SOME of the people say that the four-leaved shamrock is the shamrock of luck. Others maintain that the shamrock of luck is the five-leaved shamrock. This is a very rare plant and much prized when found.
The shamrock of luck must be found, like many of the other propitious plants, 'gun sireadh, gun iarraidh'--without searching, without seeking. When thus discovered the lucky shamrock is warmly cherished and preserved as an invincible talisman.
'Seamarag nan buadh,' shamrock of luck, is often lovingly called 'seamarag nam buadh agus nam beannachd,' shamrock of luck and of blessing. p. 107
It is also called 'seamarag nan each,' horse shamrock, 'seamarag nan searrach,' foal shamrock, 'seamarag an deocain,' shamrock of the 'deocan,' 'seamarag an deocadain,' shamrock of the 'deocadan,' and simply 'deocan' and 'deocadan.'
Immediately after birth the foal throws up a pale soft substance resembling a sponge or the seed-cells of the cod. This sponge-like substance coughed up by the newly-born foal is variously called 'deocan, deocadan, deocardan.' The people bury this in the ground, believing that the lucky shamrock grows from it as the nettles grow from human remains, whether buried in the pure shelly sand on the sea-shore or in the pure peat moss on the mountain-side.
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A SHEAMARAG nam buadh, Tha na seachd sonais, Sonas slainte, Ceithir dhuilleagan na luirge dirich, [coig |
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THOU shamrock of good omens, The seven joys are, Joy of health, The four leaves of the straight stem, [five |
