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Bha Blàr Khringen ann an sia ceud deug ’s a dhà-dheug (1612). Bha e ann an Nirribhidh. Chaidh sgrios a dhèanamh air feachd à Alba. Tha am blàr ainmeil ann an Nirribhidh. Ann am baile Otta, tha ìomhaighean ann co-cheangailte ris a’ bhatail. Ach carson a bha feachd Albannach ann an Nirribhidh? Aig toiseach an t-seachdamh linn deug bha an Danmhairg agus Nirribhidh còmhla mar aon rìoghachd. Bha smachd aig an Danmhairg air a’ chaolas eadar an t-Suain agus an Danmhairg. Bha na Dànaich a’ cur cìs air bàtaichean. Cha robh na Suainich toilichte. Lorg na Suainich slighe eile seachad air an Danmhairg. Bha sin tro cheann a tuath Nirribhidh. Cha robh na Dànaich no Nirribhich toilichte. Chuir na Dànaich saighdearan don t-Suain. Dh’fhastaich an t-Suain saighdearan à dùthchannan eile. Am measg sin  bha Albannaich. Chaidh iad air tìr ann an Nirribhidh. Bha iad a’ dol a choiseachd thar nam beann gu ruig’ an t-Suain. Ach bha na Nirribhich air taobh nan Dànach. Bha a’ chuid a bu mhotha de na h-Albannaich à Gallaibh. Bha iad fo smachd a’ Mhorair Seòras Mac na Ceàrdaich. Bha buidheann eile ann à ceann a deas na h-Alba. Dh’fhalbh na h-Albannaich ann an dà shoitheach. Bha tè à Inbhir Ùige agus tè à Dùn Dèagh. Ràinig iad cladach Lochlainn anns an Lùnastal sia ceud deug ’s a dhà-dheug (1612).Ach cha robh na Nirribhich a’ dol gan leigeil troimhe gun spàirn. Chaidh na h-Albannaich air tìr. Lean iad gleann fada. Ach bha feachd Nirribheach a’ feitheamh riutha ann an àite air a bheil Kringen, faisg air Otta. A rèir beul-aithris anns an sgìre sin, bha fios aig Seòras Mac na Ceàrdaich gun robh droch latha gu bhith ann. Gach madainn bhiodh e a’ cur pùdar-gunna air an teine anns a’ phàillean aige. Mar bu trice, bhiodh an toit ag èirigh gu dìreach. Ach air a’ mhadainn sin, chaidh an toit dha ionnsaigh. ’S e manadh a bha ann. Bha droch latha gu bhith ann do na h-Albannaich, mar a chì sinn an ath-sheachdain.

The Battle of Kringen was in 1612. It was in Norway. A military force from Scotland was destroyed. The battle is famous in Norway. In the town of Otta, there are images [eg statues] connected to the battle. But why was a Scottish force in Norway? At the start of the 17th Century, Denmark and Norway were combined as one kingdom. Denmark controlled the narrows between Sweden and Denmark. The Danes were putting a tax on boats. The Swedes were not happy. The Swedes found another route past Denmark. That was through northern Norway. Neither the Danes nor the Norwegians were pleased. The Danish soldiers went to Sweden. Sweden hired soldiers from other countries. Among them were Scots. They landed in Norway. They were going to walk across the mountains to Sweden. But the Norwegians were on the Danes’ side. Most of the Scots were from Caithness. They were under the command of Lord George Sinclair. There was another group from southern Scotland. The Scots left in two vessels. One was from Wick and another from Dundee. They reached the coast of Scandinavia in August 1612. But the Norwegians weren’t going to let them through without a struggle. The Scots went on land. They followed a long glen. But there was a Norwegian force waiting for them in a placed called Kringen, near Otta. According to oral tradition in that area, George Sinclair knew that it would be a bad day. Every morning he would put gunpowder on the fire in his tent. Usually, the smoke would rise vertically. But on that morning, the smoke went towards him. It was an omen. The Scots were going to have a bad day, as we’ll see next week.