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A Highland Fairy Lullaby (An Cóineachan)
All Instruments and Backing Vocals: Douglas Milne, Lead Vocals: Helen Raw
From the TwinkleTrax album "Lullabies - 20 Classic Bedtime Songs And Lullabies"
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Lying there, lying there
I left my baby lying there
When I went to gather blaeberries.
Ho bhan, ho bhan haithri o ho
Haithri o ho, haithri o ho
Ho bhan, ho bhan haithri o ho
When I went to gather blaeberries.
I found the track of the swan on the lake
Swan on the lake, swan on the lake
I found the track of the swan on the lake
But not a trace of baby, O!
Ho bhan, ho bhan haithri o ho
Haithri o ho, haithri o ho
Ho bhan, ho bhan haithri o ho
But not a trace of baby, O!
I followed the trail of the mountain mist
Mountain mist, mountain mist
I followed the trail of the mountain mist
And there I found my baby, O!
Ho bhan, ho bhan haithri o ho
Haithri o ho, haithri o ho
Ho bhan, ho bhan haithri o ho
And there I found my baby, O!
This old Scottish lullaby was first published in 1864, in the "Duanaire", edited by D. C. Macpherson.
It refers to the tale that a baby left unattended would be stolen away by the fairies (q.v. Baloo Baleerie). It is thought that this folktale was perhaps a convenient excuse that was rolled out whenever a child died in "suspicious" circumstances. Sometimes the fairies would leave a Changeling - a fairy child - in the baby's place. If a normally placid baby suddenly changed in character - becoming temperamental and unruly, or withdrawn and quiet - the fairies were blamed. It may well have been that the child was suffering from autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or some similar condition that the parents would not have recognised, let alone known how to deal with.
The song recounts the story of a dejected mother who is searching for her baby, which has been stolen by the fairies, while she went to gather blaeberries (the Northern Bilberry or Bog Bilberry - Vaccinium uliginosum - a plant found in cooler regions of the northern hemisphere, such as the Scottish Highlands) Each verse tells of some impossible challenge that she has performed in order to find her child, but to no avail. In the TwinkleTrax version, the mother finds her baby in the last verse, and all is well.
The chorus is nonsense, but its alliteration appeals to a child and is easy to sing. The verses can likewise be easily improvised, thinking of all the places that a mother would search for a lost child.
The Gaelic version of the song, named "An Cóineachan", extends to 8 verses. Cóineachan is a term of endearment applied to a child.
Dh'fhàg miÆn seo 'na shìneadh e,
'Na shìneadh e, 'na shìneadh e;
Gu'n dh'fhàg mi'n seo 'na shìneadh e
'Nuair dh'fhalbh mi 'bhuain nam braoilegan.
Hò-bhan, hò-bhan, Goiridh òg O
Goiridh òg O, Goiridh òg O
Hò-bhan, hò-bhan, Goiridh òg O
Gu'n dh'fhalbh mo ghaoil 's gu'n dh'fhàg e mi.
O, shiubhail mi bheinn o cheann gu ceann,
Bho thaobh gu taobh, gu taobh nan allt.
O, shiubhail mi bheinn o cheann gu ceann,
Cha d'fhuair mi lorg mo chóineachan.
Hò-bhan, hò-bhan, Goiridh òg O
Goiridh òg O, Goiridh òg O
Hò-bhan, hò-bhan, Goiridh òg O
Gu'n dh'fhalbh mo ghaoil 's gu'n dh'fhàg e mi.
Fhuair mi lorg an dóbhrain duinn,
An dóbhrain duinn, an dóbhrain duinn,
Gu'n d'fhuair mi lorg an dóbhrain duinn;
'S cha d'fhuair mi lorg mo chóineachain!
Hò-bhan, hò-bhan, Goiridh òg O
Goiridh òg O, Goiridh òg O
Hò-bhan, hò-bhan, Goiridh òg O
Gu'n dh'fhalbh mo ghaoil 's gu'n dh'fhàg e mi.
Fhuair mi lorg na h-eal' air an t-snàmh,
Na h-eal' air an t-snàmh, 'na h-eal' air an t-snàmh
Gu'n d'fhuair mi lorg'na h-eal' air an t-snàmh;
'S cha d'fhuair mi lorg mo chóineachain!
Hò-bhan, hò-bhan, Goiridh òg O
Goiridh òg O, Goiridh òg O
Hò-bhan, hò-bhan, Goiridh òg O
Gu'n dh'fhalbh mo ghaoil 's gu'n dh'fhàg e mi.
Fhuair mi lorg na lach' air an lòn,
Na lach' air an lòn, na lach' air an lòn,
Fhuair mi lorg na h-eal' air an t-snàmh,
Cha d'fhuair mi lorg mo chóineachain!
Hò-bhan, hò-bhan, Goiridh òg O
Goiridh òg O, Goiridh òg O
Hò-bhan, hò-bhan, Goiridh òg O
Gu'n dh'fhalbh mo ghaoil 's gu'n dh'fhàg e mi.
Fhuair mi lorg an laoigh bhric dheirg,
An laoigh bhric dheirg, an laoigh bhric dheirg;
Gu'n d'fhuair mi lorg an laoigh bhric dheirg,
'S cha d'fhuair mi lorg mo chóineachain!
Hò-bhan, hò-bhan, Goiridh òg O
Goiridh òg O, Goiridh òg O
Hò-bhan, hò-bhan, Goiridh òg O
Gu'n dh'fhalbh mo ghaoil 's gu'n dh'fhàg e mi.
'S d'fhuair mi lorg 'na bà 'sa pholl,
Na bà 'sa pholl, na bà 'sa pholl,
Fhuair mi lorg na bà 'sa pholl,
Cha d'fhuair mi lorg mo chóineachain!
Hò-bhan, hò-bhan, Goiridh òg O
Goiridh òg O, Goiridh òg O
Hò-bhan, hò-bhan, Goiridh òg O
Gu'n dh'fhalbh mo ghaoil 's gu'n dh'fhàg e mi.
Fhuair mi lorg a' cheò 'sa 'bheinn,
A' cheò 'sa bheinn, a' cheò 'sa bheinn;
Ged fhuair mi lorg a' cheò 'sa bheinn;
Cha d'fhuair mi lorg mo chóineachain.
Hò-bhan, hò-bhan, Goiridh òg O
Goiridh òg O, Goiridh òg O
Hò-bhan, hò-bhan, Goiridh òg O
Gu'n dh'fhalbh mo ghaoil 's gu'n dh'fhàg e mi.
Origins text ©2012 TwinkleTrax Children's Songs.