Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

NORA'S VOW.

AIR-" Cha teid mis a chaoidh."1

WRITTEN FOR ALBYN'S ANTHOLOGY, [1816.]?

In the original Gaelic the Lady makes protestations that she will not go with the Red Earl's son, until the swan should build in the cliff, and the eagle in the lake-until one mountain should change places with another, and so forth. It is but fair to add, that there is no authority for supposing that she altered her mindexcept the vehemence of her protestation.

I.

HEAR What Highland Nora said,
"The Earlie's son I will not wed,
Should all the race of nature die,
And none be left but he and I.

1 "I will never go with him."

2 [See also Mr Thomson's Scottish Collection, 1822.]

For all the gold, for all the gear,
And all the lands both far and near,
That ever valour lost or won,

I would not wed the Earlie's son."

II.

"A maiden's vows," old Callum spoke,
"Are lightly made, and lightly broke :
The heather on the mountain's height
Begins to bloom in purple light;
The frost-wind soon shall sweep away
That lustre deep from glen and brae;
Yet Nora, ere its bloom be gone,
May blithely wed the Earlie's son."-

III.

"The swan," she said, "the lake's clear breast May barter for the eagle's nest ;

The Awe's fierce stream may backward turn,
Ben-Cruaichan fall, and crush Kilchurn;
Our kilted clans, when blood is high,
Before their foes may turn and fly:
But I, were all these marvels done,
Would never wed the Earlie's son."

IV.

Still in the water-lily's shade

Her wonted nest the wild-swan made;

Ben-Craichan stands as fast as ever,

Still downward foams the Awe's fierce river;
To shun the clash of toeman's steel,
No Highland brogue has turn'd the heel;
But Nora's heart is lost and won,

-She's wedded to the Earlie's son !

MACGREGOR'S GATHERING.

AIR-" Thain' a Grigalach."

WRITTEN FOR ALBYN'S ANTHOLOGY, [1816.]

The severe treat

These verses are adapted to a very wild, yet lively qathering tune, used by the MacGregors. ment of this Clan, their outlawry, and the proscription of their very name, are alluded to in the Ballad 2

THE moon s on the lake, and the mist's on the brae, And the Clan has a name that is nameless by day; Then gather, gather, gather, Grigalach! Gather, gather, gather, &c.

1 "The MacGregor is come.

2 [For the history of the clan, see Introduction to Rob RoyWaverley Novels, vol. vii.]

Our signal for fight, that from monarchs we drew, Must be heard but by night in our vengeful haloo! Then haloo, Grigalach! haloo, Grigalach! Haloo, haloo, haloo, Grigalach, &c.

Glen Orchy's proud mountains, Còalchuirn and her towers,

Glenstrae and Glenlyon no longer are ours;

We're landless, landless, landless, Grigalach!
Landless, landless, landless, &c.

But doom'd and devoted by vassal and lord, MacGregor has still both his heart and his sword! Then courage, courage, courage, Grigalach! Courage, courage, courage, &c.

If they rob us of name, and pursue us with beagles, Give their roofs to the flame, and their flesh to the eagles !

Then vengeance, vengeance, vengeance, Grigalach!

Vengeance, vengeance, vengeance, &c.

While there's leaves in the forest, and foam on the

river,

MacGregor, despite them, shall flourish for ever! Come then, Grigalach, come then, Grigalach. Come then, come then, come then, &c.

« AnteriorContinuar »