An Luchag 鈥檚 an Cat
Gun Urra
Thuirt an luchag anns an toll:
“Ciod e d' fhonn a chait chruinn ghlais?”
“Càirdeas, comann agus gaol:
Faodaidh tusa tighinn a-mach.”
“B’ eòlach mi mun dubhan chrom
A b’ àbhaist a bhith ’m bonn do chois;
Mharbh thu mo phiuthar an-dè
’S thàrr mi fhèin air èiginn às.”
“O cha mhise bha sin idir,
Ach cat glas nighean Dhòmhnaill Ruaidh,
Giomanach a’ bhaile ud shuas,
'S àbhaist dha bhith ruagadh chearc.
Bheireadh e ’n fheòil às a’ chliabh
Bheireadh e ’n t-iasg bhàrr na slait’,
Bheireadh e ’n t-sùil às an eun,
’S bheireadh e ’m bian bhàrr na neas.”
“Chuir thu ar teaghlach às a chèil’
’S tha mi fhèin nan dèidh gun taic.
Gus am faic mi ’n rathad rèidh
Chaoidh chan èignich thu mi mach.”
The Wee Mouse and the Cat
Author not known
Translation by Peter MacKay
The wee mouse said from the hole:
“What’s your mood, round grey cat?”
“Friendship, company and love –
You can definitely come out.”
“I know about the crooked claw
That lurks at the end of your paw;
You killed my sister yesterday,
And I only just got away”.
“O that wasn’t me at all, but
Red Donald’s daughter’s grey cat.
The master of the upper village,
It’s usually hens he is after.
He’d take the meat from the creel
He’d take the fish off the rod,
He’d take an eye from a bird,
He’d take the fur off a stoat.
“You ripped our family apart,
and left me now without support;
until I see the path is clear
you won’t force me out of here.”
