大象传媒

F脿ilte chr矛dheil oirbh uile. Tha mi a鈥� dol a dh鈥檌nnse dhuibh anns a鈥� chiad Litir seo mu Iain Dubh Mac Dh貌mhnaill 鈥檌c Iain. 鈥橲 e sgr矛obhadair a bh鈥� ann. Rugadh e ann an Ge脿rrloch. Ach bha e a鈥� fuireach 霉ine mh貌r ann an Astr脿ilia 鈥� ann am Brisbane.

L脿 a bha seo, bha Iain a鈥� coiseachd seachad air b霉th ann am Brisbane. Anns an uinneig, chunnaic e p脿ipear-naidheachd 脿 Alba. 鈥橲 e an t-ainm a bh鈥� air The People鈥檚 Journal. Ann an G脿idhlig 鈥檚 e sin Teachdaire an t-Sluaigh. Teachdaire an t-Sluaigh. Cheannaich Iain e.

Oidhche a bha seo, chaidh Iain gu c猫ilidh ann am Brisbane. Dh鈥檌arr fear an taighe air a h-uile duine rann no 貌ran a ghabhail, no sgeulachd innse. Cha robh dad mar sin aig Iain ann am Beurla. Bha a h-uile n矛 mar sin aige ann an G脿idhlig a-mh脿in.听听听听 Thuirt Iain ri fear an taighe nach robh rann no 貌ran aige. Ach cha do ghabh fear an taighe ri sin. D猫 bha Iain a鈥� dol a dh猫anamh? Bha a h-uile n矛 aige ro fhada.

Smaoinich e agus smaoinich e. Mu dheireadh, chuimhnich e air rann bheag. Rudeigin a leugh e ann am p脿ipear-naidheachd. D猫 am p脿ipear-naidheachd? Seadh 鈥� Teachdaire an t-Sluaigh. Seo an rann.

听

Bha bodach am Baile Obair Pheallaidh

鈥橲 a thaigh air a thughadh le bealaidh,

Ach dh鈥櫭╥rich gaoth gheur,

鈥橲 bha an tughadh san speur,

鈥橲 thuirt a鈥� chailleach, 鈥榟o-r猫, d猫an taigh-geal dheth鈥�!

听

An do thuig sibh sin? Bha taigh aig bodach. 鈥橲 e tughadh a bh鈥� aige air mullach an taighe. 鈥橲 e 鈥渢aigh dubh鈥� a bh鈥� ann. Ach cha robh bealaidh math air mullach taighe. Dh鈥櫭╥rich a鈥� ghaoth. Dh鈥檉halbh an tughadh. An robh bean a鈥� bhodaich 鈥� 鈥渁鈥� chailleach鈥� 鈥� m矛-thoilichte? Cha robh! Bha i toilichte! Oir bhiodh mullach 霉r aice a-nise. Mullach le sgl猫atan. Bhiodh 鈥渢aigh geal鈥� aice an 脿ite taigh dubh. Seo an rann a-rithist:

听

Bha bodach am Baile Obair Pheallaidh

鈥橲 a thaigh air a thughadh le bealaidh,

Ach dh鈥櫭╥rich gaoth gheur,

鈥橲 bha an tughadh san speur,

鈥橲 thuirt a鈥� chailleach, 鈥榟o-r猫, d猫an taigh-geal dheth鈥�!

听

Sin agaibh a鈥� chiad Litir Bheag bhuam. Mar sin leibh an-dr脿sta.

Faclan is abairtean: tha mi a鈥� dol a dh鈥檌nnse dhuibh: I鈥檓 going to tell you; Iain Dubh Mac Dh貌mhnaill 鈥檌c Iain: black (haired) John, son of Donald, son of John; 蝉驳谤矛辞产丑补诲补颈谤: writer; smachd: control; rugadh e ann an Ge脿rrloch: he was born in Gairloch; bha Iain a鈥� coiseachd seachad air b霉th: John was walking past a shop; cheannaich Iain e: John bought it; oidhche a bha seo: this [particular] night ie 鈥渙ne night鈥�; dh鈥檌arr fear an taighe air a h-uile duine: the MC [lit. man of the house] asked everybody; rann no 貌ran a ghabhail: to recite verse or sing a song; ann an G脿idhlig a-mh脿in: only in Gaelic; cha do ghabh X ri sin: X did not accept this; bha a h-uile n矛 aige ro fhada: everything he knew [had] was too long; rudeigin a leugh e: something he read; bha bodach am Baile Obair Pheallaidh: there was an old man in Aberfeldy; 鈥檚 a thaigh air a thughadh le bealaidh: whose house [lit. and his house] was thatched with broom; dh鈥櫭╥rich gaoth gheur: a sharp wind arose; bha an tughadh san speur: the thatch was [blown] in the air; thuirt a鈥� chailleach 鈥榟o-r猫, d猫an taigh-geal dheth鈥�: the old woman said, 鈥榟ooray, make a white house of it鈥�; an do thuig sibh sin?: did you understand that?; mullach an taighe: the roof of the house; taigh dubh: blackhouse (ie traditional thatched house); dh鈥櫭╥rich a鈥� ghaoth: the wind rose; dh鈥檉halbh an tughadh: the thatch left [ie was blown away]; bha i toilichte: she was pleased; bhiodh mullach 霉r aice: she would have [get] a new roof; 蝉驳濒猫补迟补苍: slates; a鈥� chiad: the first; bhuam: from me; mar sin leibh an-dr脿sta: cheerio just now.