
A thig Crìosd ann an riochd a’ choigrich.”

[“It is often, often, often
That Christ shall come in the form of a stranger.”]
 
There is an interesting story of the Owl in “An Rubha,” volume 13, number 1, about two daughters of the King that were enchanted and put into the form of an owl by a witch while they are finding their cattle. To this day they are trying to find their cattle still asking each other:
“Am faca tu an crodh maol odhar?”
“Chan fhaca ’s chan fhaigh.”

[“Did you see the polled, dun-coloured cattle?”
“I haven’t seen and I won’t find [them].”]
It is unlucky to hear the eerie voice of the owl apparently. It was an omen that death would come to them soon. Perhaps it is the effect of the witch but whatever it is be careful!
 
The song of the swan is very beautiful, there is a great recording starting with “Pilililiu” and going to “Òran na h-Eala”:
“Gu-bhig-ì, gu-bhig-ò
Gu-bhig-ì, gu-bhig-ò
Gu-bhig-ì, gu-bhig-ò
Gu-bhig-ò, gu-bhig-eile.
 
Mo chasan dubh,
Mo chasan dubh,
Mo chasan dubh,
’S mi fhèin ’glè gheal.
 
Rachainn o’m nead,
Rachainn o’m nead,
Rachainn o’m nead.
Is mi fhèin an’ Èireann.”

["Gu-bhig-ì, gu-bhig-ò
Gu-bhig-ì, gu-bhig-ò
Gu-bhig-ì, gu-bhig-ò
Gu-bhig-ò, gu-bhig-eile.
 
My black legs,
My black legs,
My black legs,
And I am very white.
 
I would leave my nest,
I would leave my nest,
I would leave my nest,
And I am in Ireland."]

There are many songs of the swan but the word “guileag” or “Gu-bhi-g(ì)” appears in the majority of them, representing the call of the swan. There is another version of the song above on "Tobar an Dualchais" here as well. The song “Pilililiu” is renowned and important to us in Scotland and in the Gaelic world because it is one of the oldest songs we have, recalling the voice of the a’ cham-ghlas no an fhinninich (the redshank) that returns to Scotland on the cladach.

The call of the song thrush is interesting and well-known, her call occurrs between a mother and her chicks:
“Iain Ic’ Ille Mhoire bhig, Thig Dhachaidh Thig Dhachaidh.”
“Ciod a thuige, ciod a thuige?”
“Gu’d dhìnnear, gu’d dhìnnear.”
“Gu dè ’n dìnnear, gu dè ’n dìnnear?”
“Aran cruidh cuilce, aran coirc is miùg leis, is miùg leis.”

[“Iain little son of the Servant of of Mary, Come home, come home.”
“To what, to what?”
“To your dinner, to your dinner.”
“What’s the dinner, what’s the dinner?”
“Hard bread of reeds, oatcakes and whey with it, and whey with it.”]

There is a story in Easter Ross in the book "Saoghal Bana-Mharaich," by Seòsamh Watson, which has a different saying for the mavis:
"Bha Ùistean dol dachaidh aon oidhche, làn liquor. Shuidh e anns an ditch is bha smeòrach seinn. Bha an smeòrach ràdh is seinn,
'Òl uile e, òl uile e, òl uile e, òl uile e!'
'Chan eil mise amaideach [thuirt Ùistean.] Tha thusa ag iarraidh mi òl uile e, ach chan òl! Tha mi cumail glainneag airson am madainn.'"
["Hugh was going home one night, full of liquour. He sat in the ditch and a song-thrush was singing. The song-thrush was saying and singing,
'Drink it all, drink it all, drink it all, drink it all!"
'I am not idiotic [said Hugh.] You want me to drink it all, buy I won't! I am keeping a wee glass for the morning.'"

The call of the Heron isn’t as interesting compared to other birds but it is interesting that her call is mentioned in her name already, “Corra-Sgreuch” (or “Corra-sgritheach”) is the old name for her, so she won’t say anything but screech. Perhaps it isn’t as pleasant as other birds but it is much easier to remember.

I never heard an utterence from the Quail although. I know that it  isn’t a well-known or renowned in the Scottish bird world but they have a peculiar call. For the reason that they keep themselves hidden from people their talk to me is somewhat like “Ò ò. Ist, bi clis! Is’, bi clis!” [“”Uh oh. Quiet, be swift! Chicks, be swift!”]

We shall continue with more about the talk of the birds in another blog but why don’t you let us know about talk of the birds that you know? Did you already know any of the above? Do you know any bird talk for the call of a specific bird? Let us know on facebook, twitter and our own website!