ANECDOTA FROM IRISH MSS.

MS. Laud 615, p. 55

Colum Cille cecinit.

Sgíth mo chrob ón sgríbhinn,
ní dígainn mo ghlés gérall,
sgéithidh mo phenn gulban-caolta
digh daolta do dub glé[gorm].

Bruinnidh sruaim n-ecna n-Dé fhinn
as mo láim degduinn desmais,
doirtidh a digh for duillin
do dub in chuilinn chnsglais.

Sínidh mo phenn beg braonach
tar aonach lebar lígoll,
gan sgor fri selba segann,
dian sgíth mo chrobh ó sgríbhunn.

TRANSLATION.

My hand is weary of writing,
My sharp, big tool is not steady,
My slender-beaked pen juts forth
A black draught of shining dark-blue
ink.

A stream of the wisdom of blessed God
springs
From my fair-brown shapely hand,
On the page it squirts its draught
Of ink of the green-skinned holly.

My little dripping pen stretches
Across the plain of great shining books,
Without ceasing for the wealth of the
great —
Whence my hand is weary of writing.

KUNO MEYER.

15th June, 1897.