Chì Mi’n Toman
(I See the Hillock)
Scottish lament taken from liner notes and a personal transcription of Ishbel MacAskill's performance on the CD - Gaelic Scotland

[Scots-Gaelic]
[Rough Phonetic]

Chì mi’n toman caorann cuileann,
Chì mi’n toman caorann thall;
Chì mi’n toman caorann cuileann,
Laigh mo chèil’ air uilinn ann.

Cha tèid mise ‘chrò nan caorach,
Cha tèid mise ‘chrò nan uan;
Cha tèid mise ‘chrò nan laoighean,
O nach eil mo ghaol ud ann.

Chì mi mo thriùir bhraithrean seachad
Air an loma luath,
Sgeinean beag air bhàrr an uilinn,
Fuil mo ghaoil a’sileadh uap’.

Ach nam b’aithne dhòmhs’ an rathad
Gu bean-taighe an fhuilt bhàin;
Dh’innseadh i mu èirigh grèine
Nach b’e fuil an fhèidh a bh’ann.

Chì mi’n toman caorann cuileann,
Chì mi’n toman caorann thall;
Chì mi’n toman caorann cuileann,
Laigh mo chèil’ air uilinn ann.

 xHee meen homahn kare-an(g) kool-en(g)
xHee meen homahn kare-an(g) hawl
xHee meen homahn kare-an(g) kool-en(g)
L-eye mo xHail air ool-en(g) ouwn.

xHa-chEdth mish-a xRow nahn kare-rawhk,
xHa-chEdth mish-a xRow-nah new-ahn
xHa-chEdth mISH-A xRow nahn loy-en
Oh nawk ehl-mo gill uh-d-ouwn.

xHee mee muh-xRoor vrah-ren shacht-Edth
Air ahn low-mah lew-ahH
Sken-nin beg air var eh-noo-lin(g)
F-ool mo gill a-sheel-egg oo-ahp'

Ack nahm bah-nya ghos eh-rawh-d
Goo ban-teh-heh noolt vahn
EEn-shegg EE mu-ay-xRee grain-ya
Nawk bay foo-l eh-nyayEd ah-v-ouwn

xHee meen homahn kare-an(g) kool-en(g)
xHee meen homahn kare-an(g) hawl
xHee meen homahn kare-an(g) kool-en(g)
L-eye mo xHail air ool-en(g) ouwn.

1] I see the hillock of the rowan and holly,
I see the hillock of the rowan and yonder;
I see the hillock of the rowan and holly,
And my beloved resting on his elbow there.		 2] I'll not go to the sheep fold,
I'll not go to the lamb fold;
I'll not go to the calf fold
Since my love is not there.		 3] I see my three brothers passing
In a great rush,
Small knifes in the crooks of their arms,
And my love's blood dripping from them.
4] But if I knew the road
To the fair-haired woman's house;
She would tell before sunrise
That it was not the blood of the deer.		 5] Repeat Verse 1
[Again, most beautiful songs always seem to have the saddest meaning.]		 [This one's possibly a metaphoric telling of hero's death through deception, treachery, and betrayal. The young woman = the land of Scotland.]

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