Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 11, 1900.djvu/464

 442 Miscellanea.

(I wish my spring labour was finished). No sooner had he uttered this ordachadh-oidche (night-wishing) than a host of fairies appeared on the scene, and began delving his fields. In the morning he found that all his undelved land had been digged, and made ready for the seed. One of the fairies, however, had remained to bar- gain with him, for himself and his fellow labourers, as to hire. The wage the fairy asked was a sheaf of corn in harvest for each labourer. To this the man willingly agreed.

He had a heavy crop in harvest — nine big stacks. The fairies did not forget to call for their Seannsal (handsel). Each of them came at the nick of time, and carried away a sheaf, as was agreed upon, till the field was cleared. The poor man sat dumb- foundered on a sheaf which he hoped to retain; but even this was to be taken away. One of the fairies who was minus his share gave unmistakable signs of fighting his way towards it. When the man observed how things were likely to end, he flung the sheaf at him, saying, as he did so: " Is miosa dK fhag na fhiiar; oir tha sibh cho lionmhor ri midmitir Fhionlaidh " (You have left me in a worse plight than you found me in ; for you are as numerous as the Finlay people).

This is the supposed origin of the well-known Lewis adage, " As numerous as the Finlay people."

The name, Mum7itir Fhionlaidh, " Finlay People," signifies the Clan Mackinlay. Why this name was given to the fairies I do not know, nor have I at present any means of ascertaining. It was, however, used as a euphemism for the fairies, to propitiate them when the party using it was anxious to obtain a favour at their hands, but under no other circumstances. As far as I know the name was confined to the island of Lewis.i

Datmsa-Slth (Fairy-dance). — A man who happened to be pass- ing the Bruth Shlth (Fairy Hill) with a buideal (cask) on his back, saw the door of the Bruth wide open, and the fairies as playful as kittens on the dancing floor. He went in and joined in the dance, with the buideal on his back. However, a year after, an acquaintance passed by the Bruth, and saw his missing neigh-

' According to Macbain's Gaelic Etymological Dictionary, the right spelling is Fionnlagh. The older genitive forms are Fmlaeic, Fionnlaoich, which seem to prove that the name means " Fair hero." It has been explained as " Fair calf," which would suit the phonetics also. — John Abercromby. Cf. a former communication from Mr. MacPhail, F. Z., vii., 402.