大象传媒

Bha Alasdair Mac Mhaighstir Alasdair gu math ainmeil. Tha e ainmeil fhathast. 鈥橲 e b脿rd a bh鈥� ann. Bha e be貌 anns an ochdamh linn deug.

Bha br脿thair aige 鈥� Aonghas. Aonghas Mac Mhaighstir Alasdair. Bha esan rud beag ainmeil cuideachd. Ach chan eil e cho ainmeil an-diugh ri Alasdair. Bha e ainmeil oir bha e uabhasach l脿idir, ged a bha e gu math beag.

Latha a bha seo, bha Aonghas air bruach Abhainn L貌chaidh. Bha t貌rr uisge anns an abhainn. Bha Aonghas aig ath, a鈥� d猫anamh deiseil airson a dhol a-null. Bha e a鈥� toirt a bhr貌gan is stocainnean dheth. Nochd fear eile 鈥� Colla B脿n, fear D貌mhnallach 脿 B脿rrasdal ann an Cn貌ideart. 鈥橲 e fear m貌r 脿rd a bh鈥� ann.

Thuirt Colla ri Aonghas, 鈥淔hir big, thig c貌mhla riumsa. C霉m air mo ch霉laibh. Brisidh mise neart an t-sruth. N矛 sin an gnothach nas fhasa dhut.鈥�

Nuair a bha iad ann am meadhan na h-aibhne, bha an sruth l脿idir. Bh e ro l脿idir do Cholla. Bha an t-eagal air. Bha e ann an cunnart a dhol fodha. Ach chaidh Aonghas air thoiseach air. Tharraing Aonghas Colla don taobh thall.

Thuirt Aonghas ri Colla, 鈥淭hug thu 鈥榝ear beag鈥� orm air taobh thall na h-aibhne. C貌 am 鈥榝ear beag鈥� a-nise? Gabh mo chomhairle. Na toir 鈥榖eag鈥� air duine gus am bi e dearbhte agad [gu bheil e 鈥榖eag鈥橾. Tomhais gn猫 duine air barrachd na d矛reach a choltas.鈥� 鈥橲 e deagh chomhairle a th鈥� ann, nach e, eadhon an-diugh?

Tha feadhainn fhathast a鈥� cuimhneachadh Aonghas Mac Mhaighstir Alasdair. Ach tha cuimhne fada nas fhe脿rr aig daoine air a bhr脿thair, Alasdair. 鈥橲 e sin cumhachd na b脿rdachd.

Bha Alasdair na dheagh charaid do ar c脿nan. Ann am Moladh an 脵ghdair don t-Seann Ch脿nain Gh脿idhlig, sgr矛obh e:

鈥橲 i labhair Goill is G脿idheil,

Neo-chl猫irich is cl猫ir,

Gach fear agus bean

A ghluaiseadh teanga am beul.

鈥橲 i a labhair Adhamh

Ann a Ph脿rras fh猫in

鈥橲 bu shi霉bhlach a鈥� Gh脿idhlig

O bheul 脿lainn Eubh.

Bheir sinn s霉il a bharrachd air b脿rdachd Alasdair an ath-sheachdain.

Faclan is abairtean: ainmeil: famous; 鈥檚 e b脿rd a bh鈥� ann: he was a poet; bha e be貌 anns an ochdamh linn deug: he was alive in the eighteenth century; bha e uabhasach l脿idir, ged a bha e gu math beag: he was very strong although he was quite small; bruach Abhainn L貌chaidh: the bank of the Lochy River; a鈥� d猫anamh deiseil airson a dhol a-null: preparing to cross to the other side; a鈥� toirt a bhr貌gan is stocainnean dheth: taking his shoes and socks off; fear D貌mhnallach 脿 B脿rrasdal ann an Cn貌ideart: a MacDonald from Barrisdale in Knoydart; fhir big, thig c貌mhla riumsa: wee man, come along with me; c霉m air mo ch霉laibh: keep behind me; brisidh mise neart an t-sruth: I鈥檒l break the strength of the current; n矛 sin an gnothach nas fhasa dhut: that will make it easier for you; meadhan na h-aibhne: the middle of the river; ann an cunnart a dhol fodha: in danger of going under; thug thu 鈥榝ear beag鈥� orm air taobh thall na h-aibhne: you called me 鈥榳ee man鈥� at the other side of the river; gabh mo chomhairle: take my advice; na toir 鈥榖eag鈥� air duine gus am bi e dearbhte agad [gu bheil e 鈥榖eag鈥橾: don鈥檛 call somebody 鈥榮mall鈥� until it is proved to you [that he is 鈥榮mall鈥橾; tomhais gn猫 duine air barrachd na d矛reach a choltas: assess a man鈥檚 qualities by more than just his appearance; 鈥檚 e deagh chomhairle a th鈥� ann, nach e, eadhon an-diugh?: it鈥檚 good advice, isn鈥檛 it, even today?; tha cuimhne fada nas fhe脿rr aig daoine air a bhr脿thair: people have a much better memory of his brother; cumhachd na b脿rdachd: the power of [the] poetry; bha Alasdair na dheagh charaid do ar c脿nan: Alasdair was a good friend to our language; Moladh an 脵ghdair don t-Seann Ch脿nain Gh脿idhlig: the author鈥檚 paean to the old Gaelic language; 鈥檚 i labhair Goill is G脿idheil: it is her [G脿idhlig is feminine] that Lowlanders and Highlanders spoke; neo-chl猫irich agus cl猫ir: laity and clergy; gach fear agus bean: each man and woman; a ghluaiseadh teanga am beul: who would move their tongues in their mouth; 鈥檚 i a labhair Adhamh ann a Ph脿rras fh猫in: it is her that Adam spoke in his Paradise; bu shi霉bhlach a鈥� Gh脿idhlig o bheul 脿lainn Eubh: fluent was the Gaelic from Eve鈥檚 beautiful mouth;