There is a considerable difference in the vocabulary words being now
used in Irish, which are unknown in Scotch Gaelic, and _vice versa_,
and a comparison of the lists of idiomatic phrases in Irish or Scotch
Gaelic shows a very great difference in the mode of expressing familiar
phrases.[280]
[280] Since this note was written, the writer has learned with great
regret of the death of Dr. O’Donovan, and hesitated whether these
strictures on some opinions in his able Irish Grammar ought to be
retained, but justice to an equally able Scotch grammarian seemed to
require them; and he may be allowed this opportunity of expressing
his sincere admiration of the great learning and knowledge of that
distinguished Irish scholar, and his sense of the loss which Celtic
philology has sustained by his lamented death.
(_Introduction_, p. lxxxiv.)
The Welsh poem alluded to is contained in the Welsh Archæology, vol. i.
p. 168. The text is, however, very corrupt. It has been translated by
Mr. Stephen in the _Archæologia Cambrensis_, new Series, vol. ii. p.
150, who did not, however, see its real character, and very strangely
supposes it to refer to the actions of Cuichelm, one of the West Saxon
kings, who died in 636, and whom he identifies with the Chocholyn of
the poem, while of Corroi, son of Dairy, he can give no account.
The poem is in reality an Ossianic poem referring to the death of
Curoi, son of Daire, by Cuchullin, the celebrated Fenian hero of Ulster.
Keating gives the following account of the death of Curoi:--“The heroes
of the red branch united to plunder an island near Alban, called
Manann, where there was a great quantity of gold, silver, jewels, and
many other valuable articles, and a lovely marriageable young lady, who
surpassed all the women of her time in exquisite figure and beauty,
the daughter of the governor of the island, and her name was Blanaid.
When Curigh was informed that the heroes were setting out on this
expedition, he transformed himself by magic into a disguised shape, and
joined the party; but when they were on the point of plundering the
island, disguised like jugglers, they judged that there would be great
difficulty in taking the fortress in the island, in which were secured
Blanaid and the valuable treasures of the whole island, on account of
its strength and the number of men who defended it. Then Curigh, who
was attired in a coarse grey habit, engaged, if he were to get his
choice of the treasures, that he would himself take possession of the
fort. Cuchullin promises this, and immediately they attacked the castle
with the man in the grey habit at their head, who stopped the motion
of an enchanted wheel that was placed at the castle gate, and let in
all the troops, by whom the fortress was sacked, and Blanaid and all
the treasure borne away. They then set out for Ireland, and arrived at
Evan; and on dividing the treasure, the man in the grey habit demands
his choice of the jewels, as was promised to him. ’You shall have it,’
says Cuchullin. ’Well, then,’ says he, ’Blanaid is the jewel I choose,’
’Take your choice of all the jewels except Blanaid alone,’ replies
Cuchullin. ’I will not exchange her,’ says Curigh, and thereupon he
seeks to carry her off by force; and having surprised her unperceived,
took her away concealed under an enchanted mask. When Cuchullin
perceived that the lady was missing, he suspected that it was Curigh
that stole her off, and pursued them directly to Munster, and overtook
them at Sulchoid. The champions engage, and a brave and well-fought
contest ensues; but at length Cuchullin was overcome by Curigh, who
tied him neck and heels, and left him shackled like a captive, after
cutting off his hair with his sword, and then carried away Blanaid into
the west of Munster. Then, however, came up Laogh mac Riain of Gabhra,
and unbound Cuchullin, and they set out for the north of Ulster, where
they resided near the peaks of Boirche for the space of a year, without
appearing in the Council of Ulster, until Cuchullin’s hair grew again;
and at the expiration of the year, happening to be on the peaks of
Boirche, he saw a great flight of birds coming on the sea to the north,
and on their landing upon the shore, he pursues them, and by a feat
called _Taveim_, killed one of them with his sling in every district
he passed through, until the last of them fell at Sruv Bron, in the
west of Munster. On his return from the west, he found Blanaid in
solitude near the Finglass, in Kerry, where Curigh had a palace at that
time. A conversation ensued between them, in which she declared to him
that there was not on the face of the earth a man she loved more, and
entreated him to come near Allhallow tide with an armed band, and carry
her off with him by force; and that he might the more easily accomplish
his design, she would take care that Curigh should, at that time, have
but few soldiers or attendants. Cuchullin promises to come to her at
the appointed time, and then takes his leave, and sets out for Ulster,
and relates the adventure to Choncubar.
In the meantime Blanaid told Curigh that he ought to erect a palace
for himself that should exceed all the royal palaces in the kingdom,
and that he might do so by sending the Clanna Deaguid to gather and
collect all the large upright stones in the kingdom to form this
palace. Blanaid’s reason for this was, that the Clanna Deaguid might
be dispersed in distant parts of Ireland, far from Curigh, at the time
that Cuchullin should come to carry her off. Cuchullin, being informed
that the Clanna Deaguid were scattered over the kingdom, sets out
privately, and soon arrived at a wood near the seat of Curigh, and
sends secretly to inform Blanaid of his arrival with a large body of
troops along with him. She sends him word that she would steal Curigh’s
sword; and then, as a sign of attack, that she would spill a large
vessel of new milk that was in the house into the rivulet which flowed
from the castle through the wood where Cuchullin was concealed. Having
heard this, in a short time he perceived the stream white with the
milk, when, sallying out, they forced into the palace, and slew Curigh,
who was alone and unarmed, and took Blanaid away with them to Ulster.”