大象传媒

Tha seo ann am faclair Dwelly 鈥� 霉谤耻颈蝉驳: 鈥榖eing supposed to haunt lonely and sequestered places, water-god鈥�. Bha daoine a鈥� creidsinn ann an 霉谤耻颈蝉驳ean ann am m貌ran 脿iteachan. Bha iad l脿idir ann an Siorrachd Pheairt. Tha rann ag ainmeachadh an fheadhainn a b鈥� ainmeile ann am Braghad Albann:

Peallaidh an Sp霉it is Br霉naidh an Easain

Babaidh an Lochain is Br霉naidh an Eilein

Padarlan 脿 Fe脿rnan, Peadragan, Patragan

Triubhas-dubh 脿 Fairtirchill, Fuath Coire Ghamhnain

Cas-luath Leitir, Amhlagan Dubh

Catan Ceann-liath, is 脵ruisg Dubh Eas Amhlagan

听

B鈥� e Peallaidh an Sp霉it am fear a bha a鈥� fuireach ann am Bun Eas faisg air baile Obar Pheallaidh. Thug e ainm do dh鈥橭bar Pheallaidh. Bha Br霉naidh an Easain a鈥� fuireach anns an aon allt, d矛reach os cionn Pheallaidh. Bha iad a鈥� tighinn a-mach air an oidhche. Bha iad a鈥� cur dragh air muinntir a鈥� bhaile.

Cha robh na h-霉谤耻颈蝉驳ean olc ach bha iad draghail. Tha st貌iridh agam bhon Bhl脿r Mh貌r air taobh a tuath Loch Tatha. Tha allt ann, le linne air a bheil Linne na Slige. O chionn fhada bha 霉谤耻颈蝉驳 a鈥� fuireach ann. 鈥橲 e Sligeachan an t-ainm a bha air.

Bha mac aig Sligeachan. Bha esan gu tric a鈥� cur dragh air an t-seann bhean air a鈥� Bhl脿r Mh貌r. Bha e a鈥� faighneachd gu d猫 an t-ainm a bha oirre. Ach bha i se貌lta. Cha tuirt i ach, 鈥淚s mise mi fh矛n.鈥�

Latha a bha seo bha e uabhasach draghail. 鈥淒猫 an t-ainm a tha ort?鈥� dh鈥檉haighnich e a-rithist. 鈥淢i fh矛n, mi fh矛n,鈥� fhreagair am boireannach. Dh鈥檉h脿s i sg矛th dhen 霉谤耻颈蝉驳 貌g. Thilg i pana uisge teth air a chasan r霉isgte.

Leig an t-霉谤耻颈蝉驳 貌g sgreuch. Chuala Sligeachan e. Chaidh e ann. 鈥淒猫 thachair?鈥� dh鈥檉haighnich e. 鈥淐haidh mo chasan a sgaldadh le uisge teth,鈥� thuirt an t-霉谤耻颈蝉驳 貌g. 鈥淎gus c貌 rinn e?鈥� dh鈥檉haighnich Sligeachan. 鈥淢i fh矛n, mi fh矛n!鈥� thuirt am fear 貌g. 鈥淚s math sin,鈥� arsa Sligeachan, 鈥渘am biodh duine eile air a dh猫anamh, bhithinn ga pheanasachadh.鈥�

This is in Dwelly鈥檚 dictionary 鈥� 霉谤耻颈蝉驳: 鈥榖eing supposed to haunt lonely and sequestered places, water-god鈥�. People were believing in urisks in many places. They were strong in Perthshire. A verse names the best-known ones in Bread-albane:

Peallaidh of the Spout and Brownie听听 of the Little Waterfall

Babaidh of the Lochan and Brownie of the Island

Padarlan of Fearnan, Peadragan, Patragan

Black-trews from Fortingall, the Spectre of Coire Ghamhnain

Swift-foot of Leitir, Black Amhlagan

Grey-headed Little Cat and the Black Urisk of Amhlagan Falls.

听听听听听听听 Peallaidh of the Spout was the one that was living at Moness near the town of Aberfeldy. He gave his name to Aberfeldy. Brownie of the Little Waterfall was living in the same stream, just above Peallaidh. They were coming out in the night. They were annoying the townsfolk.

听听听听听听听 The urisks weren鈥檛 evil but they were annoying. I have a story from Blairmore on the north side of Loch Tay. There is a burn there, with a pool called 鈥榯he pool of the shell鈥�. A long time ago, an urisk was living there. He was called Sligeachan.

听听听听听听听 Sligeachan had a son. He was often annoying the old wife at Blairmore. He was asking her what her name was. But she was cunning. She only said, 鈥淚 am myself.鈥�

听听听听听听听 One day, he was really annoying. 鈥淲hat is your name?鈥� he asked again. 鈥淢yself, myself,鈥� the woman replied. She got fed up of the young urisk. She threw a pan of hot water on his bare legs.

听听听听听听听 The young urisk let out a yell. Sligeachan heard him. He went there. 鈥淲hat happened?鈥� he asked. 鈥淢y legs were scalded with hot water,鈥� said the young urisk. 鈥淎nd who did it?鈥� Sligeachan asked. 鈥淢yself, myself!鈥� said the young one. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 good,鈥� said Sligeachan, 鈥渋f someone else had done it, I would punish him.鈥�