Page:An Etymological Dictionary of the Norn Language in Shetland Part I.pdf/120

CXII Fragments of the Eagle-song. (Foula.)

padua sat ən grūa A‘ntən gēr skri̇̄kər ōla sætər ōla fēstin pærla mōra hæ‘ᶇᶊra boga ᶊɩdərɩ jāla nɛstin.

Variant fragments:

A‘nti padua ᶊåt ən grōa sætər ōla fēsa tærla mōra hæ‘ᶇᶊra boga ᶊɩdərɩ āla nēsə.

A‘nti pakəta såkəta sū ɔpa jɔn skɔtən grō by came de ɛdnin an ᶊi ta a‘nti bō a‘nti gavəra (gafəra) skri̇̄kər ōla sætər ōla fesa pærla mūra hæ‘nᶊɩstər bōgra ᶊadəra jala nesa.

Skrikəna hjōla dogəna fjōla mɩdəra harda a‘ntu atə nå‘rtɩ jalani.

Ä‘ᶅka lāma bɩt hæ‘nsə bokra pærla mōra ᶊɛdərɩ jalə neso meni mē mɩta gāma.

Jodnar ᶊud tra ɩ‘lka bɩt an moni meta gāma at ᶊal ā bɩ edna hōga.

Jodnar: a hog. tra: eating of it. ɩ‘lka: the raven. moni: hog’s flesh. hōga: Christmas-day.

The import of the eagle’s song is said to be this: an eagle is carrying off a child, which has been playing outside the house. At the cry of the child’s brother, the mother comes hurrying out and makes a knot, called “de ern’s knot”, on a string, by means of which magical knot she hopes to get the eagle to let go the child.