大象传媒

Seo seann sgeulachd Gh脿idhlig air a bheil Balgam M貌r. Bha nighean aig R矛gh. Bha i anabarrach br猫agha. Bha m貌ran fhear ag iarraidh a p貌sadh. Ach bha i d矛reach a鈥� dol a ph貌sadh fear a dh猫anadh long a bhiodh a鈥� se貌ladh air muir agus t矛r.

Bha banntrach bhochd an sin. Bha tri霉ir mhac aice. Thuirt am fear a bu shine rithe, 鈥溍坕rich is deasaich dhomh bonnach, a mh脿thair. Falbhaidh mi agus feuchaidh mi ri long a dh猫anamh a bhios a鈥� se貌ladh air muir agus t矛r.鈥�

Dh鈥櫭╥rich a mh脿thair. Rinn i d脿 bhonnach, fear beag is fear m貌r. Thuirt i ri a mac, 鈥淐貌 as fhe脿rr leat 鈥� am bonnach m貌r le mo mhallachd no am bonnach beag le mo bheannachd?鈥�

鈥淏eannachd no mallachd 鈥� thoir dhomh am bonnach m貌r,鈥� fhreagair e. Dh鈥檉halbh e leis an fhear mh貌r.

Th貌isich e air an long a thogail. Th脿inig seann duine liath. 鈥淭ha thu trang, 鈥檌lle,鈥� thuirt e.

鈥淭ha mi sin,鈥� thuirt esan.

鈥淢a bheir thu dh貌mh p脿irt dhen bhonnach, bheir mi taic dhut,鈥� thuirt am fear liath.

Ach dhi霉lt an gille. 鈥淐ha bhi gu le貌r ann dhomh fh矛n,鈥� thuirt e.

Ach cha do thog e an long. Cha do mhair am bonnach fada gu le貌r. Cha robh biadh gu le貌r aige. Chaidh e dhachaigh.

Thachair an dearbh rud don d脿rna mac aig a鈥� bhanntraich. Ach, latha de na l脿ithean, iarr am mac a b鈥� 貌ige air a mh脿thair bonnach a dheasachadh dh脿. Rinn a mh脿thair d脿 bhonnach. 鈥淐貌 as fhe脿rr leat,鈥� ars ise, 鈥渁m fear m貌r le mo mhallachd no am fear beag le mo bheannachd?鈥�

鈥淭hoiribh dhomh ur beannachd, a mh脿thair,鈥� ars esan. 鈥淎gus beag no m貌r am bonnach, bidh mise toilichte.鈥� Fhuair e bonnach beag agus beannachd leis. Dh鈥檉halbh e. R脿inig e an t-脿ite far an robh e a鈥� dol a thogail long.

Th貌isich e air an obair. Th脿inig an seann duine liath. 鈥淭ha thu trang, 鈥檌lle,鈥� thuirt e.

鈥淭ha mi sin,鈥� ars esan.

鈥淢a bheir thu dh貌mh p脿irt dhen bhonnach, bheir mi taic dhut,鈥� thuirt am fear liath.

Thug an gille p脿irt dhen bhonnach dha.

Here鈥檚 an old Gaelic story called Great Gulp. A king had a daughter. She was exceptionally beautiful. Many men wanted to marry her. But she was only going to marry a man who would build a ship that would sail on sea and on land.

聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 There was a poor widow there. She had three sons. The eldest one said to her, 鈥淕et up and make me a bannock, mother. I鈥檒l leave and I鈥檒l try to build a ship that will sail on sea and on land.鈥�

聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 His mother arose. She made two bannocks, a little one and a big one. She said to her son, 鈥淲hich do you prefer 鈥� the big bannock with my curse or the little bannock with my blessing?鈥�

聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淏lessing or curse 鈥� give me the big bannock,鈥� he replied. He left with the big one.

聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 He started to build the ship. An old grey-haired man came. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e busy, lad,鈥� he said.

聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 am that,鈥� he said.

聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚f you give me part of the bannock, I鈥檒l help you,鈥� the grey-haired man said.

聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 But the lad refused. 鈥淭here won鈥檛 be enough for me,鈥� he said.

聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 But he didn鈥檛 build the ship. The bannock didn鈥檛 last long enough. He didn鈥檛 have enough food. He went home.

聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The same thing happened to the widow鈥檚 second son. But, one day, the youngest son asked his mother to prepare him a bannock. His mother made two bannocks. 鈥淲hich do you prefer,鈥� she said, 鈥渢he big bannock with my curse or the little bannock with my blessing?鈥�

聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淕ive me your blessing, mother,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd whether the bannock be small or great, I鈥檒l be happy.鈥� He got a small bannock and a blessing with it. He left. He reached the place where he was going to build a ship.

聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 He started the work. The old grey-haired man came. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e busy, lad,鈥� he said.

聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 am that,鈥� he said.

聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚f you give me part of the bannock, I鈥檒l help you,鈥� the grey-haired man said.

聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The lad gave him part of the bannock.