大象传媒

Bha An t-Urramach Alexander Pope na聽mhinistear ann am Meaghrath anns an聽ochdamh linn deug. Tha Meaghrath ann聽an Gallaibh. Bha G脿idhlig aig Mgr聽Pope. 鈥橲 e coitheanal G脿idhlig a bha聽aige.聽鈥橲 e duine l脿idir a bha ann. Bha聽bata aige. Bha e a鈥� cleachdadh a鈥� bhata聽air muinntir a鈥� choitheanail. Bha sin聽airson am 鈥渂rosnachadh鈥� a dhol don聽eaglais.聽Seo st貌iridh mu dheidhinn. Chan聽urrainn dhomh a r脿dh co-dhi霉 tha e f矛or聽gus nach eil. Bha fear ann air an robh聽D貌mhnall mar ainm. Bha e a鈥� di霉ltadh a聽dhol don eaglais. Chaidh Mgr Pope a聽ch猫ilidh air D貌mhnall.聽R脿inig e taigh Dh貌mhnaill聽anmoch feasgar. Cha robh fios aig聽D貌mhnall c貌 bha ann. Fhuair e biadh is聽leabaidh ann an taigh Dh貌mhnaill, ged聽as e srainnsear a bha ann. B鈥� e sin an聽cleachdadh aig an 脿m sin.聽Chuir an dithis am feasgar聽seachad c貌mhla. Bha iad ann an deagh聽shunnd. Bha seanchas gu le貌r aca.聽Th脿inig an t-脿m airson a dhol a laighe.聽Thuirt Mgr Pope, 鈥淔eumaidh tu 霉rnaigh聽a ghabhail, a Dh貌mhnaill.鈥澛犫�淐ha d猫an mi sin,鈥� fhreagair聽D貌mhnall.聽鈥淔eumaidh tu,鈥� thuirt Mgr Pope.聽鈥淏heir mi ort a dh猫anamh, agus air do聽ghl霉inean.鈥澛犫�淗uh,鈥� arsa D貌mhnall. 鈥淐ha b鈥櫬爑rrainn do eadhon Mgr Pope, am聽ministear, toirt orm 霉rnaigh a ghabhail.鈥澛犫�淚s mise Mgr Pope,鈥� thuirt am聽ministear. 鈥溾�橲 e peacach a tha annad.聽Tha mi a鈥� toirt 貌rdugh dhut dhol air do聽ghl霉inean.聽Bha D貌mhnall feargach. Sheas e聽an aghaidh a鈥� mhinisteir. Rinn an dithis聽sabaid. 鈥橲 e Mgr Pope a thug buaidh.聽Gh猫ill D貌mhnall dha. Ghabh e 霉rnaigh.聽Th脿inig atharrachadh air D貌mhnall聽air an oidhche sin. Th貌isich e air a聽dhol don eaglais. An ceann greis bha e聽na 猫ildear. Bha sp猫is mh貌r aige don聽mhinistear. Agus bha sp猫is mh貌r aig a鈥櫬爉hinistear dhasan.

Rev Alexander Pope was a聽minister in Reay (parish) in the聽eighteenth century. Reay is in聽Caithness. Mr Pope spoke Gaelic.聽It was a Gaelic congregation he聽had.聽He was a strong man. He had聽a stick. He was using the stick on聽the people of the congregation.聽That was to 鈥渆ncourage鈥� them to聽go to church.聽Here is a story about him. I聽can鈥檛 say if it鈥檚 true or not. There聽was a man called Donald. He was聽refusing to go to church. Mr Pope聽went to visit Donald.聽He reached Donald鈥檚 house聽late in the afternoon. Donald聽didn鈥檛 know who he was. He got聽food and a bed in Donald鈥檚 house,聽although he was a stranger. That聽was the custom at the time.聽The two men spent the聽evening together. They were in fine聽fettle. They had plenty of chat. The聽time came to go to bed. Mr Pope聽said, 鈥淵ou must say a prayer,聽Donald.鈥澛犫�淚 won鈥檛 do that,鈥� replied聽Donald.聽鈥淵ou must,鈥� said Mr Pope.聽鈥淚鈥檒l force you to, and on your聽knees.鈥澛犫�淗uh,鈥� said Donald. 鈥淣ot聽even Mr Pope, the minister, could聽make me say a prayer.鈥澛犫�淚鈥檓 Mr Pope,鈥� said the聽minister, 鈥淵ou鈥檙e a sinner. I鈥檓聽ordering you to go on your knees.聽Donald was angry. He stood聽up to the minister. The two men聽fought. It鈥檚 Mr Pope that won.聽Donald yielded to him. He said a聽prayer.聽A change came over Donald聽that night. He started to go to聽church. After a while he became聽an elder. He had great respect for聽the minister. And the minister had聽great respect for him.