The Scottish Celtic review

136 The Muileartach.13. Stii'iramaiche, in the Hebrides, denotes the steersman of a particularboat, stiuradair a steersman generally.14. Rhymes or "runs" (ruitheannan) , such as this and those preceding, inthe description of the sea-journey, are common in Gaelic Tales, and are madeuse of by the reciter on every suitable occasion. Tliey are more or less full,according to the skill of the reciter.15. The version which the reciter himself gave, is evidently very much fallento pieces. It is bald in Gaelic, and much more so in English. Translations,at the best, have not the "taste" (bias) of the original.16. This vpord and Arrackt, which is used by other reciters, is most probablyfrom athar (the air), and merely denotes an aerial phenomenon.17. This is a piece taken unconsciously by the reciter from another Fianballad, called Ailvinn or lorghuin.18. In various printed versions of the tale, this hillock is called tulaich oirill,which may be correct.19. The meaning of this line is not very clear ; and it is a meie matter ofinference from the sound and collocation of the letters, that they denote somemonstrous, lumbering, heavy-moving object, rocking from side to side.20. This word, like some others, is conventionally used both in a masculineand feminine form.21. Other versions, such as that given by Mr. Campbell in his West HighlandTales, vol. iii., 135, make the indemnity ten hundred instead of eighthundred of each article. They all agree in making fine-coloured flags, anddogs, and gold, part of the ransom.22. Conair mheangain,\s most probably coin air mheangain (dogs on branches),i.e., on withes, or leashes, a most valualjle ransom in the days of the Irishwolf-hounds and stag-hounds. In the Long Island, among the Eoman Catholicpopulation, a rosary is called Conair Mhoire, the beads of S. Mary. Meangainis the designation of a certain kind of heather (fraoch -meangain), and universallyin the Highlands, ineangan means a branch, so that the expression maydenote some kind of bead. In early times, before the days of coinage, and tothe present day among savage tribes, beads are valuable as a circulatingmedium, and as personal ornaments.In regard to " close" searchers, the existence of fiondrvine as a name of ametal renders it highly probable that a tribute of it was here meant. Thereciter did not know the meaning of the words, though, as in other instancesof popular recitation, the sound of the correct words is retained.In the Island of Tiree, pins or small .skewers—of some composite metalresembling bronze—about three inches in length, are occasionally found. Theyare called by the natives, Prlne fionndrainn.The " close " searchers may be the smaller dogs.The short haired men are doubtlessly slaves or bondsmen, long hair beingmuch affected by Chiefs.23. Thinman (Caoilte) is more commonly called Mac Eonain. He was theweakest, but the fastest of the Fian band.