Crìosd' 'us Ostail 'us Eoin An triuir sin is binne gloir A dh-èirich a dheanada na h-òra, Roimh dhorus na Cathrach, No air glún deas De Mhic. Air na mnathan múr-shuileach, Air na feara geur shuileach, 'Sair na saighdean sitheadach; Dithis a lasachadh alt agus ga 'na adhachadh Agus triuir a chuireas mi 'an urra rin sin, An t-Athair, 'sar Mac 'san Sprorad Naomh, Ceithir ghalara fichead 'an aoraibh duine 's beathaich, Dia ga sgriobanh, Dia ga sguabadh, As t-fhail, as t-fheoil, 'sad 'chnàimh 'sad 'smuais; 'Smar a thog Crìosd' meas air bharra gach crann, Gum b'ann a thogas Edhiotsa Gach sùil, gach gnù 'sgach farmad, On 'là u dingh gu latha deireannach do shaoghail. Amen. In English-- A Healing Incantation for Diseases in Cattle. Christ and His Apostle and John, These three of most excellent glory, That ascended to make supplication Through the gateway of the city, Fast by the right knee of God's own Son. As regards evil-eyed women; As regards blighting-eyed men; As regards swift-speeding elf-arrows; Two to strengthen and renovate the joints, And three to back (these two) as sureties-- The Father, the Son, the Holy Ghost. To four-and-twenty diseases are the reins of man and beast (subject); God utterly extirpate, sweep away, and eradicate them From out thy blood and flesh, thy bones and marrow, And as Christ uplifted its proper foliage To the extremities of the branches on each tree-top, So may He uplift from off and out of thee Each (evil) eye, each frowning look, malice and envy-- From this day forth to the world's last day. Amen. "It is not always an easy task," writes our correspondent, "to write from the dictation of partially deaf and toothless old women," and we perfectly agree with him. "Ostail," in the first line of the above spell, we take to be an insular form of Abstol, voc.--Abstoil or Abstail--the Apostle par excellence, namely, Paul. Mr. Carmichael appends the following elucidatory note:--"This òra or spell can be used for either man or beast, and is guaranteed to effect a cure in any case! In the case of a four-footed animal a worsted thread is tied round the tail, and the òra or incantation repeated. The "snàthaile" (snàthainn, a thread), as this charm is called, undergoes much mysterious spitting, handling, and incantation by the woman from whom it is got. The rann or spell is muttered over it at the time of "consecration." Usually two threads (dà shnathaile) are given, and if the first is not quite successful, the second is sure to be effectual!" CHAPTER XXXIV. Early sowing recommended--Vitality of Superstitions--Capnomancy--Hazel Nuts: Frequent References to in Gaelic Poetry--How best to get at the full flavour of a ripe Hazel Nut.