THE LHONDOO AND THE USHAG-REAISHT
by Sophia Morrison
The Blackbird and the Plover
There was a Blackbird. He lived in the high mountains. He always stayed there. There was a Plover. She lived in the green lowlands. She always stayed there. Each bird liked its own home.
One day, they met. They met at the border. This was between the mountains and the lowlands. They saw each other there. They talked for a while.
The birds made a plan. They would change homes. The Blackbird would go to the lowlands. The Plover would go to the mountains. The Blackbird made a promise. He said, "I will return." She believed him. She went to the mountains.
The Blackbird liked his new home. The lowlands were warm and sunny. There was much good food to eat. He felt very happy there. He liked it more than the cold mountains.
The Blackbird did not want to go back. He liked the lowlands too much. He did not keep his promise. He did not think of the Plover. He stayed in the warm lowlands.
The Plover was in the mountains. It was very cold there. She felt very sad. She waited for the Blackbird. He did not come. She called out sadly. She asked, "Are you coming back?" She asked.
The Blackbird heard her. He was far away in the lowlands. He called back to her. He yelled, "I will not return!" He said, "I will never come back."
The Plover was still cold. She was still very sad. She called out again. She said, "It is cold." She said it again.
The Blackbird flew away. He went to his warm lowland home. He left the Plover alone. She was cold in the mountains. She stayed there all alone. She was very sad.
The Blackbird stayed in the warm lowlands. The Plover stayed in cold mountains, alone. Keep your promises. No one feels sad then.
Original Story
THE LHONDOO AND THE USHAG-REAISHT
One time Lhondoo, the Blackbird, was living in the mountains and Ushag-reaisht, the Bird of the Waste, as Manx ones call the Golden Plover, was living in the lowlands, and neither of them was able to leave his own haunts. One day, however, the two birds met on the borders between mountain and plain, and they made it up between them that they would change places for a while. The Bird of the Waste should stay in the mountains till the Lhondoo should return.
The Lhondoo found himself better off in his new home than in the old one, and he did not go back. So the poor Bird of the Waste was left in the mountains and any day you may hear him cry in a mournful voice:
‘Lhondoo, vel oo cheet, vel oo cheet?
S’foddey my reayllagh oo!’
Black Thrush, are you coming, are you coming?
The time is long and you are not here!
But the Lhondoo answers:
‘Cha jig dy braa, cha jig dy braa!’
Will never come, will never come!
Then the poor Ushag-reaisht wails:
‘T’eh feer feayr, t’eh feer feayr!’
It’s very cold, it’s very cold.
Then the Blackbird goes his ways.
Moral of the Story
Do not trust those who make promises lightly, as their self-interest may lead to your suffering.
Characters
Lhondoo ★ protagonist
A sleek, medium-sized songbird, approximately 9-10 inches long, with a slender build. Its feathers are uniformly glossy black, reflecting a deep blue or purple sheen in direct sunlight. It has a relatively long tail and a smooth, streamlined body.
Attire: Natural black plumage with a glossy sheen.
Wants: To find the most comfortable and advantageous living situation for himself, prioritizing his own well-being over promises.
Flaw: Lack of loyalty and empathy; he easily abandons commitments for personal gain.
He transitions from a mountain dweller to a lowland resident, abandoning his old life and a promise made to another.
Self-serving, opportunistic, adaptable, somewhat deceitful, and content.
Ushag-reaisht ◆ supporting
A medium-sized wading bird, approximately 10-11 inches long, with a plump body and relatively long legs. Its summer plumage is a striking mix of golden-yellow and black mottling on its back, wings, and head, with a distinct black belly and chest. Its winter plumage would be duller, but the story implies a more vibrant, perhaps summer, encounter.
Attire: Natural plumage of golden-yellow and black mottling on its upper parts, with a solid black belly and chest, and a white stripe along its face and neck.
Wants: To return to its original lowland home and escape the cold mountains, and for Lhondoo to honor their agreement.
Flaw: Naivety and trust in Lhondoo's promise, which led to its predicament. Its inability to adapt to the cold mountain environment.
It begins as an equal in an agreement but becomes a victim of Lhondoo's betrayal, left to suffer in an unsuitable habitat.
Trusting, mournful, persistent in its lament, vulnerable, and suffering.
Locations
The Mountains
A cold, desolate mountainous region, likely with rocky outcrops and sparse vegetation, where the Ushag-reaisht is left to suffer.
Mood: Desolate, mournful, cold, lonely.
The Ushag-reaisht is abandoned here by the Lhondoo, crying out its mournful song.
The Lowlands
A more hospitable, possibly fertile lowland area, contrasting with the harsh mountains, where the Lhondoo finds a better life.
Mood: Comfortable, abundant, peaceful.
The Lhondoo settles here, finding it preferable to its old mountain home.
Border between Mountain and Plain
The meeting point where the rugged mountain terrain begins to transition into the softer, more fertile lowlands.
Mood: Neutral, a place of decision and exchange.
The two birds meet here and agree to exchange places.
Story DNA
Moral
Do not trust those who make promises lightly, as their self-interest may lead to your suffering.
Plot Summary
Lhondoo the Blackbird and Ushag-reaisht the Golden Plover, confined to their respective mountain and lowland homes, agree to swap places temporarily. Lhondoo, finding the lowlands more pleasant, decides to break his promise and not return. Ushag-reaisht is left stranded and suffering in the cold mountains, crying out for Lhondoo to return, but Lhondoo cruelly refuses, leaving the Plover to its mournful fate.
Themes
Emotional Arc
hope to despair
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
This tale reflects Manx folklore and the natural environment of the Isle of Man, where these birds would be common.
Plot Beats (9)
- Lhondoo, the Blackbird, lives in the mountains, and Ushag-reaisht, the Golden Plover, lives in the lowlands, unable to leave their respective homes.
- The two birds meet at the border between mountain and plain.
- They agree to exchange places for a while, with Ushag-reaisht staying in the mountains until Lhondoo returns.
- Lhondoo finds his new lowland home much better than his old mountain one.
- Lhondoo decides not to return, abandoning his promise to Ushag-reaisht.
- Ushag-reaisht is left in the cold mountains, crying out mournfully in Manx, asking if Lhondoo is coming back.
- Lhondoo replies in Manx that he will never come back.
- Ushag-reaisht wails about how cold it is.
- Lhondoo then departs, leaving Ushag-reaisht to suffer alone.
