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An Litir Bheag 767

Litir Bheag na seachdain sa le Ruairidh MacIlleathain. Litir àireamh 767. Roddy Maclean is back with this week's short letter for Gàidhlig learners.

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4 minutes

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Sun 26 Jan 2020 16:00

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An Litir Bheag 767

Tha an seann taigh-seinnse ann an Duras, taobh Loch Nis, gu math eachdraidheil. Aig aon àm, bha daoine a’ siubhal tron bhaile air an rathad airm eadar Cille Chuimein agus Inbhir Nis.

An dèidh Blàr Chùil Lodair, bha cùisean doirbh don fheadhainn a bha a’ ruith an taigh-seinnse. Cha robh mòran de mhuinntir an àite a’ dol ann. Bha eagal orra ro na saighdearan dearga a bha gu tric ann. 

Tha an sgeulaiche, Stiùbhart McHardy, ag innse stòiridh mu dheidhinn anns an leabhar aige Tales of Loch Ness. Bha an taigh-seinnse air a ruith le dithis bhoireannach – Hannah Fhriseal agus a nighean Sìne. Bha Hannah ciorramach. Bha Sìne òg agus bòidheach. 

Latha a bha seo, bha buidheann de dh’oifigearan a’ siubhal eadar Inbhir Nis agus Cille Chuimein. Stad iad aig an taigh-seinnse. Bha iad air mhisg. Ghabh fear dhiubh nòisean do Shìne. Bha e a’ cur a làmhan oirre mar nach bu chòir.

Chuir e a ghàirdeanan timcheall oirre agus thog e i. Bha e a’ dèanamh air an doras mhòr leatha, le droch rùn. Chunnaic Hannah na bha a’ dol. Reub i a h-ìnean sìos aodann an t-saighdeir. Leig an saighdear Sìne às. Ruith ise a-mach air an doras. Chuir an saighdear a làmhan timcheall sgòrnan Hannah. Bha e ga tachdadh.

Rinn Sìne air a’ mhonadh. Chaidh i am falach. Ach mharbh an saighdear dearg a màthair. An uair sin, rinn e fhèin agus a chompanaich sgrios air an taigh-seinnse. Dh’fhalbh iad air muin-eich a Chille Chuimein. 

Nuair a thill Sìne don taigh-seinnse, lorg i corp a màthar. Bha fearg air muinntir an àite. Bha feadhainn dhiubh airson a dhol an dèidh nan saighdearan. Ach thuirt fear dhiubh, Iain Bàn, gum bu chòir dhaibh gabhail air an socair. 

Chaidh e fhèin, companach agus Sìne air muin-eich a Chille Chuimein. Bha aodach dubh orra. Bha each eile aca, le corp Hannah air. 

Nuair a chuir freiceadain stad orra, thuirt Iain Bàn gum b’ esan an t-uachdaran, Alasdair Friseal à Druim Aithisidh. Bha Alasdair taiceil don riaghaltas. Bha e na cho-ogha do dh’Iain. Bha Iain cinnteach nach biodh na freiceadain eòlach air. Agus dè am plana a bh' aige? Chì sinn an-ath-sheachdain. 

The Little Letter 767

The old inn at Dores, beside Loch Ness, is very historical. At one time, people were travelling through the village on the military road between Fort Augustus and Inverness.

After the Battle of Culloden, matters were difficult for those who were running the inn. Not many locals were frequenting it. They were scared of the redcoat soldiers who were often there.

The storyteller, Stuart McHardy, tells a story about it in his book Tales of Loch Ness. The inn was run by two women – Hannah Fraser and her daughter, Jean. Hannah was disabled. Jean was young and beautiful.

One day, a group of officers were travelling between Inverness and Fort Augustus. They stopped at the inn. They were drunk. One of them took a shine to Jean. He was handling her as he should not.

He put his arms around her and picked her up. He was making for the front door with her, with evil intent. Hannah saw what was happening. She scratched the face of the soldier with her nails. The soldier let go of Jean. She ran out the door. The soldier put his hands around Hannah’s throat. He was throttling her.

Jean took to the hills. She hid [there]. But the redcoat killed her mother. Then, he and his companions wrecked the inn. They left on horseback for Fort Augustus.

When Jean returned to the inn, she found her mother’s corpse. The locals were incensed. Some of them were wanting to go after the soldiers. But one of them, Fair John, said they should take it easy.

He, a companion and Jean went on horseback to Fort Augustus. They wore black. They had another horse with Hannah’s body on it.

When sentries stopped them, Fair John said he was the landlord, Alexander Fraser of Drumashie. Alexander supported the government. He was a cousin of John’s. John was certain the sentries wouldn’t know him. And what was John’s plan? We’ll see next week.

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  • Sun 26 Jan 2020 16:00

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