Cape Breton's Magazine

f school, a young fellow, there were a few trustees here, you know--they called them trustees. There was George MacLeod, for one • over on the hill here. The young people wanted to have a Christ? mas tree over in the schoolhouse here. And there were some for it and some against it. The trustees--I know George MacLeod was a- gainst it'. And the reason for that: he was thinking that the children weren't learn? ing enough, for having a Christmas tree, that they would lose a lot of school. He was a schoolteacher himself once upon a time. So anyway, the parents, you know, like my father and mother, they wanted to have the Christmas tree. And D. J. Morri? son and them, all these, they wanted to have a party for the children. And to have a concert over in the schoolhouse. So any? way, I guess the thing passed all right, that we were going to have a concert. That was good. And Duncan MacLean over here, my neighbour across where Maclvor's living there, he made a little poem up. And it was in Gaelic, now. And the start of it was--I remember, you know, when I was going to school, I asked quite a few of them--(they) didn't remem? ber it. And this night I happened to wake up through the night. And didn't I have the poem right on my tongue? So I sang it, and I sang it to Margaret. So an3way, now here's the beginning of it: "Am faic thu craobh 's a' chorner?/ Mar a tha i air a loadadh:/ Le candies agus toys,/ Le ornaments dhaor.// Ged a thig? eadh a righ Seoras/ Chan fhaiceadh e dad mi-dhoigheil,/ 'S ann a bhiodh e prdiseil/ Le oigridh an tir.// A nigheanan, bithidh thu doigheil;/ 'S e bachelor th'ann an Claus./ Seinnibh dha an t-oran/ 'Cha phos mi ach thu.'" Margaret: Tell him what it is, about. Do you see the tree in the comer, covered with ornaments? Frank: George MacLeod--I told you that al- ready--that he was against having a pro? gram, that the children were losing too much time out of school. And Duncan Mac- Lean made these verses. It was about the tree, how nice the tree was in the comer, full of toys and candles and all that. And it was beautiful. And he mentioned that, suppose George MacLeod would come--like George MacLeod was the king of the whole thing,' being he was a schoolteacher. And that he'd be very proud to see the chil? dren today on the stage. That was the sec? ond verse. And the last verse was. Now, girls, to be very nice to Santa Claus, be? cause he's going to come and he'll be glad to see you. And he's a bachelor! Our thanks to Effie MacCorquodale Rankin, Mabou, I for transcription and translation of the Gaelic. I English translation of "De Qiuir Mise?" from Gae- I lie Songs in Nova Scotia by Creighton and MacLeod. I Dundee Resort Executive Chalets Golf Course Lounge Swimming Pool /'For more information, wrfte or phorra: DUNDEE RESORT, R. R. 2, West Bay, Rlclimond County, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia BOE 3K0 ' (902) 345-2649 Cottages Tennis Courts Marina Dining Room on Cape Breton's Bras d'Or Lakes (79)