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A letter for Gaelic learners with Roddy MacLean.

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Litir 413: Diarmaid agus GrĂ inne

Tha sgeulachd GhĂ idhealach ainmeil co-cheangailte ri Beinn Ghulbain ann an Gleann SĂŹdh. ’S e a th’ innte sgeulachd a bhiodh GĂ idheil ag aithris, an dĂ  chuid ann an Alba is Èirinn. ’S e an t-ainm a th’ oirre “Diarmaid agus GrĂ inne”. Seo agaibh geĂ rr-chunntas dhen stĂČiridh.

            Bha Fionn MacCumhail a’ dol a phĂČsadh GrĂ inne, nighean aig fear de na rĂŹghrean ann an Èirinn. Chaidh cuireadh a thoirt do dh’uaislean na FĂšinne dhol don bhanais. Bha cuirm mhĂČr ann a mhair seachd latha. Agus nuair a bha a’ chuirm seachad do na daoine, bha cuirm eile ann do na coin.

            Bha fear aig a’ chuirm air an robh Diarmaid. ’S e gaisgeach eireachdail a bh’ ann. Bha ball-seirce air aodann – a love spot. Ball-seirce. Bhiodh e an-cĂČmhnaidh a’ cumail a bhonaid sĂŹos gus nach fhaiceadh daoine am ball-seirce. Oir, boireannach sam bith a chitheadh e, bhiodh i a’ gabhail trom-ghaol air Diarmaid sa spot.

            Aig cuirm nan con, thĂČisich feadhainn de na coin air sabaid le chĂšile. Dh’fheuch gaisgich na FĂšinne ris na coin a chur bho chĂšile. Fhad ’s a bha Diarmaid a’ dĂšanamh sin, thog e a bhonaid beagan. Agus chunnaic GrĂ inne am ball-seirce. Ghabh i gaol air Diarmaid.

            “Ruithidh thu air falbh leam,” thuirt i ris.

            “Cha dùan mi sin,” arsa Diarmaid. “Cha tùid mi leat. Cha ghabh mi am bog thu. Cha ghabh mi an cruaidh thu. Cha ghabh mi a-muigh thu ’s cha ghabh mi a-staigh thu. Cha ghabh mi air each thu ’s cha ghabh mi ’d chois thu.” Chaidh Diarmaid a dh’àite fad’ air falbh. Thog e taigh is dh’fhuirich e ann.

            Madainn a bha seo cĂČ ghlaodh aig an doras ach GrĂ inne. “A bheil thu a-staigh a Dhiarmaid?” thuirt i.

            “Tha,” fhreagair Diarmaid.

            “Thig a-mach is falbh leam,” thuirt Gràinne.

            “Nach tuirt mi riut cheana,” fhreagair e, “nach gabhainn ’d chois thu, ’s nach gabhainn air each thu, ’s nach gabhainn a-muigh thu, ’s nach gabhainn a-staigh thu, ’s nach biodh gnothach agam riut.”

            Bha i eadar dà ursainn an dorais air muin boc goibhre. Tha mi airson ’s gun tuig sibh sin gu ceart. She was between the two door posts on the back of a billy goat. Bha i eadar dà ursainn an dorais air muin boc goibhre.

            “Chan eil mi a-muigh is chan eil mi a-staigh,” thuirt i. “Chan eil mi ’m chois ’s chan eil mi air each. Feumaidh tu dhol leam.”

            “Chan eil àite dhan d’ rachamaid,” thuirt Diarmaid, “air nach biodh fios aig Fionn nuair a chuireadh e a làmh fo a dheud fhiosach. Marbhaidh e mi ma dh’fhalbhas mi leat.”

            “ThĂšid sinn do Charraig,” thuirt GrĂ inne. “Tha uiread de Charraigean ann ’s nach bi fios aige cĂČ an tĂš anns a bheil sinn.” Agus dh’fhalbh iad cĂČmhla gu Ă ite air an robh Carraig an Daimh. Rinn iad an dachaigh ann. Bha Diarmaid na shaor agus na iasgair, agus bhiodh GrĂ inne a’ reic nan soithichean fiodha a bha Diarmaid a’ dĂšanamh. Ach bha leapannan air leth aca.

            Latha a bha seo thĂ inig bodach mĂČr nan rathad. Fear ris an abradh iad Ciofach Mac a’ Ghoill. Ghabh GrĂ inne taitneachd dhen bhodach. Rinn i fhĂšin is am bodach plana airson Diarmaid a mharbhadh. Bha Diarmaid ag obair air na soithichean. Thug am bodach ionnsaigh air. Bha am bodach lĂ idir ach bha Diarmaid na bu lĂ idire. Chuir Diarmaid am bodach fodha.

            Rug Gràinne air sgian agus stob i ann an sliasaid Dhiarmaid i. Theich Diarmaid. Is cluinnidh sinn na thachair an ath-sheachdain. 

Faclan na Litreach

Beinn Ghulbain: Ben Gulabin; Gleann SĂŹdh: Glenshee; Fionn MacCumhail: Fingal.

Abairtean na Litreach

nighean aig fear de na rĂŹghrean: a daughter of one of the kings; do dh’uaislean na FĂšinne: to the Fingalian gentlemen; a mhair seachd latha: which lasted seven days; bha cuirm eile ann do na coin: there was another feast for the dogs; ’s e gaisgeach eireachdail a bh’ ann: he was a handsome hero; gus nach fhaiceadh daoine am ball-seirce: so that people wouldn’t see the love spot; boireannach sam bith a chitheadh e: any woman that would see it; bhiodh i a’ gabhail trom-ghaol air: she would fall deeply in love with; sa spot: instantly; ris na coin a chur bho chĂšile: to separate the dogs; thog e a bhonaid: he lifted his hat; ruithidh thu air falbh leam: you’ll run away with me; cha ghabh mi an cruaidh thu: I’ll not take you in hardness; cha ghabh mi air each thu ’s cha ghabh mi ’d chois thu: I’ll not take you on horseback and I’ll not take you on foot; a dh’àite fad’ air falbh: to a place far away; cĂČ ghlaodh aig an doras: who shouted at the door; nach tuirt mi riut cheana: didn’t I say to you already; nach gabhainn ’d chois thu: that I wouldn’t take you on foot; nach biodh gnothach agam riut: that I wouldn’t have anything to do with you; chan eil Ă ite dhan d’ rachamaid: there’s no place we would [could] go; nuair a chuireadh e a lĂ mh fo a dheud fhiosach: when he put his hand under his tooth of knowledge; bha X na shaor agus na iasgair: X was a carpenter and fisherman; soithichean fiodha: wooden vessels; bha leapannan air leth aca: they had separate beds; thĂ inig bodach mĂČr nan rathad: a big old man appeared in their vicinity; ghabh X taitneachd de Y: X took a liking to Y; stob i ann an sliasaid X i: she stuck it into X’s thigh.

Puing-chĂ nain na Litreach

Fear ris an abradh iad Ciofach Mac a’ Ghoill: a man whom they would call Ciofach Mac a’ Ghoill (Ciofach, son of the foreigner/lowlander). Being from more northerly parts, I don’t tend to use the full range of the irregular verb abair (“say”) in my Gaelic – but I occasionally deliberately put it in the Litir so you will be exposed to it. You will only commonly find its full usage today in Argyll. In the more northern parts of the Gàidhealtachd you will hear ris an canadh iad, using the regular verb can (a’ cantainn/cantail), rather than ris an abradh iad. In Argyll you will hear things like mar a dh’abradh tu, abramaid in place of mar a chanadh tu (as you would say), canamaid (let us say).

GnĂ ths-cainnt na Litreach

Tha uiread de Charraigean ann ’s nach bi fios aige cĂČ an tĂš anns a bheil sinn: there are so many Carraigs that he won’t know which one we’re in.

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