Sacred Texts Legends/Sagas Celtic Carmina Gadelica Index Previous Next
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Carmina Gadelica, Volume 1, by Alexander Carmicheal, [1900], at sacred-texts.com
ON Christmas Day the young men of the townland go out to fish. All the fish they catch are sacred to the widows and the orphans and to the poor, and are distributed among them according to their necessities.
There is a tradition among the people of the Western Isles that Christ required Peter to row 707 strokes straight out from the shore when He commanded him to go and procure the fish containing the tribute-money. Following this tradition, the old men of Uist require the young men to row 707 strokes from the land before casting their lines on Christmas Day. And whatever fish they get are cordially given to the needy as a tribute in the name of Christ, King of the sea, and of Peter, king of fishermen. This is called 'dioladh deirc,' tribute-paying, 'deirce Pheadair,' Peter's tribute, 'dioladh Pheadail,' Peter's payment, and other terms. This tribute-paying on Christmas Day excites much emotional interest, and all try to enhance the tribute and in various ways to render the alms as substantial as possible.
The whiting and the haddock of the same size bear a strong resemblance to one another. There are differences, however. The haddock has a black spot on each side of its body above the pectoral fin, while the head of the whiting is more elongated than that of the haddock. Children and strangers are taught to differentiate between the two thus:--
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'Ball dubh air an adaig, |
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A black spot of the haddock, |
The people of Uist say that the haddock was the fish in whose mouth Peter found the tribute-money, and that the two black spots are the marks left by Peter's fingers when he held the fish to extract the money from its mouth. The crew of young men who get most haddocks on Christmas Day are looked upon during the year as the real followers of the king of fishers. There is, therefore, considerable emulation among the different crews.
The haddock is called 'iasg Pheadail,' Peter's fish, and 'iasg Pheadair runaich,' the fish of loving Peter; and a family of birds 'peadaireach,' 'peitirich'--Peter-like, petrels, because in their flight they seem to be walking on the sea.
The tradition as to rowing 707 strokes is curious and interesting. The only other similar tradition which I know is of the wars between the Fomorians and the Milesians in Ireland. Both were invaders:--the Milesians earlier, the Fomorians later. When the Fomorians landed in Ireland the Milesians were already established, and the result was a long-continued war, till both sides were exhausted and tired of the strife. During a temporary truce it was agreed that the Fomorians should retire to the sea and row straight out 707 strokes from land, and if they succeeded in landing again they were to be allowed to remain and enjoy their hard-won honours. Whether for good or for ill to Ireland, the Fomorians effected a landing a second time, and settled in the south and west of the island.
The Irish were Pagan at the time, and the tradition of the 707 strokes being imposed by Christ on Peter must have been inserted in the Fomorian tradition after Ireland became Christian.
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LA na soillse thainig oirnn, ’Na ainm-san cratham am burn A Righ nam feart ’s nan neart tha shuas, Suidhim sios le ramh ’na, m’ ghlac, |
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THE day of light has come upon us, In His name I sprinkle the water Thou King of deeds and powers above, I will sit me down with an oar in my grasp, | |
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Tilgidh mi mo dhubhan sios, An ainm Chriosda, Righ nan Sian, Is righ nan iasgair, Peadair treun, Airil, Gabril, agus Eoin, Calum-cille caomh ’s gach cas, Siubhlaibh leinn gu iola cuain, Righ nan righ ri crich ar cuart, Crun an Righ o’n Tri tha shuas, |
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I will cast down my hook, In the name of Christ, King of the elements, And the king of fishers, the brave Peter, Ariel, Gabriel, and John, Columba, tender in every distress, Encompass ye us to the fishing-bank of ocean, Be the King of kings at the end of our course, Be the crown of the King from the Three on high, |
