Duan na Ceàrdaich
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1964.44.A1
Original Tape ID
Summary
This Ossianic Ballad tells how Fionn MacCumhail and his men took Fionn's magic sword Mac a' Luin to an enchanted smithy to be re-tempered, after it had lost its power. They followed the smith to the smithy where there were four misshapen, four-armed blacksmiths, each with a claw-hammer and iron pincers. Some of the swords belonging to Fionn's men are named. These are 'Fead', 'Faoidh', 'Èigheach' and 'An Conallach'. Fionn's sword had to be tempered in human blood. The smith was unaware that his mother had been invited to the smithy, and when she entered, she was killed with the sword. The ballad was often sung at Hogmanay.
Item Notes
See:
'Folksongs and Folklore of South Uist' (M. F. Shaw ed., 1955) p. 29
'Leabhar na Fèinne' (J. F. Campbell ed., 1872) p. 59 and p. 65
'Stories from South Uist' (A. MacLellan & J. L.Campbell, 1961) p. 14
'Popular Tales of the West Highlands' (J. F. Campbell ed., 1861) Vol. III p. 396
Language
Gaelic
Genre
Collection
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Good