819: Ùisdean ’s an Tombaca (4)
Litir sheachdaineach do luchd-ionnsachaidh le clàr-fuaime, tar-sgrìobhadh is mìneachadh. A weekly letter to Gaelic learners with audio, transcription and explanation.
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Ùisdean ’s an Tombaca (4)
Bha Ùisdean air comharra a chur air a’ bhonn leth-chrùin a bha an cù aige, Sandaidh, a’ giùlain ann an nèapraigear timcheall amhaich. ’S e sgrìob a bh’ ann air sròn an rìgh, agus cha robh duine ann a dh’aithnicheadh i ach Ùisdean agus fear bùth an tombaca ann an Inbhir Pheofharain. Ghoid Padaidh Cam an t-airgead bhon chù mar a bhitheadh e a h-uile Dihaoine. Cha do mhothaich e don chomharra air a’ bhonn.
Nuair a ràinig Sandaidh a’ bhùth, chunnaic fear na bùtha nach robh an t-airgead anns an nèapraigear mar bu chòir. Bha fios aige gun robh cuideigin air a ghoid. Bha e air fhaicill airson an leth-chrùn sgrìobte fhaicinn. Chuir e an cù dhachaigh a dh’Ùisdean le tombaca agus teachdaireachd air pìos pàipeir – ‘chaidh a ghoid a-rithist’.
Beagan làithean an dèidh sin, thàinig Padaidh Cam a-steach don bhùth. Bha e feumach air maidsichean. Chuir e leth-chrùn air a’ chunntair. Thug fear na bùtha iomlaid dha agus dh’fhalbh Padaidh.
Thug fear na bùtha am bonn leth-chrùin chun na h-uinneig. Anns an t-solas, chunnaic e sgrìob ùr air sròn an rìgh. B’ e Padaidh am mèirleach! Ach ciamar a bha iad a’ dol a dhèiligeadh ris? Mheòraich fear na bùtha greis. An uair sin, sgrìobh e litir gu Ùisdean.
Nuair a leugh Ùisdean an litir, rinn e gàire. Bha e a’ dol a dh’fhaighinn dìoghaltas. Nuair a thàinig Dihaoine, an àite bonn leth-chrùin, chuir Ùisdean clach bheag chruinn don nèapraigear. Bha pìos pàipeir na cois. Sgrìobhte air a’ phàipear, bha seo: ‘Gu Padaidh, am mèirleach. Ma thachras mèirle a-rithist, bidh thu a’ fulang gu mòr!’
Dh’fhalbh Sandaidh a dh’ionnsaigh Inbhir Pheofharain. Bha Padaidh Cam a’ feitheamh ris. ‘Trobhad seo,’ thuirt e ris a’ chù, ‘tha briosgaid agam dhut.’ Chaidh Sandaidh gu Padaidh agus ghabh e a’ bhriosgaid. Ghreimich an duine air an nèapraigear agus dh’fhuasgail e e. Cha robh leth-chrùn ann, ach clach bheag chruinn, agus pìos pàipeir.
Cha robh comas leughaidh aig Padaidh Cam. Mar sin, cha do thuig e na bha sgrìobhte air a’ phàipear. Ach thuig e gun robh clach ann an àite leth-chrùn. Bha an t-eagal air gun robh fios aig Ùisdean cò bh’ air a bhith a’ goid a chuid airgid.
Dihaoine às dèidh sin, chuir Ùisdean an cù aige gu ruige Inbhir Pheofharain mar a b’ àbhaist. Lean e air an turas seo, a’ cumail a-mach à sealladh, ach a’ cumail sùil air le prosbaig. Bha e doirbh dha cumail suas ri Sandaidh oir bha an cù na bu luaithe na duine.
Agus dè thachair trì mìle a-mach à Inbhir Pheofharain? Stad an cù ann am meadhan an rathaid, agus thug e sùil a dh’ionnsaigh taigh Phadaidh. Bha e a’ feitheamh ris a’ bhriosgaid aige. Ach bha Padaidh am broinn an taighe leis an doras glaiste agus na cùirtearan dùinte. Bha fios le cinnt aig Ùisdean a-nise cò a bu choireach ris a’ mhèirle. Nach robh Sandaidh ga innse?!
Agus, airson bhliadhnaichean, bhiodh an cù a’ toirt tombaca dhachaigh a h-uile Dihaoine – Sandaidh agus an uair sin mac Shandaidh. Cha deach Padaidh faisg air na coin. Lean sin gus an do chaochail Ùisdean – aig aois ceathrad, le aillse sgamhain.
Faclan na Litreach: sgrìob: scratch; Inbhir Pheofharain: Dingwall; trobhad seo: come here; dh’fhuasgail: untied; cruinn: round; coin: dogs; chaochail: died.
Abairtean na Litreach: Bha Ùisdean air comharra a chur air a’ bhonn leth-chrùin: Hugh had marked the half-crown coin; a’ giùlain ann an nèapraigear timcheall amhaich: carrying in a kerchief around his neck; cha robh duine ann a dh’aithnicheadh i ach: there was nobody who would recognise it except; cha do mhothaich e don chomharra: he didn’t notice the mark; nach robh an t-airgead anns an nèapraigear mar bu chòir: that the money wasn’t in the kerchief as it should have been; gun robh cuideigin air a ghoid: that somebody had stolen it; chaidh a ghoid a-rithist: it was stolen again; b’ e Padaidh am mèirleach: Paddy was the thief; ciamar a bha iad a’ dol a dhèiligeadh ris?: how were they going to deal with him?; mheòraich X greis: X contemplated for a while; rinn e gàire: he laughed; a’ dol a dh’fhaighinn dìoghaltas: going to get revenge; ma thachras mèirle a-rithist, bidh thu a’ fulang gu mòr:if a robbery happens again, you’ll suffer big-time; ghreimich an duine air: the man took hold of; cha robh comas leughaidh aig X: X couldn’t read; cha do thuig e na bha sgrìobhte air a’ phàipear: he didn’t understand what was written on the paper; cò bh’ air a bhith a’ goid a chuid airgid: who had been stealing his money; mar a b’ àbhaist: as usual; lean e air: he followed him; a’ cumail a-mach à sealladh: keeping out of sight; a’ cumail sùil air le prosbaig: keeping an eye on him with a telescope; thug e sùil a dh’ionnsaigh: he looked towards; am broinn an taighe: inside the house; cò a bu choireach ris a’ mhèirle: who was responsible for the thieving; aig aois ceathrad, le aillse sgamhain: at the age of forty, with lung cancer.
Puing-chànain na Litreach: Bha e air fhaicill airson an leth-chrùn sgrìobte fhaicinn: he was attentive, watchful so that he might see the scratched half-crown. Faiceall is a feminine noun meaning ‘care, caution’. In the singular dative case it traditionally slenderises (being feminine) and it occurs in this idiom with the preposition air, and usually commanded by the appropriate possessive pronoun. Here are some examples: bha mi air m’ fhaicill ‘I was on guard’; bha i air a faicill ‘she was on guard’; bha sinn air ar faicill ‘we were on guard’; bha iad air am faicill ‘they were on guard’.
Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: : Bha e a’ dol a dh’fhaighinn dìoghaltas he was going to exact revenge.
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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
This letter corresponds to Tha an Litir seo a’ buntainn ri An Litir Bheag 515
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