Popular tales of the West Highlands : orally collected . s more curious. It is wilder altogether, and savours more of anold Bardic composition. It is, in fact, the version of a practisednarrator, who cannot read. All the fights, are described by boththe men in nearly the same words ; but each has a different setof phrases, though sometimes they are very like each these are rapidly given, the effect is that of a kind ofchant; something which, with music, would almost be a rudechorus, and might be so uttered as to express the battle. The Barra battles are thus arranged, and they have
Popular tales of the West Highlands : orally collected . s more curious. It is wilder altogether, and savours more of anold Bardic composition. It is, in fact, the version of a practisednarrator, who cannot read. All the fights, are described by boththe men in nearly the same words ; but each has a different setof phrases, though sometimes they are very like each these are rapidly given, the effect is that of a kind ofchant; something which, with music, would almost be a rudechorus, and might be so uttered as to express the battle. The Barra battles are thus arranged, and they have thatR 242 TVEST HIGHLAND TALES. They stood, Conall, the young King of Loehlann,and Garna Sgiathlais, opposite to the house of Mac-a-Moir, and they clashed their shields for battle. Mac-a- kind of symmetry which pervades Gaelic popular tales, as theyexist in the islands. 1st, The slender, dark man, who, according to MacNair, isthe King of Spain, says that he will not let Conall go first onshore, because he has promised to be the first to fall. He lands,. These strange figures may represent warriors of the period to whichthese romantic Gaelic stories chiefly belong. They are copied from plateIvii., Sculptured Stoiies of Scotland, which represents a curious cross nearDupplin Castle. They are consequently waniors who lived after the intro-duction of Christianity into Scotland, and beyond that I believe the date tobe as uncertain as that of Conall. A great number of animals, knots, men,and monsters, are sculptured on the same cross, and it is manifestly very old. THE STORY OF CONALL GULBAN. 243 Moir sent out the three best warriors that were in hisrealm to battle with them. They drew their slendergray swords, and they went to meet each other, but and strikes his shield. Five hundred Lughghaisgeach, and asmany Treanghasgeach are sent out; he slays them all, and liesdown amongst them. 2c?, Conall, in the ship, says that he has fled, and offers againto go himself; but the Amhas Ormanac
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