Scottish Songs and Lullabies.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXII, Issue XIV, 2 April 1904, Page 45

Scottish Songs and Lullabies.

In many Scottish songs and lullabies, notable in Burns, Ramsay, and the older writers, the continual repetition of lines and phrases grows wearisome to the Southerner, and were it not for the music to which •these lays are set their beauty would not be appreciated. Kero is an old “Cronan’’ translated from the Gaelic by laichlau MeBean:— "Hush-a-byo, darling, and hush a-bye, dear O; Hush-a-bye, darling will yet be a hero. None will be bigger or braver or stronger; Lullaby, little one, crying no longer.” And here is another old Lochab-er lullaby translated by Malcolm MacFarlane. The piece, says Mr Alfred Moffat, whose “Minstrelsy of Scotland,” is an authoritative work on the subject, “speaks of a time when ‘eattle-liftingr’ was considered an honourable occupation and engaged in by every chief who could venture to do so.” The Clan McKay were known as “Claim Aoidh ran creach,” Mackay of the Raids. “Hush ye, my bairnie, my bonnie wee laddie; When you’re a man ye shall follow ye’re daddie. Lift me a coo and a goat and a wether. Bringing them hame to yer Minnie thigether.” Those certainly are odd moral principles to waft a baby heavenward with! “O can ye sew cushions?’’ is an old traditional nurses’ lullaby which appeared for the first time in print in Johnson's “Musical Museum.” It was communicated by Burns. It is an odd composition:— “O can ye sew cushions? And can ye sew sheets? And can ye sing ballooloo When the bairn greets? And hee and haw, birdie. And hee and haw, lamb?” Dr. J. G. Holland sings feelingly and enters into the mother’s heart:— “Over the cradle the mother hung Softly cooing a slumber song, And these wore the simple words she sung All the evening long: Cheek or chin, or knuckle or knee, Where shall the baby’s dimple be? Where shall the angel’s finger rest When he comes down to the baby’s nest? Where shall the angel’s touch remain When he awakens my baby again?” Then an angel repeats the question, and the mother, after some cogitation, croons again:— “Not on the limb, O angel dear. For the charms with its youth will disappear; Not the cheek shall the dimple be For the harbouring smile will fade and flee; But touch t'hou the chin with impress deep. And my baby the angel’s seal shall keep.” Is there a legend connected with the dimple in the chin? Most affectionate people possess one there. This is the first verse of two from Miss Eva Best s “Lullaby”:— “Clowe your eyelids, baby darling, Like soft clouds o’er skies of blue! AH unseen the holy angels Keep their watch, dear, over you. To his couch in golden splendour Kinks at last the summer sun; While the twilight, soft and tender, Tells the day is done. Lullaby! Sleep and rest. Cradled on this faithful breast! Safe from life’s storms fierce and wild, Sleep and rest, my little child. Slumber! Lullaby!” Rich as the Isle of Man is said to be in traditional songs and carols, up to the present there have been only two collections •of the works of long ago. One was printed in London in 1820, under the title of “Mona Melodies,” and the other in 1896, “Manx National Songs,” issued by Messrs Boosey and Co. Therefore I can only give one pure Manx cradle song. It is entitled “Hush, Little Darling”:— “Hush, little darling, the daisies you love Under the stars now sleeping; Hush thee, oh, hush thee, little white dove, Trust thou my life to thy keeping. Mother is near thee, sweet, what can befall? Angels are guarding thee, Gods guards us all. Hush thee, oh, hush thee, my little white dove, God has us all in Ills keeping. God has us ail in His keeping. Hush, little darling, my blossom, my dove! Is it the night wind thou fearest? How should you fear mantled o’er with my love? Hush thee, oh, hush thee, my dearest.” The English words arc by Mr Emil Ingram.—“ Carols from Cradle-land.” by S. J. A. Fitz Gerald, in "Lloyd’s Weekly.”