大象传媒

Bha mi ag innse dhuibh an st貌iridh Sliochd an Eich Bhric Nach Robh Riamh Glic 脿 sg矛re Loch Laomainn. Tha an st貌iridh ag innse mar a th脿inig an t-ainm Mac an Oighre, no MacNair, gu bith. Tha Mac an Oighre a鈥� ciallachadh 鈥渢he son of the heir鈥�.

听听听听听听听听听听听 Bha Clann Ph脿rlain an Arair air m貌ran dhen fhearann aca a chall. Bha a鈥� chiad mhac 鈥� an t-oighre 鈥� aig MacPh脿rlain am beachd a dhol a Dh霉n 脠ideann, feuch an c貌rr dhen fhearann aige fhaighinn air ais bhon R矛gh. Ach bha each robach aige. Cha bhiodh sin freagarrach airson a dhol a Dh霉n 脠ideann. Bha e, mar sin, ag iarraidh each b貌idheach breac fhaighinn bho a leth-bhr脿thair air iasad.

鈥淐han fhaigh thu an t-each air iasad oir tha an t-eagal oirnn nach fhaigh sinn air ais e a-chaoidh tuilleadh,鈥� thuirt m脿thair a leth-bhr脿thar, an d脿rna bean aig athair. 虛 S e ban-Shasannach a bh鈥� innte.

Ach thuirt an gille gun toireadh e an t-each air ais sl脿n fallain. Thuirt e sin rithe uair is uair. 鈥淢a tha thu cho cinnteach sin,鈥� thuirt a mhuime, 鈥渁n toir thu dhomh c貌ir don fhearann agad mar bharantas? Mura toir thu an t-each dhachaigh sl脿n fallain, gheibh do bhr脿thair am fearann mar 猫irig.鈥�

Bha an gille rudeigin faoin agus ghabh e ris a鈥� bhargan. Chaidh fianaisean fhaotainn. Rinneadh c霉mhnantan. Mura toireadh an t-oighre an t-each breac dhachaigh sl脿n fallain, gheibheadh a leth-bhr脿thair c貌ir air an fhearann aige.

Ach bha a mhuime ri foill. Bhruidhinn i ris an t-searbhant a bha a鈥� dol cuide ris an oighre a Dh霉n 脠ideann. Thug i puinnsean dha airson a thoirt don each bhreac. Agus thug i duais dha airson an t-each a phuinnseanachadh.

Dh鈥檉halbh an t-oighre gu ruige D霉n 脠ideann a鈥� marcachd an eich bhric. Bha an searbhant a鈥� marcachd air each eile. Dh鈥檉halbh an dithis rathad Taigh an Droma, agus iad ag amas air a dhol tro Shruighlea. Stad iad airson na h-oidhche aig taigh-貌sta. Chuir an searbhant na h-eich don st脿ball. Chuir e am puinnsean ann am biadh an eich bhric. An ath latha, lorg iad an t-each breac marbh anns an st脿ball.

Cha robh air ach an d矛ollaid a b鈥� fhe脿rr a chur air each an t-searbhaint. Thill oighre Chloinn Ph脿rlain dhachaigh air muin an eich; ghi霉lain an searbhant na m脿ileidean, agus e air chois. Nuair a thill an t-oighre, agus an t-each breac marbh, dh鈥檃gair a mhuime am fearann aige do a mac fh猫in mar 猫irig. Chaill an t-oighre am fearann aige mar sin do a leth-bhr脿thair.

脌s d猫idh na thachair, cha robh m貌ran sp猫is aig muinntir na fine don t-seann oighre. Leis gun robh e cho faoin 虛s gun tug e seachad a ch貌ir air an fhearann d矛reach airson each breac, 虛s e 鈥淎n t-Each Breac鈥� a chanadh daoine ris.

Ph貌s e agus bha clann aige. 虛 S ann bho a mhac-san a sh矛olaich an dream Mac an Oighre 鈥� no MacNair mar a th鈥� orra ann am Beurla. Ged a fhuair mac na ban-Shasannaich fearann an Arair, cha do dh鈥檃idich Clann Ph脿rlain riamh mar cheann-cinnidh e. Theireadh iad ri a shliochd 鈥淐lann Ph脿rlain an Fhearainn鈥�. Agus sliochd a鈥� chiad oighre? Uill, riuthasan, theireadh iad 鈥淪liochd an Eich Bhric Nach Robh Riamh Glic鈥�.

Sliochd an Eich Bhric Nach Robh Riamh Glic: The Descendants of the Speckled Horse who was Never Wise [for a full account of the story see Michael Newton鈥檚 excellent book 鈥淏ho Chluaidh gu Calasraid鈥漖; feuch an c貌rr dhen fhearann aige fhaighinn air ais: to try to get the rest of his land back; each b貌idheach breac fhaighinn bho a leth-bhr脿thair air iasad: to get the loan of a beautiful speckled horse from his half-brother; nach fhaigh sinn air ais e a-chaoidh tuilleadh: that we鈥檒l never get him back again; gun toireadh e an t-each air ais sl脿n fallain: that he would bring back the horse in a fit and healthy state; uair is uair: again and again; c貌ir don fhearann agad mar bharantas: the right[s] to your land as a surety; chaidh fianaisean fhaotainn: witnesses were obtained; rinneadh c霉mhnantan: contracts were made; bha a mhuime ri foill: his stepmother was involved in deceit; thug i duais dha airson an t-each a phuinnseanachadh: she gave him a reward for poisoning the horse; dh鈥檉halbh iad rathad Taigh an Droma, agus iad ag amas air a dhol tro Shruighlea: they left on the Tyndrum road, with the aim of going through Stirling; cha robh m貌ran sp猫is aig muinntir na fine don t-seann oighre: the clanspeople did not have much respect for the old heir; 虛 s ann bho a mhac-san a sh矛olaich an dream Mac an Oighre: it鈥檚 from his son that those of the name MacNair were descended.

a鈥� marcachd an eich bhric. Bha an searbhant a鈥� marcachd air each eile: riding the speckled horse. The servant was riding the other horse. Notice that with the verb marcachd, we can have a direct object which will be in the genitive case following the verbal noun form (a鈥� marcachd an eich bhric), at least where the article is present. But it can also be used with the preposition air, placing the noun commanded by it in the dative case eg a鈥� marcachd air each eile. For the first part, I might have said a鈥� marcachd air an each bhreac.

gheibh do bhr脿thair am fearann mar 猫irig: your brother will get the land as reparation. Dh鈥檃gair a mhuime am fearann aige do a mac fh猫in mar 猫irig: the stepmother claimed his land for her own son as reparation. Cha robh air ach an d矛ollaid a b鈥� fhe脿rr a chur air each an t-searbhaint: there was nothing for it but to put the best saddle on the servant鈥檚 horse.

听

Tha 鈥淟itir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh鈥� air a maoineachadh le MG ALBA