346: A’ Bhanntrach NicLeòid

Bidh sibh a’ cuimhneachadh gu robh sinn ann am Bràigh Mhàrr an t-seachdain sa chaidh. Leis gu robh a’ Bhanntrach NicLeòid a’ dol a chall na bà aice, airson an torc nimhe a bhiathadh, mharbh an gille aice, Sanndaidh, an torc. Cha robh Sanndaidh ach còig bliadhn’ deug a dh’aois. Fhuair e binn bàis airson na rinn e. Bhathar a’ dol ga chrochadh air Creag Choinnich.

Chuala a’ Bhanntrach NicLeòid gu robh an rìgh, Calum a’ Chinn Mhòir, gu bhith ann an Caisteal Ceann na Drochaid an ath là. Dh’fhàg i an taigh aice. Bha i airson coinneachadh ris an rìgh air an rathad mus ruigeadh e an caisteal. Bha i airson taic a shireadh bhuaithe. Chaidh i suas Gleann Cluainidh gu Bealach a’ Chùirn Bhuilg oir bha i cinnteach gun tigeadh an rìgh air an rathad sin bhon cheann a deas. Sin an dearbh ghleann anns a bheil an rathad mòr bhon cheann a deas an-diugh.

Chuir i seachad oidhche anns an àite fhuar sin. B’ e sin an oidhche a chuir Sanndaidh seachad anns an toll-dhubh anns a’ chaisteal airson an torc a mharbhadh, mus do bhruidhinn e ris an uachdaran. B’ fheudar don bhanntraich feitheamh gu feasgar an ath-là mus do nochd an rìgh. Chrom i i fhèin aig casan an rìgh agus ghuidh i air beatha a mic a shàbhaladh.

Thuirt an rìgh gun dèanadh e rannsachadh air a’ chùis nuair a ruigeadh e Caisteal Ceann na Drochaid, agus dh’iarr e air a’ bhanntraich a leantainn ann. Rinn i sin. Cho luath ’s a ràinig an rìgh an caisteal thog e cuspair Shanndaidh MhicLeòid leis an uachdaran. Mhìnich an t-uachdaran mar a thachair bho a shealladh-san.

Thuirt an rìgh gum faigheadh Sanndaidh cothrom a bheatha a shàbhaladh. Chuireadh a mhàthair air leac air taobh thall Uisge Chluainidh. B’ e sin an t-àite às an do loisg Sanndaidh air an torc. Dh’fheumadh Sanndaidh fuireach air drochaid-thogalach a’ chaisteil. Chuireadh fàd mònach air ceann na banntraich. Nan dèanadh Sanndaidh a’ chùis le bhith ga bhualadh le saighead bhiodh e air a leigeil ma sgaoil.

Bha an t-eagal air a’ ghille, ach b’ e sin an aon chothrom aige. Dh’iarr e gum biodh am bogha aige fhèin air a thoirt dha, agus an dà shaigheid a bha aige nuair a chaidh a chur an grèim. Fhuair e sin.

Air taobh thall Uisge Chluainidh, bha màthair a’ ghille. Bha i na seasamh le fàd mònach air a ceann. Dh’amais Sanndaidh gu cùramach agus leig e sreang a’ bhogha. Bhuail an t-saighead anns an fhàd agus thuit am fàd far ceann a mhàthar. Rinn a h-uile duine a bha ga choimhead gàirdeachas.

Dh’iarr an rìgh air Sanndaidh tighinn air a bheulaibh. “Is math a rinn thu, ’ille,” thuirt e, “ach carson a dh’iarr thu dà shaigheid? Tha fios agad, nan robh thu air fàilneachadh le aon tè, gum biodh tu air do chrochadh.”

“Nan robh mi air fàilneachadh leis a’ chiad tè,” fhreagair an gille, “agus nan robh mi air mo mhàthair a mharbhadh, bha mi air an dàrna tè a chur annaibh fhèin.” Bha an t-uabhas air an t-sluagh a bha ag èisteachd ach rinn an rìgh lachan-gàire. “Is math a thuirt thu!” dh’èigh e, agus leig e an gille ma sgaoil. Thill Sanndaidh agus a mhàthair don taigh aca ann an Gleann an t-Slugain agus dh’fhuirich iad ann an sin gu sìtheil. Thathar ag ràdh nach do tharraing Sanndaidh sreang bogha a-rithist an dèidh an là sin.

Faclan na Litreach: Calum a’ Chinn Mhòir: Malcolm Canmore; drochaid-thogalach: drawbridge; lachan-gàire: a hearty laugh.

Abairtean na Litreach: a dol a chall na bà aice: going to lose her cow; airson an torc nimhe a bhiathadh: to feed the wild boar; binn bàis:a death sentence; bhathar a’ dol ga chrochadh: he was going to be hanged; mus ruigeadh e an caisteal: before he reached the castle; Bealach a’ Chùirn Bhuilg: the Cairnwell Pass; b’ e sin an oidhche a chuir Sanndaidh seachad anns an toll-dhubh: that is the night Sandy spent in the dungeon; chrom i i fhèin aig casan an rìgh: she bent at the feet of the king; dh’iarr e air a’ bhanntraich a leantainn ann: he asked the widow to follow him there; mhìnich an t-uachdaran mar a thachair bho a shealladh-san: the landlord explained what happened from his standpoint; chuireadh a mhàthair air leac: his mother was put on a rocky ledge; chuireadh fàd mònach air: a peat was put on; nan dèanadh X a’ chùis le bhith ga bhualadh le saighead: if X succeeded by hitting it with an arrow; bhiodh e air a leigeil ma sgaoil: he would be released; dh’iarr e gum biodh am bogha aige fhèin air a thoirt dha:he asked that he be given his own bow; an dà shaigheid a bha aige nuair a chaidh a chur an grèim:the two arrows he had when he was arrested: dh’amais X gu cùramach agus leig e sreang a’ bhogha:X aimed carefully and released the bowstring; rinn a h-uile duine a bha ga choimhead gàirdeachas: everyone that was watching expressed their pleasure; nan robh thu air fàilneachadh le aon tè: if you had failed with one [of them]; gum biodh tu air do chrochadh: that you would be hanged; bha mi air an dàrna tè a chur annaibh fhèin:I would have put the second one in you; bha an t-uabhas air an t-sluagh: the people were horrified; leig e an gille ma sgaoil: he released the lad.

Puing-chànain na Litreach: ghuidh i air beatha a mic a shàbhaladh : she implored him to save the life of her son. Are you comfortable with the inflected forms of mac, “a son”? Mic means “of a son”; a’ mhic means “of a son”; a mhic means “of his son” and a mic is “of her son”. These are all genitive singular forms. Examples of the nominative singular with possessive articles are a mac (her son) and a mhac (his son). The genitive plurals of this type of word, which pluralise in the nominative by slenderisation (ie the plural of mac is mic ) are like the nominative singular, so a mhac can also mean “of his sons”, and a mac can also mean “of her sons”.

Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: is math a rinn thu, ’ille : you did well, lad.

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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh

This letter corresponds to Tha an Litir seo a’ buntainn ri An Litir Bheag 42

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