THE DEIRDRI BALLADS.
The next class is that of the Deirdri Ballads. The story of Deirdri and Clan Uisneach, or the three brothers, [Naos, Ainle], and Ardan, sons of Uisneach, is very affecting and tragic. Mr Campbell says:—“The story of Deirdre is related to Indian Epics, and is an Aryan romance which pervades the whole world. A beautiful girl, shut up to baulk a prophecy, is beloved by an old King. She runs away with a family of brothers, and after adventures of many kinds, the story ends in a tragedy.” Connachar, King of Ireland, whose reign is placed about the middle of the first century, was preparing to marry the beautiful princess, Deirdri, when she ran away with the three sons of his sister, Naos, Ainle, and Ardan. They went to Scotland, where they were well received. The names of places in the ballads indicate that it was in Argyllshire they settled. While the brothers were away on some expedition, to Lochlin, it is supposed, Deirdri was left in charge of a “black-haired lad,” it is said, in an islet north of Jura till they would return. The “lad” began to make love to Deirdri in their absence, but they came back opportunely to save her. By this time Connacher sent them a message of peace from Ireland; and believing that the once wrathful monarch was sincere they returned to Ireland. But they were at once met with the hostile forces of the King; and after a fierce struggle the King slew his nephews. When Deirdri saw her beloved Naos and his brothers fall, she rushed forward, bewailing them, and died upon their bodies. There are six or seven versions of this story, the oldest being in the MS. dated 1208, in the Advocates’ Library. It was written at Glenmasan, in Cowal. The versions vary in length. The longest contains upwards of 400 lines. The ballad is sometimes divided into several parts, and some collectors give only one or two parts. It is the part in which Deirdri laments her departure from Scotland that is here translated. This and the Book of Deer are the earliest specimens that we possess of written Gaelic in Scotland.
The glens and other places mentioned in the following farewell of Deirdri are readily identified. The large number of proper names occurring in the piece renders it difficult to give anything more than a very stiff translation, which is almost absolutely literal:—
“Do dech Deardir ar a hèise ar crichibh Alban, agus ro chan an Laoidh”:—
(Deirdri looked back on the land of Albin, and sang this Lay.)
Beloved land, that eastern land!
Alba with waters wide:
With Naos in those happy glens
I wish I could abide!
Beloved Dunfigha and Dunfin;
The Dun above them seen;
Beloved is Inis-Draighnde;
Beloved is fair Dun Sween.
Coille-Chuan! O Coille-Chuan!
Where Ainle comes no more!
Too short, I ween, was there my stay
With Naos on Albin’s shore.
Glen-Laye! O Glen-Laye!
Oft by its stream I lay;
Fish, flesh and fat of badger
My repast in sweet Glen-Laye.
Glen-Masan! O Glen-Masan!
Where fairest boughs are seen;
Lonely was my place of rest
By Inver-Masan green.
Glen-Eitive! O Glen-Eitive!
There my first home was raised;
Beautiful were its woods in morn
When there the sun had blazed.
Glen-Orchay! O Glen-Orchay!
Straight vale of ridges smooth,
Full joyful there round Naos
Were the Glen-Orchay youth.
Glen-Daruadh! O Glen-Daruadh!
I love its men—I love it!
Sweet are the cuckoos on the boughs
On the grey hills above it.
Beloved is Drayen—its sounding shore;
Beloved is Avich of pure sand;
Oh, that I might not leave the east,—
Beloved and happy land.
On this tale, and on its connection with Scottish topography, Dr MacLauchlan says:—“This is one of the most touching in the catalogue of Celtic tales, and it is interesting to observe the influence it exerted over the Celtic mind by its effect upon the topographical nomenclature of the country. There are several Dun Deirdres to be found still. One is prominent on the vale of the Nevis, near Fort-William, and another occupies the summit of a magnificent rock overhanging Loch Ness, in Stratherrick.” Ness, the name of the loch, is thought to be from Naos. Dr Skene remarks—“Adomnan, in his life of St. Columba, written in the seventh century, appears to mention only three localities in connection with St. Columba’s journey to the palace of the King of the Picts, near Lochness, and these are Cainle (Ainle), Arcardan (Ardan), and the flumen Nesae (Naise). Two vitrified forts in the neighbourhood of Lochness are called Dun-Dearduil.” The same authority also observes that “the ancient legends of Cochulin and the sons of Uisneach connect them with those remarkable structures termed vitrified forts.” Dun-Sgathaig and Dun-mhic-Uisneachan are vitrified like Dun-dhearduil. It is suggested that a mythic meaning underlies this topography and story.