1273: ‘Sarah’ agus an Dà-shealladh (2)
Litir sheachdaineach do luchd-ionnsachaidh le clàr-fuaime, tar-sgrìobhadh is mìneachadh. A weekly letter to Gaelic learners with audio, transcription and explanation.
Tha an litir ag obrachadh leis an fhaclair. Tagh an taba ‘teacsa Gàidhlig’ agus tagh facal sam bith san teacsa agus fosglaidh am faclair ann an taba ùr agus bidh mìneachadh den fhacal ann. The letter is integrated with the dictionary. Select the tab ‘Gaelic text’ and choose any word and the dictionary will open and you will see the English explanation of the Gaelic word.
‘Sarah’ agus an Dà-shealladh (2)
Bha mi ag innse dhuibh mu bhoireannach à taobh Loch Raineach. Bha an dà shealladh aice. Sgrìobh an t-Urramach Iain Mac na Ceàrdaich, ministear ann an Ceann Loch Raineach, dàn mu a deidhinn. Nochd e ann an clò ann an naoi ceud deug ’s a còig (1905). Ghabh e ‘Sarah’ air a’ bhoireannach mar ainm.
Tha mi airson tuilleadh innse dhuibh mu dheidhinn Sarah agus mun fhàidheadarachd aice. Latha a bha seo, chaidh am muillear à Camas Fheàrnain a dhìth. Chaill e a rathad air a shlighe dhachaigh air oidhche dhorch. Tha Uisge Thatha a’ sruthadh bho Chamas Fheàrnain gu Obar Pheallaidh (agus nas fhaide). ’S e abhainn mhòr a th’ innte. Bha dùil gun robh am muillear air tuiteam don abhainn. Rinn sgioba rannsachadh. Fhuair iad lorg air a bhonaid ach cha robh sgeul air a chorp.
Chaidh buidheann a-null a Raineach a bhruidhinn ri Sarah. Bha fios aice ro làimh gun robh iad a’ tighinn agus dè bha fa-near dhaibh. Nise, cha robh Sarah air a bhith ann an Obar Pheallaidh riamh roimhe. Mar sin, cha robh i air an drochaid iongantach a thog an Seanalair Wade fhaicinn. Bidh an drochaid a’ gabhail trafaig fhathast.
Rinn Sarah sgeidse dhen drochaid agus sheall i do na daoine far an robh corp a’ mhuilleir. Dh’iarr i orra cabhag a dhèanamh, air eagal ’s gum biodh an corp air a sguabadh air falbh leis an uisge. Nuair a chaidh na daoine ann, bha corp a’ mhuilleir aig bonn na drochaid mar a thuirt Sarah.
Turas eile, bha tubaist eile ann an Uisge Thatha. Bha fear à Gar Tulaich a bha, a rèir aithris, na ribear. Chan urrainn dhomh a ràdh am biodh e a’ ribeadh bhìobhairean. Tha gu leòr dhiubh ann an Uisge Thatha a-nise. Ach chan urrainn dhomh a ràdh an robh iad fhathast ann am bith ann an Alba aig an àm sin.
Co-dhiù, thuit an ribear don abhainn air oidhche dhorch. Chaidh a bhàthadh agus chaidh a chorp a sguabadh air falbh leis an t-sruth. Chaidh triùir à Gar Tulaich a bhruidhinn ri Sarah mun chùis. Thuirt i riutha gum faigheadh iad lorg air corp an duine air beulaibh togalach anns an robh mòran uinneagan.
Thill na fir dhachaigh agus ged as e Latha na Sàbaid a bh’ ann, rinn iad rannsachadh airson a’ chuirp. Dh’iarr iad air a’ mhinistear a choit a chur gu feum anns an abhainn. Ach cha robh am ministear toilichte mun iarrtas. Cha tug e cead dhaibh.
Bha argamaid ann an uair sin. Thuirt fear de na daoine ris a’ mhinistear gun robh eisimpleirean ann dhen dà-shealladh anns a’ Bhìoball. Aig a’ cheann thall, dh’aontaich am ministear a choit a thoirt dhaibh. Ach ged a rannsaich na daoine fad an latha, cha do lorg iad an corp.
An ath latha, chaidh iad a-mach a-rithist agus lorg iad an corp air beulaibh togalach eile anns an robh mòran uinneagan. B’ fheudar don mhinistear – a rèir a’ mhinisteir eile a sgrìobh an dàn – aideachadh gun robh rudeigin dha-rìribh anns an dà-shealladh.
A rèir choltais, chleachd Sarah copan no cuach de sheòrs air choreigin nuair a bha i ri fàidheadaireachd. Chitheadh i rudeigin anns a’ chopan. Gu mì-fhortanach, dh’fhalbh an copan à fianais an dèidh a bàis.
Faclan na Litreach: ro-ràdh: foreword; an t-Urramach Iain Mac na Ceàrdaich: the Rev John Sinclair; dàn: poem; fàidheadarachd: soothsaying; Uisge Thatha: The River Tay; sgeidse: sketch.
Abairtean na Litreach: taobh Loch Raineach: Loch Rannoch-side; ghabh e ‘X’ air a’ bhoireannach mar ainm: he called the woman ‘X’; chaidh am muillear à Camas Fheàrnain a dhìth: the miller from Camserney went missing; a rathad air a shlighe dhachaigh air oidhche dhorch: his way on his route home on a dark night; gun robh am muillear air tuiteam don abhainn: that the miller had fallen into the river; cha robh X air a bhith ann an Obar Pheallaidh riamh roimhe: X had never been in Aberfeldy; an drochaid iongantach a thog an Seanalair Wade: the amazing bridge that General Wade built; fear à Gar Tulaich a bha, a rèir aithris, na ribear: a man from Grandtully who was, according to report(s), a trapper; chan urrainn dhomh a ràdh am biodh e a’ ribeadh bhìobhairean: I can’t say if he would be trapping beavers; an robh iad fhathast ann am bith: were they still in existence; chaidh a bhàthadh: he was drowned; air beulaibh togalach anns an robh mòran uinneagan: in front of a building which had many windows; ged as e Latha na Sàbaid a bh’ ann, rinn iad rannsachadh airson a’ chuirp: although it was the Sabbath Day, they searched for the body; dh’iarr iad air a’ mhinistear a choit a chur gu feum: they asked the minister for the use of his (small) boat; cha tug e cead dhaibh: he did not give them permission; gun robh eisimpleirean ann dhen dà-shealladh anns a’ Bhìoball: that there were examples of the second sight in the Bible; b’ fheudar don mhinistear aideachadh gun robh rudeigin dha-rìribh anns an dà-shealladh: the minister had to admit there was certainly something in the second sight; chitheadh i rudeigin anns a’ chopan: she would see something in the cup; dh’fhalbh an copan à fianais an dèidh a bàis: the cup disappeared after her death.
Puing-chànain na Litreach: Bha fios aice ro làimh gun robh iad a’ tighinn agus dè bha fa-near dhaibh: she knew beforehand that they were coming and what they had in mind. Fa-near means ‘under consideration’. Thoir fa-near means ‘take note (of). With the preposition do/dha (and usually the verb bi), it can be used for an expression of intention or consideration.
Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: air eagal ’s gum biodh an corp air a sguabadh air falbh: in case the body would be swept away.
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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
This letter corresponds to Tha an Litir seo a’ buntainn ri An Litir Bheag 969
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