大象传媒

Halo, a-rithist, a ch脿irdean. Tha mi an d貌chas gu bheil sibh uile gu snog, gu bheil sibh gu d貌igheil, gu bheil sibh gu sunndach, gu bheil sibh ann an deagh shunnd. Sin ceithir d貌ighean eadar-dhealaichte airson a r脿dh ri cuideigin gu bheil sibh an d貌chas gu bheil e gu math.

D猫 na d貌ighean eile as aithne dhuibh airson sin? 鈥橲 d貌cha gum biodh sin na chuspair math airson a鈥� chlas Gh脿idhlig agaibh an ath-thrup. Sin ma tha sibh fortanach gu le貌r 鈥檚 gu bheil clas is tidsear agaibh, oir tha fios agam gu bheil feadhainn a bhios ag 猫isteachd ri Litir do Luchd Ionnsachaidh a鈥� fuireach fad air falbh bho thidsear sam bith. Mo dh霉rachd dhuibh uile.

Tha mi fh矛n ann an deagh shunnd co-dhi霉 agus, air s脿illeamh sin, bu mhath leam t貌imhseachan a thoirt dhuibh. Tha mi an d貌chas gu bheil a leithid a鈥� c貌rdadh ribh! 脠istibh ris an rann seo. Tha ceist ann aig an deireadh:

Is math a dhannsadh Uisdean Friseal,

Uisdean Friseal, Uisdean Friseal,

Is math a dhannsadh Uisdean Friseal,

Leis an fhichead maighdinn;

C貌ignear roimhe 鈥檚 as a dh猫idh

C貌ignear roimhe 鈥檚 as a dh猫idh

C貌ignear roimhe 鈥檚 as a dh猫idh

C貌ignear air gach l脿imh dheth.

Cia mheud maighdeann a bha a鈥� dannsadh leis?

Feumaidh gur e duine tarraingeach a bh鈥� ann an Uisdean agus na h-uibhir de mhaighdeannan a鈥� dannsadh leis aig an aon 脿m! Duine fortanach. Uill, 鈥檚 d貌cha鈥�

脠istibh ris a-rithist. D猫 eile a dh鈥檉haodadh a bhith anns na 鈥渕aighdeannan鈥� mura h-e boireannaich a th鈥� annta鈥�?

Is math a dhannsadh Uisdean Friseal,

Uisdean Friseal, Uisdean Friseal,

Is math a dhannsadh Uisdean Friseal,

Leis an fhichead maighdinn;

C貌ignear roimhe 鈥檚 as a dh猫idh

C貌ignear roimhe 鈥檚 as a dh猫idh

C貌ignear roimhe 鈥檚 as a dh猫idh

C貌ignear air gach l脿imh dheth.

Cia mheud maighdeann a bha a鈥� dannsadh leis?

鈥橲 d貌cha gun do dh鈥檌onnsaich sibh gu bheil 鈥渃貌ignear鈥� a鈥� seasamh airson c貌ig daoine 鈥� c貌ignear bhoireannach, mar eisimpleir, neo c貌ignear Le貌dhasach. Ach chan eil sin an-c貌mhnaidh f矛or. Ann an cuid de che脿rnaidhean, cluinnear faclan mar ch貌ignear co-cheangailte ri beathaichean no eadhon ri rudan nach eil be貌. Agus ann an t貌imhseachain, uill, tha sinn saor airson car a thoirt 脿 daoine le beagan meallaidh, nach eil?

Anns an rann shuas, bha Uisdean Friseal a鈥� dannsadh leis fh猫in, na aonar. Cha robh sgeul air maighdeann sam bith. Tha 鈥渃貌ignear鈥� a鈥� ciallachadh an seo nan corragan is 貌rdagan aige, air a chois is air a l脿imh. C貌ignear roimhe is c貌ignear as a dh猫idh 鈥� a鈥� ciallachadh air a bheulaibh is air a ch霉laibh. Coignear air gach l脿imh dheth. Uill, tha sin f矛or, nach eil? Chan eil c脿il eile agam ri r脿dh mun ghnothach ach aon rud, Ma 鈥檚 e Uisdean Friseal a th鈥� oirbh mar ainm, nach gabh sibh mo leisgeul!

Nise, airson cr矛och a chur air gnothaichean an-diugh, seo agaibh t貌imhseachan eile a dh鈥檉heumas sibh smaoineachadh mu dheidhinn anns an t-seachdain a tha romhainn. Bheir mi am fuasgladh dhuibh anns an ath-Litir:

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?

Chan eil sin furasta, gu dearbh, agus chanainn gur iad an fheadhainn agaibh a tha math air matamataig a n矛 a鈥� ch霉is. Tuigidh sibh gur ann air na ge貌idh a th鈥� aig a鈥� chaillich a tha sin a-mach. 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?

Gus an ath-sheachdain, bhuamsa Ruairidh MacIlleathain, beannachd leibh.

Faclan na seachdaine: t貌iseachan: riddle; tarraingeach: attractive; arsa (cailleach): (an old woman) said.

Abairtean na seachdaine: airson a鈥� chlas Gh脿idhlig agaibh an ath-thrup: for your Gaelic class the next time; gu bheil feadhainn a鈥� fuireach fad air falbh bho thidsear sam bith: that some live far away from any teacher; tha mi an d貌chas gu bheil a leithid a鈥� c貌rdadh ribh: I hope that you enjoy such things; is math a dhannsadh Uisdean Friseal: Hugh Fraser could dance well; leis an fhichead maighdinn: with the twenty maidens; c貌ignear roimhe 鈥檚 as a dh猫idh: five before him, five behind him; c貌ignear air gach l脿imh dheth: five on each side (hand) of him (but it can also mean five on each of his hands); agus na h-uibhir de mhaighdeannan a鈥� dannsadh leis: and lots of maidens dancing with him; d猫 eile a dh鈥檉haodadh a bhith anns na 鈥渕aighdeannan鈥� mura h-e boireannaich a th鈥� annta?: what else could the 鈥渕aidens鈥� be if they are not women?; tha sinn saor airson car a thoirt 脿 daoine le beagan meallaidh, nach eil?: we are free to trick people with a bit of deceit, are we not?; nam bitheadh agam na bheil agam: if I had what I (already) have; uiread eile 鈥檚 a leth uiread: as much again and half as much; d脿 gh猫adh agus bloigh ghe貌idh: two geese and half a goose; dh猫anadh sin fichead: that would make twenty.

Puing-ghr脿mair na seachdaine: Ach chan eil sin an-c貌mhnaidh f矛or: but that is not always true. Are you familiar with different ways of expressing 鈥渁lways鈥� in Gaelic? An-c貌mhnaidh is a common adverb which does the job; another is daonnan eg tha e daonnan ann a sin (he is always there). Both of these are used particularly if referring to occurrences in the present tense. If looking back in time, a-riamh is the most appropriate adverb eg bha gaol aige oirre a-riamh (he always loved her). If looking into the future one might use a-chaoidh eg bidh gaol agam ort a-chaoidh (I will always love you); alternatively, one might use gu br脿th or gu s矛orraidh eg bidh gaol is gr脿in ann gu br脿th/gu s矛orraidh (love and hate will always exist).

Gn脿ths-cainnt na seachdaine: Tha mi-fh矛n ann an deagh shunnd: I鈥檓 in good spirits/good humour myself. If you were in a bad mood you might say, 鈥渢ha mi ann an droch shunnd.鈥�