“Maiden of the cairn, wait for me, wait for me.” (’Ghruagach a’ chùirn, fuirich rium, fuirich rium.)
She said, answering him,
“Handsome brown-haired youth, overtake me, overtake me.” (’Fhleasgaich a’ chuil-duinn, beir orm, beir orm.)
He was confident that he would overtake her, and went on after her till the moon was darkened by a cloud; he then called to her,
“The moon is clouded (lit. smothered by a cloud), delay, delay.” (Tha ’ghealach air a mùchadh fo neòil, fuirich rium, fuirich rium.)
“I have no other light but her, overtake me, overtake me,” she said.
He did not, nor could he, overtake her, and on seeing again how far she was in advance of him, he said, “I am weary with yesterday’s reaping, wait for me, wait for me.” She answered, “I ascended the round hill of steep summits (màm cas nan leac), overtake me, overtake me;” but he could not. He then said, “My sickle would be the better of being sharpened (air a bhleath), wait for me, wait for me.” She answered, “My sickle will not cut garlic, overtake me, overtake me.” At this she reached the head of the furrow, finished reaping, and stood still where she was, waiting for him. When he reached the head of his own furrow, he caught the last handful of corn,[29] to keep it, as was the custom, it being the “Harvest Maiden” (a’ mhaighdean-bhuana), and stood with it in one hand and the sickle in the other. Looking at her steadily in the face, he said,
“You have put the old woman far from me, and it is not my displeasure you deserve.” (Chuir thu a’ chailleach fada uam ’s cha b’ e mo ghruaim a thoill thu.)[30]
She said,
“It is an evil thing early on Monday to reap the harvest maiden.” (’S dona ’n ni (var., mì-shealbhach) moch Di-luain dol a bhuain maighdein.)