Tàladh Chrìosda facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Tàladh Chrìosda (which means Christ's lullaby) is a very popular Scottish Gaelic Christmas carol. Its full name is Tàladh ar Slànaigheir (the Lullaby of our Saviour). People traditionally sing this song at Midnight Mass in the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. The song has 29 verses. They were written in the 1800s. The verses are like a lullaby sung by Mary to the Christ Child.

An English version of the song became popular in the early 1900s. Marjory Kennedy-Fraser helped make it famous. She called it The Christ-Child's Lullaby.

Who Wrote the Song?
The Song's Tune
Song Lyrics
- Scottish Gaelic
- Literal English translation

Who Wrote the Song?

The words for this carol were likely written by Father Ranald Rankin. He was a Roman Catholic priest from Fort William, Scotland. He wrote the song shortly before moving to Australia. There, he became a missionary in Little River, Victoria. The carol was first called Tàladh ar Slànuighear (the Lullaby of our Saviour). It was sung to a tune named Cumha Mhic Àrois (the Lament for Mac Àrois).

The song's words appear in a old book at the University of Glasgow Library. This book is called Bàrd na Ceapaich. In it, the song is titled Taladh ar Slanuighir (Cuimhneachan do Chloinn Mhuideart). This means Our Saviour's Lullaby (Memento to the Children of Moidart). The book also says the tune is Cumha Mhic Arois. It confirms Father Ronald Rankin wrote the words in August 1855.

The first time the hymn was printed was in 1855. Father Rankin gave copies to his church members. He did this as he was leaving for Australia. Father Rankin served in the Moidart area from 1838 until July 25, 1855. This means he might have written the song before that date.

Father Rankin strongly believed in emigration. He lived during the Highland Clearances and the Highland Potato Famine. These were hard times in Scotland. Many people were very poor. They faced high rents and the risk of losing their homes. Father Rankin thought leaving Scotland was the only way for his people to escape this poverty. He encouraged them to move to Australia with help from a special program. He promised he would follow them soon.

Father Rankin sailed to Australia on a ship called the James Baines. In 1857, he became the priest of St Michael's Church in Little River. This town is near Geelong, in State of Victoria. Father Rankin passed away there in 1863.

The Song's Tune

The tune for "Tàladh ar Slànaigheir" is said to be "Cumha Mhic Àrois." This means "the son of the Man of Aros." Aros is a place on the Isle of Mull in Scotland. Legend says the heir of Aros drowned in Loch Frisa. This is a small lake on Mull. The story says he was trying to tame a horse. The horse pulled him into the lake. The song is a lament, or sad song, supposedly written by his future wife.

However, the name 'Mhic Àrois' might be a changed version of 'mac Fir Àrasaig'. This means "son of the Man of Arisaig." The "Man of Arisaig" was a title held by Clan Mackintosh. The tune of Tàladh ar Slànaigheir sounds similar to other songs. These include the pipe lament Cumha Mhic an Tòisich (Mackintosh's Lament). Another name for this lament is Cumha Mhic Rìgh Aro (Lament for the Son of the King of Aro).

These songs share a similar melody style and rhythm. But they use different musical scales. So, the tune used in the Outer Hebrides for Tàladh ar Slànaigheir might be a related but different melody.

A music expert named John Lorne Campbell wrote about this tune in 1956. He noted that the tune for Tàladh ar Slànaigheir has only survived in the Outer Hebrides. He said that early writings mention "Cumha Mhic Arois" as the tune. But today, the hymn is sung to a melody that comes from an old waulking song. A waulking song is a type of traditional Gaelic song.

Margaret Fay Shaw identified this waulking song in 1986. Its name is An cuala sibh mar dh'éirich dhòmhs' . There are recordings of two different versions of this tune. The tunes for Tàladh ar Slànaigheir can sound a bit different from each other. This is similar to how different versions of the song Chaidh mo Dhunnchadh dhan Bheinn (my Duncan went to the hill) also vary.

Song Lyrics

Scottish Gaelic

The words below were published by Colin Chisholm. He was the Chief of Clan Chisholm. He printed them in 1888-89.

TALADH AR SLANUIGHIR

Air fonn – Cumha Mhic Arois

Aleluiah, Aleluiah, Aleluiah, Aleluiah.

Mo ghaol, mo ghràdh, a's m' fheudail thu,

M' ionntas ùr a's m' èibhneas thu,

Mo mhacan àlainn ceutach thu,

Chan fhiù mi fhèin bhith 'd dhàil.

Aleluiah, &c.

Ge mòr an t-adhbhar cliù dhomh e,

'S mòr an t-adhbhar cùraim e,

'S mòr an t-adhbhar ùmhlachd e,

Rìgh nan dùl bhith 'm làimh.

Ged is leanabh dìblidh thu,

Cinnteach 's Rìgh nan Rìghrean thu,

'S tu 'n t-oighre dligheach, fìrinneach

Air Rìoghachd Dhé nan gràs.

Ged is Rìgh na glòrach thu

Dhiùlt iad an taigh-òsda dhuit,

Ach chualas ainglean solasach

Toirt glòir don Tì as àird.

Bu mhòr solas agus iongnadh

Buachaillean bochda nan caorach,

Nuair chual' iad na h-ainglean a' glaodhaich,

"Thàinig Slànaighear thun an t-saoghail."

B' e sin an ceòl, 's an naigheachd àghmhor

Sheinn na h-ainglean anns na h-àrdaibh,

Ag innseadh gun d' rugadh Slànaighear

Am Betlehem, am baile Dhaibhidh.

B' e sin sgeula binn nam beannachd,

Mun aoigh a rinn teàrnadh gu talamh,

Chan iongnadh mi bhith mùirneach, geanail.

Is gile na ghrian mo leanabh.

Dh'fhoillsich reulta dha na rìghrean,

Lean iad i mar iùil gu dìleas,

Fhuair iad nam achlais fhèin thu,

Is rinn iad ùmhlachd dhuit gu làr.

Thairg iad òr dhuit, mirr a's tùis,

Thug iad adhradh dhuit is cliù,

B' e turas an àigh don triùir,

Thàinig a shealltainn mo rùin.

Ò na dh'innis aingeal Dé dhuinn

Gun robh 'n fhoill an cridhe Heroid,

Dh'fhalbh sinne leat don Èiphit

Ga sheachnadh mun dèanta beud ort.

Ò! Heroid a chridhe chruaidh,

Cha choisinn d' innleachd dhuit buaidh,

'S lìonar màthair dh'fhag thu truagh,

'S tu dian an tòir air bàs mo luaidh.

'S fhada, fhada, bho Iudea,

Tèarainte bho d' chlaidheamh geur e,

Measg nam mac cha d'fhuair thu fhèin e,

'S fallain, slàn thu, 's fàth dhomh èibhneas.

Dh'aindeoin do mhì-rùn] is d' fharmaid,

Bidh mo mhac-sa cliùiteach, ainmeil,

Cha chuir e ùidh an òr n' an airgead,

A rìoghachd cha rìoghachd thalmhaidh.

Gur galach, brònach, tùrsach iad

An-dràst ann an Ierusalem,

A' caoidh nam macan ùra sin,

'S b' e 'n diubhail 'n cur gu bàs.

Tha Rachel an-diugh fo bhròn,

A' caoidh a pàistean àlainn, òg,

'S frasach air a gruaidh na deòir

Bho nach eil iad aice beò.

Tha mi 'g altrum Righ na mòrachd,

'S mise mathair Dhe na gloire –

Nach buidhe, nach sona dhomhsa,

Tha mo chridhe làn do sholas.

Thainig, thainig am Messiah,

Fhuair na faidhean uile 'n guidhe,

'S fhada bho 'n b' aill leo thu thighinn,

'S aluinn thu air mo ruighe.

A ghnothach gu talamh cha b' fhaoin e,

Cheannach sabhaladh chloinn daoine,

'S e 'm Fear-reite 's am Fear-saoraidh,

Is e 'n Slanui'ear gradhach caomh e.

Ciamar a dh' eirich dhomhsa

'Measg an t-sluaigh a bhi cho sonruicht'?

'S e toil a's cumhachd na gloire

Mac bhi agam ge d' is oigh mi.

'S mise fhuair an ulaidh phrìseil,

Uiseil, uasal, luachmhor, fhinealt,

'N diugh cha dual dhomh bhi fo mhighean,

'S coltach ri bruadar an fhirinn.

Cha tuig ainglean naomh no daoine

Gu la deireannach an t-saoghail

Meud do throcair a's do ghaoil-sa,

Tighinn a ghabhail coluinn daonnta.

Bheir mi moladh, bheir mi aoradh,

Bheir mi cliu dhuit, bheir mi gaol dhuit,

Tha thu agam air mo ghairdean,

'S mi tha sona thar chloinn daoine.

Mo ghaol an t-suil a sheallas tlà,

Mo ghaol an cridh 'tha liont 'le gràdh,

Ged is leanamh thu gun chàil

'S lionmhor buaidh tha ort a' fàs.

M' ulaidh, m' aighear, a's mo luaidh thu,

Rùn, a's gaol, a's gràdh an t-sluaigh thu;

'S tus' an Tì a bheir dhoibh fuasgladh

Bho chuibhreach an namhaid uaibhrich.

'S tu Righ nan righ, 's tu naomh nan naomh,

Dia am Mac thu 's siorruidh t'aois;

'S tu mo Dhia 's mo leanamh gaoil,

'S tu àrd cheann-feadhna 'chinne-daonn'.

'S tusa grian gheal an dòchais,

Chuireas dorchadas air fògairt ;

Bheir thu clann-daoin' bho staid bhrònaich

Gu naomhachd, soilleireachd, a's eòlas.

Thigeadh na sloigh chur ort failte –

Dheanadh umhlachd dhuit mar Shlanui'ear,

Bidh solas mòr am measg siol Adhamh –

Thainig am Fear-saoraidh, thainig!

Thig a pheacaich, na biodh sgàth ort,

Gheibh thu na dh' iarras tu 'ghrasan;

Ge d' bhiodh do chiontan dearg mar sgàrlaid

Bidh t'anam geal mar shneachd nan àrd-bheann.

Hosanah do Mhac Dhaibhidh,

Mo Righ, mo Thighearna, 's mo Shlanui'ear,

'S mòr mo sholas bhi ga d' thaladh,

'S beannaichte am measg nam mnai mi.

Literal English translation

Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah.

my love, my love and my treasure are You

my treasure and my joy are You

my lovely, becoming son are You

I'm not worthy of being near You

though it's a reason for praise to me

it's a great reason for care

it's a great reason for homage

the King of the Elements being in my arms

though You're a feeble baby

for sure, the King of Kings are You

You're the rightful, true heir

of the Kingdom of God of the graces

though the King of Glory are You

they refused the inn to You

but joyful angels were heard

giving glory to the Highest One

great was the joy and wonder

of the poor shepherds of the sheep

when they heard the angels crying out

"a Saviour has come to the world"

that was the music and the joyous news

that the angels sang in the heights

telling that a Saviour was born

in Bethlehem, in the town of David

that was the sweet tale of the blessings

about the guest that did descend from heaven

it's no surprise that I'm light and cheerful

fairer/whiter than the sun is my baby

a star manifested for the kings

they followed her like a guide faithfully

they found You in my clasp

and they made obeisance to You [down] to the floor

they offered gold to You, myrrh and incense

they gave adoration to You and praise

that was the journey of joy for the three men

who came to see my dearest

since the angel of God told us

that deceit was in the heart of Herod

we left with You for Egypt

evading him before harm was done to You

O Herod, o hard heart / O Herod of the hard heart

your contrivance will not gain you victory

many the mothers that you left wretched

when you were vehement in pursuit of the death of my dear one

far, far from Judea

safe from your sharp sword is He

among the sons you didn't find Him

You are healthy, whole, and a cause of rejoicing to me

despite your ill-will and your envy

my Son will be renowned, famous

He won't show interest in gold or in silver

His Kingdom tis not an earthly kingdom

wailing, sorrowful, weary are they

now in Jerusalem

lamenting those new sons

their putting to death was a tragedy indeed

Rachel today is sorrowful

lamenting her lovely young child

streaming on her cheek are the tears

since she doesn't have them alive

I'm rearing the King of Majesty

I'm the mother of the God of Glory

how fortunate, how happy for me

my heart is full of joy

the Messiah has come, has come

all the prophets have got their wish

they've long desired for You to come

You're lovely on my forearm

His business on earth, it isn't futile

to buy the salvation of the children of men

He's the Reconciler and the Redeemer

He is the loving gentle Saviour

how has it happened that I

among the people am so special

it's the will and power of Glory

to have a son though I be a virgin

tis I who have found the priceless treasure

worthy, noble, valuable and fine

today I'm not disposed to be discontent

tis like a dream the truth

neither holy angels nor men will understand

till the last day of the world

the extent of Your mercy and Your love

coming to take a human body

I give you praise, I give you adoration

I give you praise, I give you love

I have you in my arms

tis I who am happy over the children of men

my love the eye that looks mild

my love the heart that is filled with love

though You be a baby without a strong constitution

many are the virtues which on You grow

my treasure, my joy and my dearest are You

my darling and love and love of the people are You

You're the One who brings them liberation

from the bond of the haughty Enemy

You're the King of Kings, You're the Holy One of the Holy Ones

God the Son are You, eternal is Your age

You're my God and my beloved baby

You're the high chief of the children of men

You're the fair/white sun of hope

who banishes darkness

You bring the children of men from a sorry state

to holiness, illumination and knowledge

the peoples would come to welcome You

they would pay homage to You as Saviour

there will be great joy among the seed of Adam

the Redeemer has come, has come

come, O sinner, do not fear

you'll get what you want of graces

though your faults be red like scarlet

your soul will be white like the snow of the high hills

hosanna to the Son of David

my King, my Lord and my Saviour

great is my joy to be lulling You

blessed among the women am I

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