“On Christmas Day the young men go out to fish. All the fish they catch are sacred to the widows and the orphans and to the poor, and are distributed among them according to their necessities.
There is a tradition among the people of the Western Isles that Christ required Peter to row 707 strokes straight out from the shore when He commanded him to go and procure the fish containing the tribute-money (cf. Matthew 17:24-27).
Following this tradition, the old men of Uist require the young men to row 707 strokes from the land before casting their lines on Christmas Day. And whatever fish they get are cordially given to the needy as a tribute in the name of Christ, King of the sea, and of Peter, king of fishermen.”
FISHING BLESSING (BEANNACHD IASGAICH)
The day of light has come upon us,
Christ is born of the Virgin.
In His name I sprinkle the water
Upon every thing within my court.
Thou King of deeds and powers above,
Thy fishing blessing pour down on us.
I will sit me down with an oar in my grasp,
I will row me seven hundred and seven [strokes].
I will cast down my hook, The first fish which I bring up
In the name of Christ, King of the elements,
The poor shall have it at his wish.
And the king of fishers, the brave Peter,
He will after it give me his blessing.
Ariel, Gabriel, and John,
Raphael benign, and Paul,
Columba, tender in every distress,
And Mary fair, the endowed of grace.
Encompass ye us to the fishing-bank of ocean,
And still ye to us the crest of the waves.
Be the King of kings at the end of our course,
Of lengthened life and of lasting happiness.
Be the crown of the King from the Three on high,
Be the cross of Christ adown to shield us,
The crown of the King from the Three above,
The cross of Christ adown to shield us.
Alexander Carmichael in The Carmina Gadelica (1900) 318-321.