大象传媒

Bha mi ag innse dhuibh anns an Litir mu dheireadh mu Bh脿illidh Throndairnis agus a鈥� Bhana-bhuidseach. 鈥橲 e sin seann sgeulachd bhon t-siathamh linn deug 脿s an Eilean Sgitheanach. Ach cha do nochd a鈥� bhana-bhuidseach innte fhathast 鈥� bidh i a鈥� nochdadh an-diugh. Nuair a dh鈥檉h脿g sinn an sgeulachd, bha na gillean air b貌 na banntraich agus each a鈥� bh脿illidh a chur a-null gu Eilean Thuilm, gun fhiosta don bh脿illidh is don mhaor. Nuair a r脿inig am b脿illidh agus am maor am buaile, cha robh sgeul air a鈥� bhoin no air an each.

Choimhead am b脿illidh agus am maor mun cuairt. R霉raich iad thall 鈥檚 a-bhos. Ach cha robh sgeul air a鈥� bhoin no air an each. Chaidh iad suas don chreig far an robh na gillean. 鈥淎m faca sibh neach sam bith a鈥� buntainn don bhoin no don each?鈥� dh鈥檉haighnich iad.

Fhreagair na gillean nach robh iad air a bhith ann a sin fada, agus nach robh duine sam bith eile air a bhith ann bho th脿inig iad. Bha sin f矛or, gun teagamh. Thuirt fear de na gillean gun robh cailleach san taigh bheag ud sh矛os aig an robh fiosachd. Dh鈥檌nnseadh ise ca鈥� robh a鈥� bh貌 agus an t-each. 鈥淩ach s矛os ga h-iarraidh,鈥� ars鈥� am b脿illidh.

Dh鈥檉halbh dithis de na gillean nan deann a dh鈥檌onnsaigh na caillich. 鈥橲 e Ciorstaidh an t-ainm a bh鈥� oirre. R脿inig na gillean an taigh aice agus dh鈥檌nnis iad dhi an cleas a rinn iad. 鈥淎n d猫an sibh tuilleadh sp貌rs dhuinn?鈥� dh鈥檉haighnich iad.

鈥溾�橲 mi a n矛,鈥� arsa Ciorstaidh.

Sgeadaich i i fh猫in mar bhana-bhuidseach. Chuir i s霉gan mu a casan mar ghartanan. Chuir i s霉gan eile mu a meadhan mar chrios. Chuir i craiceann gobhair mu a guailnean. Chuir i bonaid leathann air a ceann agus leig i a falt s矛os a druim. Chuir i bata m貌r na l脿imh. Bha i deiseil agus, gu dearbh, bha coltas bana-bhuidsich oirre! Dh鈥檉halbh i an uair sin air a socair c貌mhla ris na gillean. Is chaidh iad suas don 脿ite far an robh c脿ch nan seasamh, a鈥� feitheamh riutha. Chaidh i a dh鈥檌onnsaigh a鈥� bh脿illidh.

鈥淎n urrainn dhut innse dhomh,鈥� dh鈥檉haighnich am b脿illidh dhith, 鈥渃脿ite a bheil a鈥� bh貌 agus an t-each a chuir sinne a-steach don bhuaile?鈥�

鈥淐貌 bu leis iad?鈥� ars鈥� an t-seann bhean.

鈥淭ha a鈥� bh貌 leis an R矛gh, agus an t-each leamsa,鈥� thuirt am b脿illidh.

鈥淭ha thu breugach,鈥� ars鈥� ise. 鈥淒猫 bhiodh b貌 leis an R矛gh a鈥� d猫anamh ann am buaile ann an D霉n Tuilm?鈥�

鈥淭hug am boireannach sin dhomh i mar a m脿l,鈥� ars鈥� esan.

鈥淭ha thu breugach a-rithist,鈥� thuirt Ciorstaidh. 鈥淐ha tug. Ach thug thusa bhuaipe i. Agus tha sin a-nis ag innse dhomhsa ciod e bu chiall don rud a chunnaic mi o chionn tacain. Chunnaic mi sgaoth mh貌r de na s矛thichean a鈥� tighinn a-steach tro ch霉l an taighe. Bha iad a鈥� saodachadh b貌 agus each romhpa, agus ghabh iad tron teine agus a-mach tro aghaidh an taighe. Agus chaidh iad a-steach don chnoc ud thall. Nam biodh sibhse cho e貌lach air na daoine beaga ud 鈥檚 a tha mise, cha tigeadh sibh do Chille Mhoire a chreach bhanntraichean bochda 鈥檚 a thoirt bhuapa an cuid cruidh.鈥�

Nuair a chuala am b脿illidh seo, thug e a chasan leis. Is thathar ag r脿dh nach tug e b貌 bho bhanntrach tuilleadh cho fad 鈥檚 a bha e na bh脿illidh air Trondairnis.

Faclan na seachdaine: maor: ground officer; buaile: cattle fold; crios: belt; c脿ch: the others; bata: stick; breugach: untruthful.

Abairtean na seachdaine: B脿illidh Throndairnis agus a鈥� Bhana-bhuidseach: the factor of Trotternish and the witch; cha do nochd a鈥� bhana-bhuidseach innte fhathast: the witch hasn鈥檛 appeared in it [fem.] yet; b貌 na banntraich agus each a鈥� bh脿illidh: the widow鈥檚 cow and the factor鈥檚 horse; gun fhiosta do X: unbeknown to X; cha robh sgeul air a鈥� bhoin: there was no sign of the cow; choimhead X mun cuairt: X looked around; r霉raich iad thall 鈥檚 a-bhos: they searched here and there; am faca sibh neach sam bith a鈥� buntainn don bhoin: did you see anybody touching the cow; bho th脿inig iad: since they came; gun robh cailleach san taigh bheag ud sh矛os aig an robh fiosachd: that there was an old woman in yonder wee house who could tell the future; dh鈥檌nnseadh ise ca鈥� robh X: she would [could] tell where X was; rach s矛os ga h-iarraidh: go down and get her; dh鈥檌nnis iad dhi an cleas a rinn iad: they told her the trick they played; tuilleadh sp貌rs: more fun; sgeadaich i i fh猫in mar bhana-bhuidseach: she dressed herself up as a witch; chuir i s霉gan mu a casan mar ghartanan: she put a twisted straw rope around her legs like garters; chuir i craiceann gobhair mu a guailnean: she put a goat鈥檚 skin around her shoulders; far an robh c脿ch nan seasamh: where the others were standing; c貌 bu leis iad?: to whom did they belong?; tha a鈥� bh貌 leis an R矛gh, agus an t-each leamsa: the cow is owned by the King, and the horse is mine; mar a m脿l: as her rent; thug thusa bhuaipe i: you took it [fem.] from her; ciod e bu chiall don rud a chunnaic mi o chionn tacain: what the meaning was of thing I saw a short while ago; bha iad a鈥� saodachadh b貌 agus each romhpa: they were driving a cow and a horse ahead of them; cha tigeadh sibh do Chille Mhoire a chreach bhanntraichean bochda: you wouldn鈥檛 come to Kilmuir robbing poor widows; 鈥檚 a thoirt bhuapa an cuid cruidh: and taking from them their own cattle; thathar ag r脿dh nach tug e b貌 bho bhanntrach tuilleadh: it is said he never again took a cow from a widow.

Puing-ch脿nain na seachdaine: Dh鈥檉halbh dithis de na gillean nan deann: two of the lads left at speed. Note that although deann acts adverbially, it is actually a [feminine] noun meaning 鈥渉aste/rush鈥�. It is employed, in a phrase like this, in the dative case and is preceded by the appropriate possessive article. It therefore must be lenited where appropriate eg th脿inig e a-steach na dheann (he entered in a hurry); chaidh i a-mach na deann (she rushed out), chaidh sinn ann nar deann (we went there in haste). If that is not quite 鈥渇ast鈥� enough we might strengthen it with dearg eg dh鈥檉halbh e na dhearg dheann (he left in an incredible rush); dh鈥檉halbh i na dearg dheann (she left in an incredible rush). Note where the lenition occurs in these two examples.

Gn脿ths-cainnt na seachdaine: thug e a chasan leis: he left, departed [lit. he took his feet with him].