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A letter for Gaelic learners with Roddy MacLean.

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Litir 407: Calum Beag

Bha mi ag innse dhuibh mu Chalum Beag an t-seachdain sa chaidh. Bha Calum a’ fuireach anns na Srianan no Streens of Findhorn. Bha e mĂŹ-chliĂčiteach airson a bhith a’ goid sprĂšidh.

            Cha robh aige ach aon each – fear sean, bĂ n. Bha e feumach air each na b’ fheĂ rr oir bha aige ri tĂČrr treabhaidh a dhĂšanamh. Mharbh e an t-each aige. Thug e an t-seiche dheth agus thiodhlaic e an closach.

            Air an ath oidhche, choisich e gu ruige tuathanas ann am baile eile air taobh thall na h-aibhne. Chaidh e don stàball agus thug e a-mach leis an t-each a b’ fheàrr a bh’ ann. ’S e each donn a bh’ ann. Chaidh e dhachaigh leis.

            Chuir e an t-seiche bhàn air an each dhonn. Le fuaigheal sgileil, bha e a’ coimhead coltach ri each bàn. Cha b’ urrainn don tuathanach an t-each donn aige a lorg.

            Rinn Calum an treabhadh leis. An uair sin, thug e an t-seiche dheth agus thug e an t-each donn air ais don stàball. Madainn a bha seo, lorg an tuathanach an t-each aige san stàball a-rithist. Bha e slàn fallain.

            Bha nĂ baidh aig Calum a bha spĂŹocach. Latha a bha seo, dh’iarr e air Calum thighinn suas airson muc a spadadh dha. “Leis gu bheil i cho beag,” thuirt an nĂ baidh, “cha b’ urrainn dhomh dad dhith a thoirt seachad ach a-mhĂ in cas dheiridh a bheir mi dhut fhĂšin. Ach dĂš a’ chomhairle a bheireadh tu dhomh gus nach bi cĂ ch anns an nĂ baidheachd an dĂčil pĂŹos feĂČla fhaighinn bhuam?”

            Bha Calum a’ faicinn cothrom dha fhùin. “Cuir an closach gu lùir don abhainn air beulaibh an taigh agad a-nochd,” thuirt e. “Fàsaidh e fuar is bidh sin math don fhùoil. Faodaidh tu coiseachd sìos don taigh againn a-màireach leis an naidheachd gun deach a’ mhuc agad a ghoid. Can sin ri duine sam bith a choinnicheas riut.”

Uill, dh’aontaich an duine bochd sin a dhùanamh. Ach tha fhios nach do chuir Calum Beag seachad an oidhche gu lùir na leabaidh! Air an làrna-mhàireach, cha robh sgeul air closach na muice san abhainn. Chaidh an duine gu taigh Chaluim. “Chaidh a’ mhuc agam a ghoid,” thuirt e.

“Seadh, seadh,” arsa Calum ris, “agus dùan cinnteach gun cum thu ris an sgeul sin nuair a choinnicheas tu ri daoine eile.”

“Ach ’s e an fhìrinn a th’ agam,” thuirt an nàbaidh a-rithist. “Chaidh a goid ann an dha-rìreabh.”

“Seadh, seadh, tha fhios a’m,” thuirt Calum, agus is iongantach mura phriob e a shĂčil ris an fhear eile!

Turas eile ghoid Calum mart bho mhuillear ann an Allt Èireann. Chaidh Calum ann, le a ghearran na chois, airson min a cheannach. Fhuair e a’ mhin. Ach bha e faisg air ciaradh an fheasgair, agus thug am muillear cuireadh dha fuireach airson na h-oidhche.

Ann am meadhan na h-oidhche nuair a bha a h-uile duine eile nan cadal, chaidh Calum a-mach don stàball. Cheangail e am mart a b’ fheàrr aig a’ mhuillear ri a ghearran, chuir e a’ mhin air muin a’ ghearrain agus dh’iarr e air dhol dhachaigh. Cheangail e sguab ri earball a’ mhairt airson lorgan-coise nam beathaichean a sgrios. Dh’fhalbh an dà bheathach agus chaidh Calum air ais do a leabaidh ann an taigh a’ mhuilleir.

Anns a’ mhadainn bha Ăčpraid ann mu chall nam beathaichean. Thug Calum a’ chreidsinn gun robh e feargach mu chall a ghearrain agus cha b’ urrainn don mhuillear dearbhadh nach robh e air a bhith na shuain fad na h-oidhche.

Faclan na Litreach

ČőłÙĂ ČúČč±ô±ô: stable; donn: brown; muillear: miller; Allt Èireann: Auldearn; Ăč±è°ùČčŸ±»ć: uproar.

Abairtean na Litreach

mĂŹ-chliĂčiteach airson a bhith a’ goid sprĂšidh: infamous for stealing livestock; bha e feumach air each na b’ fheĂ rr: he needed a better horse; bha aige ri tĂČrr treabhaidh a dhĂšanamh: he had to do a lot of ploughing; thug e an t-seiche dheth: he removed the hide; thiodhlaic e an closach: he buried the carcase; fuaigheal sgileil: skilful sewing; cha b’ urrainn don tuathanach an t-each donn aige a lorg: the farmer couldn’t find his brown horse; slĂ n fallain: fit and healthy; bha nĂ baidh aig X a bha spĂŹocach: X had a neighbour who was miserly; dh’iarr e air X thighinn suas airson muc a spadadh dha: he asked X to come up and kill (for butchery) a pig for him; ach a-mhĂ in cas dheiridh a bheir mi dhut fhĂšin: except for a hind leg which I will give to yourself; dĂš a’ chomhairle a bheireadh tu dhomh?: what advice would you give me?; gus nach bi cĂ ch anns an nĂ baidheachd an dĂčil pĂŹos feĂČla fhaighinn bhuam: so that everyone else in the neighbourhood will expect to receive a piece of meat from me; air beulaibh an taigh agad a-nochd: in front of your house tonight; leis an naidheachd gun deach a’ mhuc agad a ghoid: with the news that your pig was stolen; an oidhche gu lĂšir na leabaidh: the entire night in his bed; dĂšan cinnteach gun cum thu ris an sgeul sin: make sure you keep to that story; ’s e an fhĂŹrinn a th’ agam: I’m telling the truth; chaidh a goid ann an dha-rĂŹreabh: it really was stolen; is iongantach mura phriob e a shĂčil: it’s likely he winked; le a ghearran na chois: accompanied by his garron (Highland pony); cheangail e sguab ri earball a’ mhairt: he tied a broom to the cow’s tail; nach robh e air a bhith na shuain: that he hadn’t been deeply asleep.

Puing-chĂ nain na Litreach

“Seadh, seadh,” arsa Calum ris: “Aye, aye,” Calum said to him. Seadh is a really useful word, usually translated as “aye”, “yes” or “uh-uh”, but only employed in certain circumstances. It can be used to confirm or agree with a statement made by somebody else, or to lend emphasis eg seadh dĂŹreach (yes indeed). It is used in response to your name being called eg “A DhĂČmhnaill!” “Seadh?”. In a telephone conversation it can be useful as a “filler” when responding to somebody else without actually agreeing or disagreeing with them. And in the Litir it is used by Calum Beag (with a sense of irony) to indicate that he “knows” the other man is telling an untruth but without wanting to say that openly. You will also hear “Aidh, aidh” being used in the same way in Gaelic.

GnĂ ths-cainnt na Litreach

Thug Calum a’ chreidsinn gun robh e feargach: Calum pretended that he was angry. Tha X a’ toirt a’ chreidsinn air Y: X is causing Y to believe (ie pretending to Y).

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