大象传媒

Bhiodh na seann daoine air a鈥� Ghaidhealtachd ag r脿dh, 鈥渘uair a th猫id thu air ch猫ilidh air madadh-allaidh, thoir do ch霉 leat.鈥� Deagh chomhairle, chanainn, agus bidh sibh a鈥� tuigsinn gu robhar a鈥� bruidhinn air barrachd na d矛reach madadh-allaidh. Bha iad a鈥� cleachdadh a鈥� mhadaidh-allaidh mar shamhla de chunnart, ged a tha deasbad ann co-dhi霉 tha iad dha-r矛reabh cunnartach do dhaoine.

Bha na seann Ghaidheil e貌lach gu le貌r air a鈥� mhadadh-allaidh, agus e cumanta air feadh na Gaidhealtachd o shean. Ach cuin鈥� a chaidh am fear mu dheireadh a mharbhadh? Agus c脿ite? Agus c貌 rinn an gnothach? Uill, leis an fh矛rinn innse, cha bhi fios againn le cinnt air a sin a-chaoidh. Tha beul-aithris bho ghrunn 脿iteachan mu dheidhinn agus bu mhath leam s霉il a thoirt air st貌iridh bho dh脿 脿ite.

Bha fear Ruairidh MacIlleathain na bh脿illidh air oighreachd Ard Rois faisg air Alanais ann an Ros an Ear agus thug e seachad 貌raid mu dheidhinn Sg矛re Rois Chuithne aig Comunn G脿idhlig Inbhir Nis ann an ochd ceud deug, ceithir fichead 鈥檚 a sia. Nise, le ainm mar sin, tha fhios gu robh e onarach 鈥檚 nach innseadh e breug sam bith! Co-dhi霉, bha esan dhen bheachd gu robh am madadh-allaidh mu dheireadh ann an Alba air a mharbhadh anns an sg矛re sin aig toiseach an ochdamh linn deug. Agus seo mar a thachair e.

Bha cailleach a-muigh aig ceithir uairean sa mhadainn air Latha na Bliadhn鈥� Uire. Bha i a鈥� dol gu taigh a n脿baidh airson greideal fhaighinn. Cha robh greideal aice fh猫in agus bha i airson bonnach a dh猫anamh dhi fh猫in. Nuair a bha i a鈥� tilleadh dhachaigh, chunnaic i am madadh-allaidh ann am meadhan an rathaid, a鈥� sgr貌badh na talmhainn. Ghabh i eagal, ach an 脿ite ruith air falbh, thug i sgleog don mhadadh-allaidh air a dhruim leis a鈥� ghreideal. An uairsin ruith i air falbh.

Dh鈥檌nnis i do fheadhainn eile d猫 bh鈥� air tachairt agus th脿inig iad a-mach airson a cuideachadh. Bha am madadh-allaidh air a ghoirteachadh agus cha b鈥� urrainn dha ruith air falbh. Agus rinn na daoine dochann air gus an d鈥檉huair e b脿s.

Uill, 鈥檚 d貌cha gu bheil sin f矛or, ach tha e car coltach ri sgeulachdan eile mu bh脿s a鈥� mhadaidh-allaidh mu dheireadh. Tha ainmean-脿ite a鈥� cur taic ris, ge-t脿. Chaidh am preas far an do thachair e ainmeachadh mar Phreas a鈥� Mhadaidh, agus tha cnoc faisg air an 脿ite air a bheil Cnoc a鈥� Mhadaidh fhathast, far an robh saobhaidh aig a鈥� mhadadh-allaidh, a r猫ir Ruairidh MhicIlleathain.

Ach tha sgeulachd eile ann a tha gu math inntinneach mu bh脿s a鈥� mhadaidh-allaidh mu dheireadh, is tha sin 脿 Siorrachd Inbhir Nis. Bha fear MacCuidhein a鈥� fuireach aig ceann shuas Shrath Eireann anns a鈥� Mhonadh Liath. B鈥� e Mac an T貌isich a cheann-cinnidh.

Dh鈥檌arr Mac an T貌isich air na fir aige tighinn cruinn airson cur 脿s do mhadadh-allaidh dubh a bh鈥� air dithis chloinne a mharbhadh. Th脿inig iad uile cruinn aig an 脿m a chaidh iarraidh orra, ach a-mh脿in aon duine 鈥� MacCuidhein. Bha e fadalach, agus cha robh an ceann-cinnidh toilichte.

Mu dheireadh, nochd MacCuidhein agus fhuair e trod bho Mhac an T貌isich airson a bhith fadalach. 鈥淐iod i a鈥� chabhag?鈥� dh鈥檉haighnich MacCuidhein. Bha s脿mhchair ann airson tiotan, agus mus tuirt an ceann-cinnidh c脿il eile, dh鈥檉hosgail MacCuidhein a chuid aodaich agus thug e a-mach ceann dubh fuilteach a鈥� mhadaidh-allaidh mu dheireadh ann an Alba. 鈥淪in e dhuibh,鈥� thuirt MacCuidhein agus thilg e air an talamh e aig casan Mhic an T貌isich.

cumanta: common; o shean: in olden times; a-chaoidh: ever; b脿illidh:factor; oighreachd Ard Rois: Ardross estate; Sg矛re Rois Chuithne: the Parish of Rosskeen;greideal: girdle; bonnach: bannock; Preas a Mhadaidh: the wolfs thicket; saobhaidh: animals den; Srath Eireann: Strathdearn; ceann-cinnidh: clan chief; trod: a scolding; s脿mhchair:silence; tiotan: moment; fuilteach: bloody; thilg e: he threw.

deagh chomhairle, chanainn: good advice, I would say; bidh sibha tuigsinn gu robhar a bruidhinn air barrachd na d矛reach madadh-allaidh: you will understandthat more than just a wolf was being talked about; mar shamhla de chunnart: as a symbol ofdanger; cuin a chaidh am fear mu dheireadh a mharbhadh?: when was the last one killed?; tha聽fhios gu robh e onarach s nach innseadh e breug sam bith: Im sure he was honest and that he聽would not tell a lie (given that his name was Ruairidh MacIlleathain!); a sgr貌badh na talmhainn:聽scraping the ground (note that talmhainn is the genitive singular of talamh, employed here as聽it is the object of a verbal noun); thug i sgleog do X: she gave X a clout; rinn na daoinedochann air gus an dfhuair e b脿s: the people beat it until it died (masc.); th脿inig iad uile cruinnaig an 脿m a chaidh iarraidh orra: they all gathered together at the time requested of them; ciodi a chabhag?: whats the hurry?; dhfhosgail MacCuidhein a chuid aodaich: Macqueen openedhis clothing; sin e dhuibh: there it is for you.

mu dheireadh, nochd MacCuidhein agus fhuair e trod bhoMhac an T貌isich airson a bhith fadalach: in the end, Macqueen arrived and was scolded byMackintosh for being late. Do you understand the subtle differences between the Gaelic words聽and expressions which equate to latein English? There is a degree of overlap between them,聽but I shall attempt to simplify the picture. If it is late at night, it is anmoch, which is theopposite of moch, early. He came home late (ie after midnight): th脿inig e dhachaigh anmoch.Note that there is a hidden vowel in anmoch: it is pronounced AN-a-moch. If you wish to saythat somebody is late for an appointment or meeting or event, even if the hour of the day is not聽late, the best word to use is fadalach. Mackintoshs men probably gathered in the morning and聽Macqueen was fadalach. If you are running late, in other words you are behind schedule in聽general terms, it is best to say that you are air dheireadh. Tha mi duilich, ach tha mi airdheireadh le m obair agus bidh mi fadalach (Im sorry, but Im behind with my work and I willbe late). And a word of warning in using a dictionary. If you see a reference, for example, tothe late Donald MacLeod (ie deceased), make sure you say nach maireann and not fadalach,anmoch or air dheireadh!

nuair a th猫id thu air ch猫ilidh air madadh-allaidh, thoir do ch霉leat: when you go to visit a wolf, take your dog with you; ie be prepared for whatever circumstancesyou may meet!