[from Manx Ballads, 1896]

 FIN AS OSHIN.  

FIN AND OSHIN.

HIE Fin as Oshin magh dy helg,
Fal, lal, lo, as fal, lal, la.
Lesh sheshaght trean as moddee elg,
Cha row un dooinney sloo ny keead,
Coshee cha bi eau the row ny lheid ;
Lesh feedyn Coo eisht hie ad magh,
Trooid Slieau as Coan dy yannoo Cragh,
- Quoi daag ad ec y thie agh Orree beg,f
Cadley dy kiune fo scadoon'n creg!
Slane three feed Quallian aeg gyv unnane F sloo,

* * *

Lesh three feed cailleeyn dy yeeaghyn moo.
- Dooyrt Inneen Fin ayns Craid as Corree,
" Kys yiow mayd nish cooilleen er Orree ? "
- Dooyrt Inneen Oshm : "kiangle mayd eh, "

 

Lesh Folt y ching chionn gys y Clea,
As chur mayd Alle gys y cass cha bieau."
Clysht tappee eisht hug Orree ass,
Tra dennee'n smuir roie ass e chiass,
Loo *Mollaght Mynney ad dy stroie,
Va er n'yannoo craid er Mac y Ree !
Dy farbagh breearrey ry Ghrian as Eayst,
Dy losht ad hene as thieyn neesht.
- Hie Orree beg magh dys ny Sleityn,
As Speih mooar connee er e geayltyn.
Hoght bart mooar trome hug eh lesh cart,
Hoght Kionnanyn currit ayns dagh Bart.
Hoght deiney lheid's sy theihll nish t'ayn
Cha droggagh bart jeh shoh ny v'ayn.
Ayns dagh ulvnag hug eh Bart, as ayns dagh dorrys,
Agh mean y Thie mooar hene yn Bart mooar sollys.
- Va Fin as Oshin nish shelg dy chionn,
Lesh ooilley nyn treanee ayns ollish as joan.
- Yaagh wooar ren sheeyney ass y neear,
Troggal ayns bodjallyn agglagh myr rere.
- Roie Fin as role Oshin, derrey d'aase Oshin skee
Agh she Fin mooar hene chum sodjey nish roie.
Eisht dyllee Fin huggey lesh Coraa trome,
" Cha vel faagit ain nish agh tholtanyn lhome ! " -
Quoi ren yn assee shoh nagh re Orree beg ?
Va'r chosney voue chelleerid gys oig fo yn creg. -
Raad plooghit lesh Yaagh hayrn ad magh er y cass,

* * * *

 FIN and Oshin went out to hunt,
Fal, lal, loo, as fal, lal la.
With a noble train of men and dogs,
Not less in number than one hundred men,
So swift of foot and keen, none were their like;
With scores of Bandogs fierce they sallied forth,
O'er Hill and Dale, much Havock for to make. -
Whom left they then at home but youthful Orree,
Who slept secure beneath the shadowy rock!
Full three score Greyhounds, with their whelps they left,
(With three score lovely maidens young and fair,)
As many old dames to attend the young.
-Says Fin's fair Daughter, in Disdain and Scorn,
" How on young Orree shall we be revenged ? "
- Says Oshin's Daughter
" Fast to the Harrows we will tie his Hair,
And to his nimble feet, we'll set a train of Fire."
Then up starts Orree, with a nimble spring,
Feeling his feet a broiling with. the heat,
With Curses direful, vowing to destroy,
Those who presum'd t' affront a King, his Son!
Swearing most bitterly by Sun and Moon,
To burn themselves and all their habitations. -
Then to the Mountain hies he fast away,
His heavy Gorse-hack poized upon his shoulders.
Eight ponderous burthens thence he carried off,
And eight large Faggots cram'd in ilka Burthen.
Not eight such men as in the world are now
Could from the Ground one of these burthen's raise.
Into each Window, he a Burthen thrust,
Into each Door, a Burthen of the same,
But, the grand blazing Burthen, on the floor,
Of the great Hall he laid, and set on fire.
- Meanwhile, our Heroes,
Fin and Oshin hight,
They and their hardy men pursued the chase,
Eager, in sweat and dust, all cover'd o'er.
- Vast clouds full floating from the west

Were seen, like Billows dreadfull, as I ween. -
Then Fin he ran, and Oshin also ran,
Till faint, and out of breath, he sat him down
But Fin the hardy chief, still held it out.
Then lift he up his lamentable Voice,
Calling to Oshin, who was far behind,
We've nothing left but rueful, ruin'd walls! " -
This mischief who has done? Who but young Orree,
Who fled, and in a rocky Cavern hid himself.
-Then choak'd with Smoke, they drag him by the heels,
*(And tore him Limb from Limb (they say) with Horses wild).}

Chorus after every line.

+ Orree Reg-Young Orree-not from his size, but age;-where there are two of the same family,
Father and Son, of the same name, the younger is stiled beg-i.e., the lesser.
This Orree beg is supposed to have been a Scandinavian prince, prisoner on his parole, with Fingal-and like some modern Gallants, to make love to both the young Ladies at the same time,-and thus they shew their resentment.
He declines the Hunting party, for an opportunity of intrigueing (sic) with one or other of the Ladies. Meantime he falls asleep in a Grotto in the heat of the day-but when he awoke and found the indignity done him, he resolves, in revenge, to burn Fingal's palace-takes his huge Rill, an instrument like a Hoe, with which they hack and grub up Gorze and Heath, or Ling, &c., for firing--hies him to the Forest, and made up eight large burthens, such as eight modern men could not heave from the ground, and with these he fired the House as above described.

' Mollaght Mynney, is the bitterest curse in our language, that leaves neither Root nor Branch, like the Skeabthoan, the besom of destruction.

t Chorus after every line.

* Not in the Manx.

t Cetera desunt.-But the Catastrophe is said to be that they tore him Limb from Limb with wild Horse;.
The tearing criminals assunder with Horses fastened to each limb is the punishment in the old statutes of the Isle of Mann to be inflicted on those who should presume to draw a weapon, or strike, or violate the peace within the verge of the Court of Tynwald, or any Court held by the King of Mann, or his Governor.

(The above notes are by Deemster Peter Heywood).


 

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