They came in a blizzard, we offered them heat
A roof for their heads, dry shoes for their feet
We wined them and dined them, they ate of our meat
And they slept in the house of MacDonald.
O, cruel was the snow that sweeps Glencoe
And covers the grave o' Donald
O, cruel was the foe that raped Glencoe
And murdered the house of MacDonald
They came from Fort William with murder in mind
The Campbell had orders King William had signed
"Put all to the sword" these words underlined
"And leave none alive called MacDonald"
O, cruel was the snow that sweeps Glencoe
And covers the grave o' Donald
O, cruel was the foe that raped Glencoe
And murdered the house of MacDonald
They came in the night when the men were asleep
This band of Argyles, through snow soft and deep
Like murdering foxes amongst helpless sheep
They slaughtered the house of MacDonald
O, cruel was the snow that sweeps Glencoe
And covers the grave o' Donald
O, cruel was the foe that raped Glencoe
And murdered the house of MacDonald
Some died in their beds at the hand of the foe
Some fled in the night and were lost in the snow
Some lived to accuse him who struck the first blow
But gone was the house of MacDonald
O, cruel was the snow that sweeps Glencoe
And covers the grave o' Donald
O, cruel was the foe that raped Glencoe
And murdered the house of MacDonald
A roof for their heads, dry shoes for their feet
We wined them and dined them, they ate of our meat
And they slept in the house of MacDonald.
O, cruel was the snow that sweeps Glencoe
And covers the grave o' Donald
O, cruel was the foe that raped Glencoe
And murdered the house of MacDonald
They came from Fort William with murder in mind
The Campbell had orders King William had signed
"Put all to the sword" these words underlined
"And leave none alive called MacDonald"
O, cruel was the snow that sweeps Glencoe
And covers the grave o' Donald
O, cruel was the foe that raped Glencoe
And murdered the house of MacDonald
They came in the night when the men were asleep
This band of Argyles, through snow soft and deep
Like murdering foxes amongst helpless sheep
They slaughtered the house of MacDonald
O, cruel was the snow that sweeps Glencoe
And covers the grave o' Donald
O, cruel was the foe that raped Glencoe
And murdered the house of MacDonald
Some died in their beds at the hand of the foe
Some fled in the night and were lost in the snow
Some lived to accuse him who struck the first blow
But gone was the house of MacDonald
O, cruel was the snow that sweeps Glencoe
And covers the grave o' Donald
O, cruel was the foe that raped Glencoe
And murdered the house of MacDonald
Contributed by Alessandro - 2009/10/5 - 21:35
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Album "Songs from Gretna to Glencoe"
Una canzone scritta da Jim McLean
Assai incasinata è la storia della Scozia ai tempi del giacobitismo... La faccio breve (se ci riesco)...
Nel 1688 il re cattolico Giacomo (di Inghilterra, di Irlanda e di Scozia) fu deposto e sostituito da Guglielmo d'Orange, di fede protestante. Questi chiese subito che tutti i propri sudditi, specie gli irriducibili clan scozzesi delle Highlands che avevano sostenuto il rivale Giacomo, gli presentassero il proprio giuramento di fedeltà entro il 1 gennaio 1692... Alcuni lo fecero, altri tergiversarono, tra questi il clan MacDonald di Glencoe che, provocatoriamente, decise di giurare fedeltà al nuovo monarca solo all'ultimo momento, a termine scaduto.
Guglielmo solo apparentemente accettò il per nulla entusiasta atto di sottomissione dei MacDonald di Glencoe e architettò la rappresaglia...
120 uomini armati al comando del capitano Robert Campbell furono inviati, con la scusa di un giro per l'esazione fiscale, nella tenuta dei MacDonald dove chiesero e ottennero la tradizionale ospitalità delle Highlands... Campbell era, oltre tutto, un parente dei MacDonald, che niente sospettarono... Dopo due settimane di amichevole convivenza sotto lo stesso tetto, Campbell e i suoi aggredirono notte tempo i membri del clan che li ospitava e ne trucidarono una quarantina; altrettanti morirono assiderati dopo che la tenuta fu data alle fiamme...
Così si consumò la vendetta del perfido re Guglielmo.
(fonte: en.wikipedia)