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Seo sgeulachd à Dùthaich MhicAoidh. Bha fear Sandaidh Rothach às Armadal, sear air a’ Bhlàran Odhar. Bha e na iasgair. Bha e ag iasgach a-mach à Loch an Inbhir. Bha bean Shandaidh an dùil leanabh.

Choisich Sandaidh dhachaigh còmhla ri a bhràthair-chèile, Seumas. Thug an turas beagan làithean. Ghabh iad an rathad tro Shrath Nabhair. Bha iad ag amas air a dhol gu dannsa anns a’ Bhlàran Odhar. An ath latha, bha iad a’ dol a choiseachd dhachaigh.

Bha iad sgìth. Ràinig iad tom fraochach. Laigh iad sìos. Bha an latha blàth. Bha iad a’ dol a chadal nuair a chuala iad fuaim – ceòl dannsa. Bha e a’ tighinn às uamh bheag. 

Chaidh Sandaidh agus Seumas a-null. Thug iad sùil a-steach. Chunnaic iad solais gheala. Bha Sandaidh dèidheil air dannsa. Mus robh cothrom aig Seumas stad a chur air, a-steach leis. Chaidh e sìos tunail agus chaidh e à fianais. Dh’èigh Seumas air ach cha d’ fhuair e freagairt. Chaidh Seumas air adhart don Bhlàran Odhar.

Dh’aithris Seumas na thachair ach cha do chreid duine e. An dèidh seachdain, nuair nach robh sgeul air Sandaidh, bha daoine dhen bheachd gun do mhurt Seumas e. 

Chaidh daoine a choimhead air an uaimh. Bha i goirid. Cha robh sgeul air tunail. Cha robh ceòl sam bith ann. Chaidh latha is bliadhna a thoirt do Sheumas airson dearbhadh nach do mhurt e Sandaidh. 

Thog Seumas bothan aig beul na h-uamha. Tron fhoghar ʼs tron gheamhradh, cha do ghluais e bhon àite sin.

Thàinig an samhradh. Bha bliadhna air a dhol seachad bhon a dh’fhalbh Sandaidh. Cha robh ach aon latha air fhàgail aig Seumas airson dearbhadh nach robh e ciontach. 

Nuair a dh’èirich a’ ghrian, chuala Seumas fuaim. Ceòl dannsa! An dèidh greis, nochd Sandaidh. ‘Dè a’ chabhag a th’ ort?’ thuirt e ri Seumas.

Nuair a dh’inns Seumas dha gun robh e air a bhith sìos an tunail airson bliadhna, rinn Sandaidh gàire. ʼS ann nuair a ràinig e Armadal a dh’ionnsaich e gun robh an fhìrinn aig Seumas. Bha Sandaidh na athair aig gille a bha faisg air bliadhna a dh’aois!

Here is a story from the Mackay Country [far north Sutherland]. There was a guy, Sandy Munro, from Armadale, east of Bettyhill. He was a fisherman. He was fishing out of Lochinver. Sandy’s wife was expecting a baby.

Sandy walked home along with his brother-in-law, Jamie. The journey took several days. They took the road through Strathnaver. They were aiming to go to a dance at Bettyhill. The next day they were going to walk home.

They were tired. They reached a heathery hill. They lay down. The day was warm. They were going to sleep when they heard a sound – dance music. It was coming from a small cave.

Sandy and Jamie went over. They looked inside. They saw white lights. Sandy was keen on dancing. Before Jamie had a chance to stop him, in he went. He went down a tunnel and disappeared. Jamie called on him but received no reply. Jamie continued on to Bettyhill.

Jamie related what had happened but nobody believed him. After a week, when there was no sign of Sandy, people reckoned that Jamie [had] murdered him.

People went to look at the cave. It was short. There was no sign of a tunnel. There was no music there. A year and a day were given to Jamie to prove he did not murder Sandy.

Jamie built a bothy at the mouth of the cave. Through the autumn and winter, he didn’t move from that place.

The summer came. A year had elapsed since Sandy left. Only one day was left to Jamie to prove that he was not guilty.

When the sun rose, Jamie heard a sound. Dance music! After a while, Sandy appeared. ‘What’s your hurry?’ he said to Jamie.

When Jamie told him he had been down the tunnel for a year, Sandy smiled. It’s when he reached Armadal that he learned that Jamie was telling the truth. Sandy was the father of a lad who was nearly one year old!