Gille Beag ò

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Gille Beag ò , gille lag ò
Gille Beag ò nan caorach (repeat)

Tha mi sgìth gad altramas
A’ sracadh mo chuid aodaich

Nam bu mhac duin’ uasail thu
Gu faighinn luach mo chaorach

I was first introduced to this song by Alison Kinnaird, when learning it on the clarsach. I was drawn to the simplicity of the melody. It also appears in Margaret Fay Shaw’s 'Folksongs and Folklore of South Uist'.

Translation:

Little boy, weak boy
Little boy of the sheep

I am tired nursing you
Tearing my clothing

If you were the son of a nobleman
I would get the value of my sheep