78: The maiden of the knoll 78: Nighean an Tomaidh
Litir shìmplidh sheachdaineach do luchd-ionnsachaidh le clàr-fuaime, tar-sgrìobhadh is eadar-theangachadh. A simple weekly letter to Gaelic learners with audio, transcription and translation.
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Nighean an Tomaidh
Bha mi ag innse dhuibh an t-seachdain sa chaidh mun turas a ghabh mi gu Dùn Dearduil. Faisg air an dùn, chuala mi fuaim neònach. Bha e coltach ri beathach a’ sgreuchail. Dè bh’ ann? Craobhan a’ suathadh na chèile? Beathach ann an ribe? No taibhs?
A bheil sibh fhèin a’ creidsinn ann an taibhsean? Leugh mi o chionn ghoirid mu bhoireannach air an robh Nighean an Tomaidh. Bha i beò anns an ochdamh linn deug. A h-uile latha dhen bhliadhna chaidh i gu mullach Dhùn Dearduil. Bha i a’ seinn fhad ’s a bha i a’ coiseachd.
Bha an rann bheag seo aice:
Hò, thèid mi a Dhùn Dearduil,
An Dùn as docha leam sa choill.
Togaidh mi taigh air Dearduil Ghuanach,
Togaidh mi sabhal air a’ Chreig Dheirg,
Cìridh mi m’ fhalt dualach donn air Creag nan Gobhar.
Bha craobhan ann nuair a bha Nighean an Tomaidh beò, oir bha i a’ seinn An Dùn as docha leam sa choill – the dùn I like best in the forest.
Chan eil fhios agam am bi taibhs Nighean an Tomaidh fhathast ann. Ach lorg mi fiosrachadh inntinneach. Bha taibhsean ann an àite air a bheil Glac an Amair, faisg air Bail’ an Lagain. Tha baile-fearainn fhathast ann am Bail’an Lagain. Bho Bhail’ an Lagain, tha sealladh math ann de Dhùn Dearduil.
Anns an t-seann aimsir bha bodachan a’ fuireach ann. Cha robh ceann aige, ach bha còta dearg air. Aon turas, chunnaic treabhaiche à Bail’ an Lagain e. Chuir an treabhaiche each a-mach airson na h-oidhche ann an Glac an Amair. Bha e a’ dol ga cheangal le dà chorraich, no shackles. Cheangail e tè de na corraich. Choimhead e airson na tèile. A-mach às an dorchadas thàinig guth – “Seo i”. Agus thilg an taibhs a’ chorrach eile a dh’ionnsaigh an treabhaiche.
Bha fuaran ainmeil ann an Glac an Amair. ’S e Fuaran Glac an Amair an t-ainm a bh’ air. Bha na daoine ag ràdh gu robh an t-uisge math do shlàinte. Agus a rèir beul-aithris, bha tàcharan a’ fuireach ann. Tàcharan, taibhsean, Nighean an Tomaidh, beathach bochd... Saoil dè dìreach a rinn am fuaim neònach a chuala mi aig bonn Dùn Dearduil?
Faclan is abairtean: mun turas a ghabh mi gu Dùn Dearduil: about the trip I took to Dùn Dearduil; chuala mi fuaim neònach: I heard a strange noise; coltach ri beathach a’ sgreuchail: like an animal screaming; craobhan a’ suathadh na chèile?: trees rubbing together?; ribe: trap; taibhs:ghost; air an robh Nighean an Tomaidh: who was called “the maiden of the knoll”; anns an ochdamh linn deug: in the 18th Century; mullach: summit; fhad ’s a bha i a’ coiseachd: while she was walking; togaidh mi taigh air Dearduil Ghuanach: I’ll build a house on airy [Dùn] Dearduil; togaidh mi sabhal air a’ Chreig Dheirg: I’ll build a barn on the red rock; cìridh mi m’ fhalt dualach donn air Creag nan Gobhar: I’ll comb my waving brown locks on the rock of the goats; bha craobhan ann:there were trees; air a bheil Glac an Amair, faisg air Bail’ an Lagain: which is called the defile of the water-channel, close to Ballaggan (the farm of the little hollow); baile-fearainn: farm; tha sealladh math ann: there is a good view; anns an t-seann aimsir: in olden times; bha bodachan a’ fuireach ann: a mannikin lived there; cha robh ceann aige: he had no head; chuir an treabhaiche each a-mach airson na h-oidhche: the ploughman put out a horse for the night; cheangail e tè de na corraich: he tied one of the shackles; choimhead e airson na tèile (tè eile); he looked for the other one; a-mach às an dorchadas thàinig guth: out of the darkness came a voice; a dh’ionnsaigh an treabhaiche: towards the ploughman; fuaran:spring, well; tàcharan: sprite; saoil dè dìreach a rinn am fuaim neònach: I wonder what exactly it was that made the strange noise.
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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
This letter corresponds to Tha an Litir seo a’ buntainn ri Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 382
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