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31/01/2011

Tha litir bheag na seachdain aig Ruaraidh MacIllEathain. This week's short letter for learners is introduced by Ruaraidh MacLean.

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Mon 31 Jan 2011 19:00
±«Óătv Radio nan GĂ idheal

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An Litir Bheag 299

Seo seann sgeulachd GhĂ idhlig air a bheil Balgam MĂČr. Bha nighean aig RĂŹgh. Bha i anabarrach brĂšagha. Bha mĂČran fhear ag iarraidh a pĂČsadh. Ach bha i dĂŹreach a’ dol a phĂČsadh fear a dhĂšanadh long a bhiodh a’ seĂČladh air muir agus tĂŹr.

Bha banntrach bhochd an sin. Bha triĂčir mhac aice. Thuirt am fear a bu shine rithe, “Èirich is deasaich dhomh bonnach, a mhĂ thair. Falbhaidh mi agus feuchaidh mi ri long a dhĂšanamh a bhios a’ seĂČladh air muir agus tĂŹr.”

Dh’ùirich a mhĂ thair. Rinn i dĂ  bhonnach, fear beag is fear mĂČr. Thuirt i ri a mac, “CĂČ as fheĂ rr leat – am bonnach mĂČr le mo mhallachd no am bonnach beag le mo bheannachd?”

“Beannachd no mallachd – thoir dhomh am bonnach mĂČr,” fhreagair e. Dh’fhalbh e leis an fhear mhĂČr.

ThĂČisich e air an long a thogail. ThĂ inig seann duine liath. “Tha thu trang, ’ille,” thuirt e.

“Tha mi sin,” thuirt esan.

“Ma bheir thu dhĂČmh pĂ irt dhen bhonnach, bheir mi taic dhut,” thuirt am fear liath.

Ach dhiĂčlt an gille. “Cha bhi gu leĂČr ann dhomh fhĂŹn,” thuirt e.

Ach cha do thog e an long. Cha do mhair am bonnach fada gu leĂČr. Cha robh biadh gu leĂČr aige. Chaidh e dhachaigh.

Thachair an dearbh rud don dĂ rna mac aig a’ bhanntraich. Ach, latha de na lĂ ithean, iarr am mac a b’ ĂČige air a mhĂ thair bonnach a dheasachadh dhĂ . Rinn a mhĂ thair dĂ  bhonnach. “CĂČ as fheĂ rr leat,” ars ise, “am fear mĂČr le mo mhallachd no am fear beag le mo bheannachd?”

“Thoiribh dhomh ur beannachd, a mhĂ thair,” ars esan. “Agus beag no mĂČr am bonnach, bidh mise toilichte.” Fhuair e bonnach beag agus beannachd leis. Dh’fhalbh e. RĂ inig e an t-Ă ite far an robh e a’ dol a thogail long.

ThĂČisich e air an obair. ThĂ inig an seann duine liath. “Tha thu trang, ’ille,” thuirt e.

“Tha mi sin,” ars esan.

“Ma bheir thu dhĂČmh pĂ irt dhen bhonnach, bheir mi taic dhut,” thuirt am fear liath.

Thug an gille pĂ irt dhen bhonnach dha.

Rinn iad an obair cĂČmhla. Bha iad deiseil gu sgiobalta. Agus chĂŹ sinn dĂš thachair an-ath-sheachdain.

The Little Letter 299

Here’s an old Gaelic story called Great Gulp. A king had a daughter. She was exceptionally beautiful. Many men wanted to marry her. But she was only going to marry a man who would build a ship that would sail on sea and on land.

        There was a poor widow there. She had three sons. The eldest one said to her, “Get up and make me a bannock, mother. I’ll leave and I’ll try to build a ship that will sail on sea and on land.”

        His mother arose. She made two bannocks, a little one and a big one. She said to her son, “Which do you prefer – the big bannock with my curse or the little bannock with my blessing?”

        “Blessing or curse – give me the big bannock,” he replied. He left with the big one.

        He started to build the ship. An old grey-haired man came. “You’re busy, lad,” he said.

        “I am that,” he said.

        “If you give me part of the bannock, I’ll help you,” the grey-haired man said.

        But the lad refused. “There won’t be enough for me,” he said.

        But he didn’t build the ship. The bannock didn’t last long enough. He didn’t have enough food. He went home.

        The same thing happened to the widow’s second son. But, one day, the youngest son asked his mother to prepare him a bannock. His mother made two bannocks. “Which do you prefer,” she said, “the big bannock with my curse or the little bannock with my blessing?”

        “Give me your blessing, mother,” he said. “And whether the bannock be small or great, I’ll be happy.” He got a small bannock and a blessing with it. He left. He reached the place where he was going to build a ship.

        He started the work. The old grey-haired man came. “You’re busy, lad,” he said.

        “I am that,” he said.

        “If you give me part of the bannock, I’ll help you,” the grey-haired man said.

        The lad gave him part of the bannock.

        They did the work together. They were finished quickly. And we’ll see what happened next week.

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  • Mon 31 Jan 2011 19:00
    ±«Óătv Radio nan GĂ idheal

All the letters

Tha gach Litir Bheag an seo / All the Little Letters are here.

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The Little Letter for Gaelic Learners

An Litir Bheag air LearnGaelic

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  • An Litir Bheag

    Litirichean do luchd-ionnsachaidh ura. Letters in Gaelic for beginners.