Mythology & Folklore

Spell for Evil Eye

by Anonymous (Scottish Gaelic) traditional; collected in the Highlands and Islands 1855–1899

Translated by Alexander Carmichael (1900) · From Carmina Gadelica, vol. II (1900): Incantations

Mythology & Folklore

The fair spell that lovely Mary sent,
Over stream, over sea, over land.
Against incantations, against withering glance,
Against inimical power.
Against the teeth of wolf,
Against the testicles of wolf.
Against the three crooked cranes,
Against the three crooked bones.
Against the three crooked ' creothail,'
And against lint ' leothair ' of the ground.
Whoso made to thee the eye.
May it lie upon himself,
May it lie upon his house,
May it lie upon his flocks,
May it lie upon his substance.
May it lie upon his fatness.
May it lie upon his means.
May it lie upon his children.
May it lie upon his wife,
May it lie upon his descendants.
I will subdue the eye,
I will suppress the eye,
And I will banish the eye.
The three arteries inviting (?),
And the tongue of death completely.
Three lovely little maidens.
Born the same night with Christ,
If alive be these three to-night,
Life be anear thee, poor beast.

MLA

Anonymous (Scottish Gaelic). “Spell for Evil Eye.” Translated by Alexander Carmichael. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-scottish-gaelic/152/.

Chicago

Anonymous (Scottish Gaelic). “Spell for Evil Eye.” Translated by Alexander Carmichael. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-scottish-gaelic/152/.

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