The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #123191 Message #2717085
Posted By: Reiver 2
05-Sep-09 - 07:51 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: The Bloody Sarks (Ian Hall)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Bloody Sark
Aye, Charley. That's gude advice I'm shure!
I've one question which is really about only two words in the lyrics. The 1st verse, in the set of lyrics Jim McLain posted, the 2nd line reads"
The young MacGregor o' Glen Strae wi' eighty o' his men,
Upon the Argyle's sleekit word, pit Finlas Glen aflame,
The burnin', theivin', heilan' rant drove a' the beasts awa'
And left ahint twa dirkit men tae perish in the snaw.
Since line 3 refers to driving "the beasts awa', I thought the correct word in the 2nd line should be "herd" rather than "word."
But then, "sleekit," if I'm not mistaken, means "sly." I don't think even Argyle's herd would be described as "sly" whereas his "word" might be. Yet Clan MacGregor was known - to some, at least - for cattle theiving. {I'm trying not to turn over any old rocks, Charley, but it ain't easy.} So, I figured that the word "word" was correct.
Then, today, I find in an earlier thread on The Bloody Sarks, the 2nd line as:
"Fell upon Argyle's sleeping herd...."
I'm now beginning to think that the correct line should be "sleeping herd" rather than "sleekit word." And I'm inclined to transcribe the line that way. An unimportant "quibble" some may say, but I'd like to have it right. Other opinions as to which is correct??
Reiver 2