Mús
Mús
Eilc (Elk)
Cearbh
Fia Mór (Big deer)
Lon (A deer over 3 years old)
The largest and heaviest of all deer, in Canada this species is called “moose” while the same animal in Europe and Asia is called an “elk.” In Canada, “elk” refers to an entirely different and much smaller deer species. Adult males, can grow up to 2.3 meters in height at the shoulder, and weigh up to 725 kilograms.
Canada is home to the largest moose population in the world with around 830,000 individuals. Moose are found everywhere in Canada except the Arctic and Vancouver Island, and the moose features on the Ontario Coat of Arms.
The word moose is an English loan, coming from a Northeastern Algonquian language. In Proto-Algonquian, *mo-swa meant “it strips,” referring to the way the animal eats by stripping bark off trees.
Béaloideas - Folklore
Micí mac Gabhann, working in the Canadian Klondike in 1890’s, wrote about his experience with the moose: “Is cuimneach liom an chéad ‘moose’ a chonaic mé. Beathach mór dubh a bhí ann agus ba bheag uilig an difear a bhí idir é agus an bhológ a tífeá in Éirinn.”
(I remember the first ‘moose’ I saw. A great dark beast it was and there was little difference between it and the bullock you would see in Ireland.)
“Tháinig an mús seo anuas go dtí an t-uisce agus d’ól bolgam. Bhí cuma uasal air agus é ina sheasamh ansin ar chiumhais an uisce leis na carraigeacha agus na crainn ina bhfiántas timpeall air. Ní raibh an dul as agam ach ligean do na brionglóidí faoi Éirinn sa seansaol a theacht ar ais chugam nuair a chonaic mé an mús nó an eilc seo. Smaointe faoi na Fianna agus faoi na seanríthe sa tseilg. Tá an ré sin thart, ach tá col ceathrar na heilce fós ina bheatha. Níor dheacair a shamhlú gur chuala mé Bran ag tafann taobh thall den chnoc agus toirneach chosa na gcapall ag réabadh na gcrann faoi mhire na seilge. Ach níor tháinig siad. Bhí mé i m’aonar.” (Ó Baoill, Brian. 1965. Idir Huron agus Hudson. Foilseacháin Náisiúnta Tta: Baile Átha Cliath.)
(“This moose came down to the water and he drank a mouthful. There was a noble appearance on him and him standing there on the edge of the water with the rocks and the trees in the wilderness around him. There was no getting out of it for me but to let the daydreams about Ireland in the olden times to come back to me when I saw this moose or elk. Thoughts about the Fenians and about the ancient kings on the hunt. That time is past now, but the cousin of the elk is still alive. It wasn’t difficult to imagine that I heard Bran [Fionn mac Cumhail’s hound] brawing on the other side of the hill and the thunder of the feet of horses rending the trees under the frenzy of the hunt. But they didn’t come. I was alone.”)
Seanfhocail - Proverbs
Chomh luath leis na loin - as swift as the elks (when a speaker's heart is beating swiftly or violently)
