Cainnt nan eun

Chan eil na h-eòin ag ràdh dìreach facal no dhà sa Ghàidhlig ach rannan gu léir. Cluinnidh tu na h-eòin a' bìogail ma leughas tu iad os àird - agus cuimhnich dèanadh iad air sgàth seo oir uaireannan that feadhainn ann nach eil ro chiallach. Chan eil fhios againn-e carson a tha uimhir dhiubh ann ach tha iad ann co-dhiù. Chuala sinn gun robh caoin ris na rannan seo, ach cha bu urrainn dhuinn an lorg - ma tha thusa eòlach orra, nach innis tu dhuinn?

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Gaelic birds are talkative - they don't only say a word or two but whole rhymes. If you read them aloud, you can almost hear them chatter away - remember that that's why they were made up, since some of them don't make too much sense. Allegedly there once were melodies to go with these - if anyone knows of them, do let us know!

A' bhuidheag-bhealaidh

(The Yellowhammer)

A ghille bhig chrìn, a ghille bhig chrìn, Till, till, till, till, Na creach mo nead, na creach mo nead, No théid thu dhi, no théid thu dhi.

Mean little boy, mean little boy, Come back, come back, come back, Don't plunder my nest, don't plunder my nest, Or you will be destroyed, or you will be destroyed.

A' chearc (1)

(The Robin)

Gog, gog, gog, gog, Gog gog i, Beiridh mise a h-uile latha, 'S cha bheir a' bhó-laoigh!

Cluck, cluck, cluck, Cluck, cluck, I will bear every day, And the cow in calf won't!

A' chearc (2)

(The Robin)

Tog, tog, tog, Tog an rud a dh'fhàg mi, Ge beag an t-ugh, ge beag an t-ugh, Tha stà ann, tha stà ann!

Pick, pick pick, Pick up the thing I left behind, Though the egg is small, though the egg is small, It is useful, it is useful.

A' chuthag

(The Cuckoo)

"Gug-gùg" arsa a' chuthag, latha buidhe Bealltainn, "Gug-gùg" arsa ise a-rithis, latha leth an t-samhraidh, Latha leth an t-samhraidh théid a' chuthag gu a taigh-geamhraidh.

"Cuckoo" said the cuckoo, on a golden May-Day, "Cuckoo" he said again, on Midsummers Day, On Midsummers Day the cuckoo will go to the house of winter.

Am brù-dhearg (1)

(The Robin)

Big, big, bigean! Có a chreach mo neadan? Mas e gille beag e, Cuiridh mi le creig e, Mas e gille mór e, Cuiridh mi le lòn e! Ach mas fear beag gun chéill e, Gun gléidheadh Dia do a mhàthair fhéin e!

Cheep cheep cheep! Who plundered my little nest? If it is a little boy, I shall throw him over a cliff, If it is a big boy, I shall throw him in a marsh! But if it is a little man without sense, God protect his mother!

Am brù-dhearg (2)

(The Robin)

Doire an t-sìthe, Doire an t-sìthe, Doire mo nid, Doire mo nid.

The oak of the hill, The oak of the hill, The oak of my nest, The oak of my nest.

Am fitheach

(The Raven)

Earchall, earchall! Càite, càite? San làthaich, san làthaich! Sùil caorach, sùil caorach, 'S e b' fhearr leinn, 's e b' fhearr leinn!

Calamity, calamity! Where, where? In the mire, in the mire! Eye of a sheep, eye of a sheep, Is what we prefer, is what we prefer!

An calman

(The Pigeon)

Tha mo chùl riut, tha mo chùl riut, Chan ann de mo chuideachd thu, Chan ann de mo chuideachd thu, Chan itheadh tu siud gun mo chuid a thoirt dhomhsa, Gun mo chuid a thoirt dhomhsa.

I have turned my back on you, etc. You are not of my company, You are not of my company, You won't eat that without giving me my share, Without giving me my share.

An coileach-fraoich

(The Red Grouse)

Có bhrathadh, có bhrathadh? Có dh'fhaodadh, có dh'fhaodadh? Có bhagradh, có bhagradh? Mo chlaidheamh, mo chlaidheamh.

Who is spying, who is spying? Who might, who might? Who is threatening, who is threatening? My sword, my sword.

An coileach mór 's an coileach beag

(The Big Cockerel and the Wee Cockerel)

An aithne dhut-sa có mi, a Dhòmhnaill? Mac circe, mac circe!

Do you know who I am, Donald? Son of a chicken, son of a chicken!

An dreathan-donn

(The Wren)

Thig, thig, thig a dhìol-deirce, Thig, thig, thig a ghille-bhrìghde, Is gillean-bhrìghde na h-eòin uile, Ach mise leam fhìn, Ach mise leam fhìn, Gillean-bhrìghde, gillean-bhrìghde.

Come, come you object of charity, Come, come, oystercatcher, And all the birds are oystercatchers, But I am on my own, But I am on my own Oystercatchers, oystercatchers.

An fheadag

(The Plover)

'S mór mo dhìobhail, is mór mo dhìobhail, Tha mi cianail, tha mi cianail, Fàg leam fhìn mi, fàg leam fhìn mi.

My distress is great, my distress is great, I am sad, I am sad, Leave me alone, leave me alone.

An fheannag ris a h-iseanan

(The Crow to her chicks)

'S greannach sibh, 'S greannach sibh, Is cha b' annasach, Cha b' annasach.

You are ugly, You are ugly, And that is no surprise, And that is no surprise.

An gille-brìde (1)

(The Oystercatcher)

A ghille ghuib dheirg, a ghille ghuib dheirg, Dé nì mi? Dé nì mi? Freagairt: Cum rithe, cum rithe, Thig an lìonadh, thig an lìonadh, is leigidh i ás thu, leigidh i ás thu.

Boy of the red beak, boy of the red beak, What will I do, what will I do? Answer: Keep on going, keep on going, The tide will come, the tide will come, And it will release you, and it will release you.

An gille-brìde (2)

(The Oystercatcher)

Eòin bhig, eòin bhig, Bi glic, bi glic, Fo dhìon, fo dhìon, Fo dhìon, fo dhìon.

Little bird, little bird, Be smart, be smart, Under shelter, under shelter, Under shelter, under shelter.

An iolaire ri spògan

(The Eagle to its claws)

'S ciùrrail sibh, 'S ciùrrail sibh, 'S bu dùth sin, 'S bu dùth sin.

You are vicious, You are vicious, And that is how it should be, And that is how it should be.

An learg-dhubh (1)

(The Diver/Loon)

Deoch, deoch, deoch, An loch air tràghadh, Bùrn, bùrn, bùrn, 'S mo lùth air m' fhàgail.

A drink, a drink, a drink, The lake has dried up, Water, water, water, And my strength has left me.

An learg-dhubh (2)

(The Diver/Loon)

Mo chreach, mo chreach, M' eòin is m' uighean, Mo dhìth, mo dhìth, Mo linn san tuilinn, M' urragain, m' uilleagain, M' eòin is m' uighean, M' ulaidh, m' eilean!

Oh dear, oh dear, My birds and my eggs, My ruin, my ruin, My brood in the flood, My darlings, my pets, My birds and my eggs, My darling, my island!

An t-adharcan-luachrach

(The Lapwing)

Till, till, till, till, Na creach mo nead, na creach mo nead, Imeachd gun teachd dhut, Imeachd gun teachd dhut, A bhraidein, a bhraidein!

Come back, come back, come back, Don't plunder my nest, don't plunder my nest, Go and never return, go and never return, Go and never return, go and never return, Thief, thief!

Ris an fhaoileag

(To the Seagull)

Fhaoileag, fhaoileag taobh an cuan, Na faiceam thu air talamh cruaidh, Air talamh cruaidh ma nì thu fois, Bidh gaoth is dìle tighinn 'na chois.

Seagull, seagull by the ocean, Let me not see you on the ground, If you rest on the ground, Gales and heavy rain in your wake.