大象传媒

Tha mi a鈥� dol a dh鈥檌nnse dhuibh ainmean a th鈥� againn airson creutair air am bi sibh uile e貌lach, ged nach eil e cumanta. Fiolan-fada, Gille-nan-corc, Ana-bhiorach, Mial-ch貌sach agus Iol-chasach. A bheil sibh e貌lach air? Uill, seo ainmean eile airson an dearbh rud 鈥� Fiolan nan ceud cas agus Gobhlachan m貌r nan ceud cas. Tuigidh sibh gur e an Ceud-chasach a th鈥� ann. Ann am Beurla 鈥� centipede.

听听听听听听听听听听听 Tha ceist agam dhuibh co-cheangailte ris a鈥� cheud-chasach. A r猫ir beul-aithris, thug ceud-chasach air fear de na b脿ird Gh脿idhlig as ainmeile d脿n ainmeil a sgr矛obhadh. 鈥橲 i mo cheist 鈥� c貌 am b脿rd agus d猫 an d脿n?

听听听听听听听听听听听 Tha mi a鈥� dol a dh鈥檌nnse beagan dhen d脿n dhuibh. 鈥橲 d貌cha gum bi fios aig feadhainn agaibh c貌 fear a th鈥� ann. Tha an earrann seo mu dheidhinn stoirm aig muir:

听听听听听听听听听听听 Nuair a thuiteamaid bho bh脿rr nan 脿rd-thonn giobach, gur beag nach dochainneadh a s脿il an t-aigeal sligneach. An fhairge ga maistreadh 鈥檚 ga sluistneadh roimh a ch猫ile, gun robh r貌in is mialan m貌ra 鈥檓 barrachd 猫iginn.

听听听听听听听听听听听 Anfhadh is confhadh na mara, is falbh na luinge, sradadh an eanchainnean geala feadh gach tuinne. Gach mion-iasg a bha san fhairge, t脿rr-gheal tionndaidht鈥�, le gluasad confhadh na gailbhinn, marbh gun chunntas.

听听听听听听听听听听听 A bheil fios agaibh d猫 an d脿n a tha sin? D猫 ach Birlinn Chlann Raghnaill le Alasdair Mac Mhaighstir Alasdair. Bha Alasdair, a bha be貌 eadar sia ceud deug, naochad 鈥檚 a c貌ig (1695) agus seachd ceud deug is seachdad (1770), na bh脿rd air leth. B鈥� e Birlinn Chlann Raghnaill fear de na d脿in a b鈥� fhe脿rr aige. Bha e st猫idhichte air turas mara ann am birlinn eadar Loch Aoineart ann an Uibhist a Deas agus Carraig Fhearghais ann an ceann a tuath na h-脠ireann.

听听听听听听听听听听听 Bha Mac Mhaighstir Alasdair na bh脿illidh aig Clann Raghnaill ann an Canaigh eadar seachd ceud deug, ceathrad 鈥檚 a seachd (1747) agus caogad 鈥檚 a dh脿 (1752). Thathar a鈥� smaoineachadh gun do th貌isich e Birlinn Chlann Raghnaill ann an Canaigh 鈥檚 gun do chuir e cr矛och air ann an Uibhist fichead bliadhna 脿s d猫idh sin.

听听听听听听听听听听听 A r猫ir beul-aithris, th貌isich am b脿rd air an d脿n nuair a bha e na laighe anns an dorchadas fo bhata a bha bun-os-cionn ann an 脿ite ris an canar Lag nam Boitean. Tha e coltach gur e cleachdadh cumanta a bh鈥� ann o shean. Seo na sgr矛obh M脿rtainn MacIlleMh脿rtainn aig deireadh an t-seachdamh linn deug mu mar a bhiodh b脿ird Gh脿idhlig a鈥� cruthachadh b脿rdachd: They shut their Doors and Windows for a day鈥檚 time, and lie on their backs, with a Stone upon their Belly, and Plaids about their Heads, and their Eyes being cover鈥檇, they pump their Brains for Rhetorical Encomium or Panegyrick鈥�

听听听听听听听听听听听 Chan eil fhios agam an robh clach air br霉 Mhic Mhaighstir Alasdair nuair a bha e a鈥� cruthachadh Birlinn Chlann Raghnaill. Ach, a r猫ir beul-aithris, nuair a bha e na l脿ighe fo shlige an eathair, thuit ceud-chasach far tobhta. Bha an creutair bun-os-cionn ann an glumag uisge, agus a鈥� d猫anamh sp脿irn le chasan. Chuir sin r脿imh birlinn ann an inntinn a鈥� bh脿ird, agus th貌isich e air an d脿n! Uill, chan eil mi cinnteach mu cho f矛rinneach 鈥檚 a tha an sgeul, ach tha an 矛omhaigh gam dh猫anamh nas toilichte mu dheidhinn P脿rlamaid na h-Alba. Carson? Innsidh mi dhuibh anns an ath Litir.

ainmean eile airson an dearbh rud: other names for the same thing; thug ceud-chasach air fear de na b脿ird Gh脿idhlig as ainmeile d脿n ainmeil a sgr矛obhadh: a centipede inspired one of the most famous Gaelic bards to write a famous poem; nuair a thuiteamaid bho bh脿rr nan 脿rd-thonn giobach: when we鈥檇 fall from the tops of the ragged high waves; gur beag nach dochainneadh a s脿il an t-aigeal sligneach: seldom would her keel not hit the shelly seabed; an fhairge ga maistreadh 鈥檚 ga sluistneadh roimh a ch猫ile: the ocean was churning and mixing together; gun robh r貌in is mialan m貌ra 鈥檓 barrachd 猫iginn: that seals and whales were in more trouble; sradadh an eanchainnean geala feadh gach tuinne: dashing their white brains through each billow; t脿rr-gheal tionndaidht鈥�: white bellies turned [upwards]; le gluasad confhadh na gailbhinn, marbh gun chunntas: with the raging motion of the storm, dead in their thousands; turas mara ann am birlinn: a sea voyage in a birlinn; eadar Loch Aoineart ann an Uibhist a Deas agus Carraig Fhearghais ann an ceann a tuath na h-脠ireann: between Loch Eynort in South Uist and Carrickfergus in northern Ireland; gun do chuir e cr矛och air: that he finished; na laighe anns an dorchadas fo bhata a bha bun-os-cionn: lying in the darkness under a boat that was upside-down; gur e cleachdadh cumanta a bh鈥� ann o shean: that it was a common practice in olden times; nuair a bha e na l脿ighe fo shlige an eathair: when he was lying under the hull of the boat; thuit ceud-chasach far tobhta: a centipede fell from a thwart; a鈥� d猫anamh sp脿irn le chasan: struggling with its legs; tha an 矛omhaigh gam dh猫anamh nas toilichte: the image makes me happier.

Gaelic has many words for the centipede. The standard word, universally understood, is ceud-chasach (meaning the same as the English). But there are many other names 鈥� fiolan-fada 鈥榣ong insect鈥�, gille nan corc 鈥榣ad of the knives鈥� (its legs look like knives), ana-bhiorach 鈥榲ery sharp one鈥�, 尘颈补濒-肠丑貌蝉补肠丑 鈥榮mall animal abounding in recesses鈥�, iol-chasach 鈥榤any-footed one鈥�, fiolan nan ceud cas 鈥榠nsect of 100 legs鈥� and gobhlachan m貌r nan ceud cas 鈥榖ig earwig of 100 legs鈥�. There is also another name 鈥� madadh-ruadh which reflects the colour of some centipedes but could be confused with a mammal of the same name!

Anfhadh is confhadh na mara: the rage and fury of the sea.

听

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