大象传媒

An t-seachdain sa chaidh, thug mi t貌imhseachan dhuibh. Seo e a-rithist

Arsa cailleach 鈥�

Nam bitheadh agam na bheil agam,

Uiread eile, 鈥檚 a leth uiread,

D脿 gh猫adh agus bloigh ghe貌idh,

Dh猫anadh sin fichead.

Cia mheud a bha aice?

Ciamar a chaidh dhuibh le sin? 鈥橲 e an fhreagairt 鈥� c貌ig. Cuimhnichibh gu bheil sinn a鈥� cunntadh ge貌idh. Nam bitheadh c貌ig agad, a bharrachd na th鈥� agad mu thr脿th, bhiodh deich agad. An uairsin uiread eile, sin c貌ig eile, a鈥� d猫anamh c貌ig-deug. Agus a leth-uiread 鈥� sin dh脿 gu leth a bharrachd. A-nise tha seachd-deug gu leth agad. Agus mu dheireadh, d脿 gh猫adh agus bloigh ghe貌idh. Tha sin a鈥� ciallachadh d脿 gh猫adh gu leth. Cuiribh dh脿 gu leth ri seachd-deug gu leth agus d猫 th鈥� agaibh? Seadh, fichead. Cha robh e furasta agus ma rinn sibh an gnothach, chanainn gum bu ch貌ir dhuibh a bhith gu math toilichte.

Chan eil fhios a鈥檓 a bheil sibh air m貌ran a chluinntinn mu Dh貌mhnall Donn, D貌mhnall D貌mhnallach, a bhuineadh do Lochabair ach a chaidh a dh鈥檉huireach taobh Loch Nis uaireigin na bheatha.

Chan eilear buileach cinnteach carson a dh鈥檉h脿g D貌mhnall an sg矛re aige fh猫in. A r猫ir beul-aithris, mharbh e mac aig a鈥� bh脿rd ainmeil, Iain Lom, a bhuineadh do Lochabair cuideachd. Tha cuid eile ag radh gur e gun do mharbh e banarach aig athair nuair a bha iad a-muigh a鈥� sealg lachan. Sgr矛obh e d脿n mu dheidhinn a b脿is anns an do dh鈥檉hoillsich e aithreachas gun do loisg e air a鈥� bhoireannach an 脿ite air lach. Bha e cuideachd airson a bhith nas fhaisge air a leannan. Bha ise na nighinn aig ceann-cinnidh nan Granndach.

Bha D貌mhnall an s脿s cuideachd ann an creach is sp霉inneadh c貌mhla ri D貌mhnallach eile, fear air an robh 鈥淐olla nam B貌鈥�. Tuigidh sibh d猫 bha iad a鈥� goid. Crodh! Mu dheireadh dh鈥檉halbh e gu taobh Loch Nis far an do dh鈥檉huirich e ann an uamh anns a鈥� mhonadh gu tuath air an loch faisg air Gleann Urchardain. Bha e faisg gu le貌r air taigh a leannain airson a dhol a ch猫ilidh oirre bho 脿m gu 脿m, ach bha gr脿in aig athair na nighinne air agus dh鈥檉heumadh e a bhith faiceallach.

Bha gr脿in aig m貌ran eile air cuideachd, oir bhiodh e a鈥� goid biadh bhuapa 鈥� tunnag an seo, cearc an siud, agus uaireannan crodh neo caoraich. Thathar ag radh mu dheidhinn gun tug e mart a-mach 脿 b脿thach aig an Dabhach Dhearg aig ceann a tuath Loch Nis ach gu robh e doirbh dha iomain s矛os an rathad. Chaidh e air ais gu taigh an tuathanaich, ag iarraidh air r貌p a thoirt dha!

Uill, mar a thuigeas sibh, bha dragh air D貌mhnall gun aithneachadh an tuathanach am mart aige agus, leis gur e an geamhradh a bh鈥� ann is gu robh sneachd air an talamh, thog e ball-sneachda is chuir e e air aghaidh a鈥� mhairt 鈥� a chum e p矛os beag air falbh bhon taigh. Chunnaic an tuathanach mart bl脿r, 鈥檚 e sin mart le aghaidh bh脿n, agus cha do dh鈥檃ithnich e e mar fhear dhen fheadhainn aige fh猫in!

Gheall an Granndach gum faiceadh e D貌mhnall crochte air croich fhathast agus, as d猫idh 霉ine mh貌ir, chuir e fh猫in is caraidean dha an creachadair ann an greim. Chaidh a chur anns a鈥� phr矛osan ann an Inbhir Nis agus mu dheireadh chaidh a chur gu b脿s, ceart gu le貌r, ach 鈥檚 ann le bhith a鈥� toirt a鈥� chinn dheth, chan ann le bhith ga chrochadh. Thathar ag r脿dh gun do dh鈥檌arr D貌mhnall sin gus nach tigeadh gealltanas a鈥� Ghranndaich gu bith, is nach fhaiceadh an ceann-cinnidh D貌mhnall Donn air a鈥� chroich a-chaoidh.

Faclan na seachdaine: bloigh ghe貌idh: half a goose; D貌mhnall Donn: brown (haired) Donald; Colla nam B貌: Coll of the Cows; uamh: cave; Gleann Urchardain: Glen Urquhart; b脿thach: byre; an Dabhach Dearg: Lochend (Loch Ness); mart bl脿r: a white-faced stirk.

Abairtean na seachdaine: cuiribh dh脿 gu leth ri seachd-deug gu leth agus d猫 th鈥� agaibh?: add two and a half to seventeen and a half, and what do you have?; a bhuineadh do Lochabair ach a chaidh a dh鈥檉huireach taobh Loch Nis uaireigin na bheatha: who belonged to Lochaber but went to live in the Loch Ness area sometime during his life; chan eilear buileach cinnteach carson a dh鈥檉h脿g D貌mhnall an sg矛re aige fh猫in: it is not entirely certain why Donald left his home country; gun do mharbh e banarach aig athair nuair a bha iad a-muigh a鈥� sealg lachan: that he killed a milkmaid of his father鈥檚 when they were out hunting (wild) duck; bha ise na nighinn aig ceann-cinnidh nan Granndach: she was a daughter of the chief of the Grants; bha X an s脿s ann an creach is spuinneadh: X was involved in plunder and robbery; airson a dhol a ch猫ilidh oirre: to go and visit her; bha gr脿in aig athair na nighinne air: the girl鈥檚 father hated him; dh鈥檉heumadh e a bhith faiceallach: he had to be careful; tunnag an seo, cearc an siud: a (domestic) duck here, a hen there; gu robh e doirbh dha iomain s矛os an rathad: that it was difficult for him to drive it (masc.) down the road; ag iarraidh air r貌p a thoirt dha: asking him for a rope; gheall X gum faiceadh e Y crochte air croich: X promised he would see Y hanging from a gibbet; le bhith a鈥� toirt a鈥� chinn dheth: by being beheaded; gus nach tigeadh gealltanas a鈥� Ghranndaich gu bith: so the Grant鈥檚 promise would never be fulfilled.

Puing-ghr脿mair na seachdaine: chanainn gum bu ch貌ir dhuibh a bhith gu math toilichte: I would say that you should be well pleased. Bu ch貌ir is a very useful and important phrase. It involves c貌ir which means, in this instance, an obligation or duty. It is associated with the preposition do (or dha) and thus often appears with a prepositional pronoun, like dhomh, dhut, dha etc. Here are some examples: bu ch貌ir dhut do ch貌ta a thoirt leat (you should take your coat with you); am bu ch貌ir dhomh dhol dhachaigh? (should I go home?); tha e p貌sta, mar bu ch貌ir dha bhith aig aois (he is married, as he ought to be at his age); bu ch貌ir dhaibh an geam a bhuannachadh (they should have won the game).

Gn脿ths-cainnt na seachdaine: chuir e fh猫in is caraidean dha an creachadair ann an greim: he and friends of his arrested the plunderer. A鈥� cur an greim: to arrest, put in detention.