An Uamh Mhòr (2)
I was telling you about the Big Cave (Raitts Cave) near Kingussie. The
MacNivens stole cattle on the land of MacPherson of Cluny. MacPheerson
sent his daughter to the MacNivens as a messenger. The MacNivens sent
her home without a petticoat and with the stolen bull along with her.
The bull had no tongue. That was a challenge to MacPherson. He decided
to wreak revenge on the MacNivens.
One of the MacPhersons – loquacious Alasdair – put an armed band
together. They attacked the MacNivens. Only eighteen of the MacNivens
remained alive the next day. They were hiding in the woods.
They didn’t flee the area, however. They created an underground house
and they built a farmhouse above it. They stayed there secretly. There
was a trapdoor in the kitchen floor. The women sent the men food
through the trapdoor.
Loquacious Alasdair suspected that some of the MacNiven men were still
alive. But he didn’t know where they were. He decided to find out.
He disappeared. He let his beard grow. He disguised himself as a
beggar. He went to the farmer’s house in Raitts. He asked for a night’s
lodging. When the women tried to get him out of ths house, he started
to scream. He was pretending that he was suffering from a kidney stone.
The women took pity on him. They allowed him to lie in front of the
fire in the kitchen.
Alasdair pretended he was asleep. The women opened the trapdoor and
sent food down to the men. Alasdair saw them. He left next morning. He
put together an armed band. They returned to the farmer’s house. They
found the men under the floor. And they killed them.
The farmer’s house must have been dismantled. All that is left is the
Big Cave itself.
The Big Cave (2)
Bha mi ag innse dhuibh mun Uaimh Mhòir faisg air Ceann a’ Ghiùthsaich. Thog
Clann ʼic Ille Naoimh creach air fearann Mhic a’ Phearsain Chluainidh.
Chuir Mac a’ Phearsain a nighean gu ruige Clann ʼic Ille Naoimh mar
theachdaire. Chuir Clann ʼic Ille Naoimh dhachaigh i gun chòta bàn oirre,
agus leis an tarbh a ghoid iad na cois. Bha an tarbh gun teanga. Bha sin na
dhùbhlan do Mhac a’ Phearsain. Chuir esan roimhe dìoghaltas a dhèanamh air
Clann ʼic Ille Naoimh.
Chuir fear de Chlann ʼic a’ Phearsain – Alasdair Cainnteach – feachd ri
chèile. Thug iad ionnsaigh air Clann ʼic Ille Naoimh. Cha robh ach ochd
duine deug de Clann ʼic Ille Naoimh fhathast beò an ath mhadainn. Bha
iadsan am falach anns na coilltean.
Cha do theich iad às an sgìre, ge-tà. Chruthaich iad taigh fo-thalamh, agus
thog iad taigh aig tuathanach os a chionn. Dh’fhuirich iad an sin gu
dìomhair. Bha doras-bùird ann an ùrlar a’ chidsin. Bha na boireannaich a’
cur biadh do na fir tron doras.
Bha amharas aig Alasdair Cainnteach gun robh cuid de dh’fhir Clann ʼic Ille
Naoimh fhathast beò. Ach cha robh fios aige cà’ robh iad. Chuir e roimhe
faighinn a-mach.
Dh’fhalbh e à fianais. Leig e le fheusag fàs. Chuir e e fhèin ann an riochd
dìol-dèirce. Chaidh e gu taigh an tuathanaich ann an Ràt. Dh’iarr e cuid na
h-oidhche. Nuair a dh’fheuch na boireannaich ri a chur a-mach às an taigh,
thòisich e air sgreuchail. Bha e a’ cumail a-mach gun robh e a’ fulang leis
a’ chloich-fhuail no kidney stone. Ghabh na boireannaich truas
ris. Leig iad leis laighe air beulaibh an teine anns a’ chidsin.
Thug Alasdair a’ chreidsinn gun robh e na chadal. Dh’fhosgail na
boireannaich an doras-bùird agus chuir iad biadh sìos do na fir. Chunnaic
Alasdair iad. Dh’fhalbh e an ath mhadainn. Chuir e feachd ri chèile. Thill
iad gu taigh an tuathanaich. Lorg iad na fir fon ùrlar. Agus mharbh iad
iad.
Feumaidh gun deach taigh an tuathanaich a leagail. Chan eil sgeul air
an-diugh. Chan eil air fhàgail ach an Uamh Mhòr fhèin.
