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02/01/2012

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

5 minutes

Last on

Mon 2 Jan 2012 19:00

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An Litir Bheag 347

Tha mi a’ dol a dh’innse dhuibh dĂ  stĂČiridh air a bheil ‘Luran’ mar ainm. Anns an dĂ  stĂČiridh – Ă  Uibhist a Deas agus Barraigh – tha sĂŹthichean agus brochan, no lite. Ach tha rudan diofraichte eadar na stĂČiridhean cuideachd. An toiseach, an t-seachdain seo, an sgeulachd Uibhisteach:

            Bha fear ann a bha a’ fuireach ann an Staoinebrig cĂČmhla ri a bhean. ’S e Luran an t-ainm a bha air. Bha e ag obair a-muigh fad an latha. Bha e a’ tilleadh dhachaigh air an oidhche. Bha a’ bhean aige leatha fhĂšin aig an taigh.

            Latha a bha seo, thĂ inig Luran dhachaigh. Bha sgeul aig a bhean dha. Nuair a bha Luran air falbh, bha fear a bha seo a’ tighinn. Bha e a’ coimhead a-steach air uinneag. Nuair a bha fios aige gun robh a’ bhean leatha fhĂšin, bha e a’ tighinn don doras. Bha ise a’ fosgladh an dorais dha. Bha esan cĂČmhla rithe fad an latha.

            Dh’fhuirich Luran aig an taigh. Chaidh e am falach. ThĂ inig an duine do dh’uinneag. Choimhead e a-steach. Chunnaic e gun robh am boireannach leatha fhĂšin. ThĂ inig e don doras. Dh’fhosgail am boireannach an doras dha. ThĂ inig an srainnsear a-steach. Leum Luran a-steach don t-seĂČmar.

            A-mach air an doras a dh’fhalbh an srainnsear. Bha Luran air a thĂČir. Rinn am fear air a’ mhonadh gu luath. Bha Luran air a shĂ ilean. Bha iad faisg air loch ris an canar Loch Iarais. RĂ inig am fear Taigh Iarais – cĂ rn mĂČr chlachan faisg air an loch.

            Thionndaidh an srainnsear. Thuirt e, “Tha Luran luath gu leĂČr ach tha a chuid arain cruaidh. Nam biodh brochan aige mar bhiadh, bhiodh e fada na bu luaithe.” Chaidh am fear Ă  fianais. Agus thill Luran dhachaigh.

            ThĂČisich e air brochan a ghabhail seach aran. Ach, an dĂšidh greis, thĂČisich e air cuideam a chur air. Dh’fhĂ s e mĂČr, trom is cliobach.

            Thuig e gun robh an srainnsear ri plĂČigh. Bha e ag iarraidh gum biodh Luran a’ fĂ s mall. Chaidh Luran air ais don t-seann daithead aige. Leig e seachad am brochan. Dh’ith e aran. Bha e fut is sgiobalta a-rithist. Agus chan fhacas an srainnsear tuilleadh.

The Little Letter 347

I’m going to tell you two stories both called ‘Luran’. In the two stories – from South Uist and Barra – there are fairies and porridge. But there are differences between the stories also. To begin with, this week, the Uist story.

        There was a man who lived in Stoneybridge with his wife. He was called Luran. He worked outside all day long. He was returning home at night. His wife was all day at the house by herself.

        One day, Luran came home. His wife had a story for him. When Luran was away, this man was coming. He was looking in the window. When he knew the wife was by herself, he was coming to the door. She was opening the door to him. He was with her all day.

        Luran stayed at home. He hid. The man came to a window. He looked in. He saw that the woman was by herself. He came to the door. The woman opened the door to him. The stranger came in. Luran jumped into the room.

        Out of the door went the stranger. Luran was in pursuit of him. The man made quickly for the hill country. Luran was on his heels. They were close to a loch called Loch Iarais. The man reached Taigh Iarais – a big cairn of stones near the loch.

        The stranger turned around. He said, “Luran is quick enough but his bread is hard. If he had porridge for food, he’d be much faster.” The man disappeared. And Luran went home.

        He started to take porridge rather than bread. But, after a while, he started to put weight on. He grew big, heavy and clumsy.

        He understood that the stranger had had a strategy. He was wanting Luran to become slow. Luran went back to his old diet. He gave up porridge. He ate bread. He was fit and nimble once more. And the stranger was never seen again.

Broadcast

  • Mon 2 Jan 2012 19:00

All the letters

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

Podcast: An Litir Bheag

The Little Letter for Gaelic Learners

An Litir Bheag air LearnGaelic

An Litir Bheag is also on LearnGaelic (with PDFs)

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