"The cradle song is well known throughout the Highlands and Islands. It is sung by a mother whose child has been stolen by the fairies."
From Margaret Fay Shaw's Folksongs and Folklore of South Uist (1977), pp. 165-167.
1 O, shiubhail mi bheinn o cheann gu ceann,
Bho thaobh gu taobh, gu taobh nan allt.
O, shiubhail mi bheinn o cheann gu ceann,
Cha d'fhuair mi lorg mo chùbhrachain.
2 Fhuair mi lorg an dòbhrain duinn,
An dòbhrainn duinn, an dòbhrain duinn,
Fhuair mi lorg an dòbhrain duinn,
Cha d'fhuair mi lorg mo chùbhrachain.
3 Fhuair mi lorg na h-eal' air an t-snàmh,
Na h-heal' air an t-snàmh, na h-heal' air an t-snàmh,
Fhuair mi lorg na h-eal' air an t-snàmh,
Cha d'fhuair mi lorg mo chùbhrachain.
4 Fhuair mi lorg na lach' air an lòn,
Na lach air an lòn, na lach' air an lòn,
Fhuair mi lorg na lach' air an lòn,
Cha d'fhuair mi lorg mo chùbhrachain.
5 Fhuair mi lorg an laoigh bhric, dheirg,
An laoigh bhric, dheirg, an laoigh bhric, dheirg,
Fhuair mi lorg an laoigh bhric, dheirg,
Cha d'fhuair mi lorg mo chùbhrachain.
6 Fhuair mi lorg na bà 'sa pholl,
Na bà 'sa pholl, na bà 'sa pholl,
Fhuair mi lorg na bà 'sa pholl,
Cha d'fhuair mi lorg mo chùbhrachain.
7 Fhuair mi lorg a' cheò 'sa bheinn,
A' cheò 'sa bheinn, a' cheò 'sa bheinn,
Fhuair mi lorg a' cheò 'sa bheinn,
Cha d'fhuair mi lorg mo chùbhrachain.
Translation
1 O, I searched the hill from end to end,
From side to side, to the edge of the streams.
O, I searched the hill from end to end,
I did not find my Cùbhrachan.
2 I found the track of the brown otter,
The brown otter, the brown otter,
I found the track of the brown otter,
I did not find my Cùbhrachan.
3 I found the track of the swimming swan,
The swimming swam, the swimming swan,
I found the track of the swimming swan,
I did not find my Cùbhrachan.
4 I found the track of the wild duck on the pond,
The wild duck on the pond, the wild duck on the pond,
I found the track of the wild duck on the pond,
I did not find my Cùbhrachan.
5 I found the track of the spotted red fawn,
The spotted red fawn, the spotted red fawn,
I found the track of the spotted red fawn,
I did not find my Cùbhrachan.
6 I found the track of the cow in the bog,
The cow in the bog, the cow in the bog,
I found the track of the cow in the bog,
I did not find my Cùbhrachan.
7 I found the track of the mist on the hill,
The mist on the hill, the mist on the hill,
I found the track of the mist on the hill,
I did not find my Cùbhrachan.
Margaret Fay Shaw. Folksongs and Folklore of South Uist, 2nd edition. (Oxford University Press, Oxford: 1977).Donald MacCormick. Hebridean Folksongs: A Collection of Waulking Songs . (Oxford at the Clarendon Press, Oxford: 1969 [originally published 1893])
