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Bha mi ag innse dhuibh na seann sgeulachd – Clann Lir. Bha dithis chloinne aig Lear, tighearna na mara. B’ iad an ainmean Fionnuala agus Aodh. Bha iad a’ snàmh ann an loch nuair a thàinig teachdaire bhon athair. Dh’iarr e orra a dhol dhachaigh.

            ‘Dè tha ceàrr, athair?’ dh’fhaighnich iad.

            ‘Rugadh càraid do ur màthair,’ fhreagair e, ‘ach chaochail i.’ Bhiodh aig Fionnuala agus Aodh ri cùram a thoirt don dithis leanabh ùr – Fiachra agus Conn.

            Bha Lear ann an droch shunnd, ge-tà, an dèidh bàs a mhnà. Ach thachair e ri piuthar a mhnà – Aoife – aig an robh cumhachdan draoidheil. Cha b’ fhada gus an robh iad pòsta aig a chèile. Ach cha deach cùisean ro mhath do dh’Aoife. Dh’fhàs i sean mus robh dùil air. Agus bha i olc.

            Latha a bha seo thug i a’ chlann a chèilidh air an seanair. Air an rathad, stad iad aig loch agus bhrosnaich Aoife a’ chlann a dhol a shnàmh. An uair sin sheas i air bruach an locha. Bha an cleòc draoidheil aig Lear oirre.

            ‘Tha sibh air a bhith eadar ur n-athair is mi fhìn,’ dh’èigh i, ‘ach cha mhair sin fada.’

            ‘Cha bhiodh e math dhuibh ar marbhadh,’ fhreagair Aodh. ‘Is sinne Clann Lir. Ma nì sibh cron oirnn, bheir ar taibhsean buaidh oirbh!’

            ‘Cha mharbh mi sibh,’ thuirt Aoife, le gràin, ‘ach bheir mi cruth-atharrachadh oirbh.’

            Dh’fhosgail Aoife a cleòc agus thàinig dreag a-mach aiste. Bhuail an dreag anns an uisge, ag adhbharach deatach. Chaill a’ chlann faireachdainn nan casan is gàirdeanan. Thionndaidh Aodh a choimhead air a phiuthar is a bhràithrean. Bha cruth-atharrachadh air a thighinn orra. Bha iad a-nise nan ealachan. Na h-ealachan a bu bhòidhche a bh’ ann riamh.

            Dh’inns Aoife dhaibh gun robh iad fo gheasaibh. Bhiodh aca ri naoi ceud bliadhna a chur seachad mar ealachan. Bhiodh trì cheud bliadhna aca air Loch Dairbhreach, trì cheud air Sruth na Maoile (eadar Alba is Èirinn) agus trì cheud air Innis Gluaire. Thuirt i gum biodh na geasan a’ tighinn gu ceann nuair a chluinneadh iad clag aig an Dia ùr. Ach dh’fhàg i aon rud aca – an guth as binne a chualas riamh.

            Thàinig Fionnuala gu a h-athair. Ged a bha i ann an cruth eala, bha a guth aice fhathast. Dh’inns i do a h-athair dè bh’ air tachairt. Bha fearg air Lear agus chuir e Aoife air fhògradh.

            Fhad ’s a bha iad air Loch Dairbhreach, bhiodh Lear a’ tighinn a chèilidh air a chloinn, a bha ann an cruth ealachan. Nuair a bha na trì cheud bliadhna seachad, dh’fhalbh Clann Lir gu ruige Sruth na Maoile. Cha robh cùisean cho math dhaibh an sin, agus stoirmean ann gu tric. Ach dh’fhuirich iad còmhla airson trì cheud bliadhna eile.

            Dh’fhàg na h-ealachan Sruth na Maoile agus shiubhail iad gu siar gu ruige Innis Gluaire. Air an eilean, lorg iad àite fuirich air loch-mara. Latha a bha seo, thàinig seann duine chun an locha. Dh’fhaighnich Clann Lir dheth dè an Dia a bh’ aige. Agus chì sinn dè thuirt an duine an-ath-sheachdain.

Faclan na Litreach: teachdaire: messenger; chaochail: died; cumhachdan draoidheil: magical powers; olc: evil; cleòc draoidheil: magic cloak; dreag: fireball; deatach: steam; ealachan: swans; Loch Dairbhreach: Loch Derravargh; Sruth na Maoile: The Sraits of Moyle; Innis Gluaire: Inis Glora.  

Abairtean na Litreach: Bha dithis chloinne aig Lear, tighearna na mara: Lear, the lord of the sea had two children; b’ iad an ainmean X agus Y: their names were X and Y; dh’iarr e orra a dhol dhachaigh: he asked them to go home; dè tha ceàrr, athair?: what is wrong, father?; rugadh càraid do ur màthair: your mother gave birth to twins; bhiodh aig X ri cùram a thoirt do: X would need to take care of; ann an droch shunnd an dèidh bàs a mhnà: in a bad frame of mind after the death of his death; thachair e ri piuthar a mhnà: he met his wife’s sister; sean mus robh dùil air: old before it was expected; bhrosnaich Aoife a’ chlann a dhol a shnàmh: Aoife encouraged the children to go and swim; eadar ur n-athair is mi fhìn: between your father and myself; cha bhiodh e math dhuibh ar marbhadh: it wouldn’t be good for you to kill us; ma nì sibh cron oirnn, bheir ar taibhsean buaidh oirbh: if you hurt us, our ghosts will haunt you; chaill a’ chlann faireachdainn nan casan is gàirdeanan: the children lost their feeling in their legs and arms; fo gheasaibh: under a spell (spells); nuair a chluinneadh iad clag aig an Dia ùr: when they’d hear a bell connected to the new God; an guth as binne a chualas riamh: the sweetest voice that was ever heard; gun deach ionnsaigh a thoirt orra le tuirc nimhe: that they were attacked by wild boars; chuir e Aoife air fhògradh: he banished Aoife; thàinig seann duine chun an locha: an old man came to the loch.

Puing-chànain na Litreach: Latha a bha seo thug i a’ chlann a chèilidh air an seanair: one day she took the children to visit their grandfather. Don’t forget to use the word ³¦Ã¨¾±±ô¾±»å³ó in its original guise of ‘visit’ – its use for an organised musical event is much more recent. Use the phrase thig a chèilidh orm uaireigin ‘come to visit me sometime’. But remember to have a ²õ°ùù²ú²¹²µ or dram ready for the visitors!

Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: Cha b’ fhada gus an robh iad pòsta aig a chèile: it wasn’t long until they were married to each other.