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17/05/2010

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

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Mon 17 May 2010 19:00
ĂŰŃż´«Ă˝ Radio nan GĂ idheal

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An Litir Bheag 262

Bha Conall agus Cù Chulainn càirdeach do chèile. Bha iad nan co-oghaichean. Dh’ionnsaich iad còmhla san aon oilthigh. Bha iad dlùth ri chèile. Thug Conall mionnan. A’ chiad duine a bheireadh naidheachd bàs Chù Chulainn dha, chailleadh e a bheatha. Thàinig an latha nuair a thuit Cù Chulainn ann am batail. Thuirt e ri a chompanach Laoghaire, “Inns do Chonall sgeul mo bhàis. Ach inns sin dha ann an dubh-fhacal. No bidh thu fhèin ann an cunnart.” Chaochail Cù Chulainn. Dh’fhalbh Laoghaire airson naidheachd a bhàis innse do Chonall. Ràinig Laoghaire Conall. Thuirt Conall, “Ciamar a tha mo charaid, Cù Chulainn?” “Tha gu math,” arsa Laoghaire. Bha e ag innse breug. “Rinn e taigh ùr. Tha an taigh ìosal cumhang. Nuair a shìneas e a chasan, ruigidh a cheann uachdar an taighe, ruigidh a chasan ìochdar an taighe, agus ruigidh a shròn mullach an taighe.” Thuig Conall an teachdaireachd. “A bheil mo charaid marbh?” thuirt e. “Thuirt thu fhèin sin,” fhreagair Laoghaire. Bha e a-nise sàbhailte. Dh’fhalbh Conall is Laoghaire. Lorg iad gach teaghlach a bha nàimhdeil do Chù Chulainn. Chaidh Conall a-steach do na dachaighean aca. Thug e a-mach an cinn. Bha eagal air a h-uile teaghlach anns an tìr. Ràinig iad baile. Bha nighean òg uasal a’ fuireach ann. Bha eagal air na daoine. Ach cha robh eagal air an nighinn. “Na bithibh fo eagal,” ars ise ri càch. “Cuiridh mi Conall gu sìth.” Thug i cuireadh do Chonall is Laoghaire thighinn gu dìnnear. Nuair a bha an dìnnear seachad, chaidh a h-uile duine a-mach. Chunnaic iad na cinn a bha aig Conall is Laoghaire. Ach thug iad an creidsinn nach robh eagal orra. “A Laoghaire,” thuirt Conall, “mura h-eil cinn gu leòr agad, bheir sinn do cheann fhèin dheth. Sin no mo cheann fhèin.” “Cha toir,” fhreagair Laoghaire. “Cha bu toigh leam sin.” “Cha bu toigh leamsa nas motha,” dh’aontaich Conall. Agus tha e coltach nach do rinn an dithis cron sam bith eile air na seann nàimhdean aig Cù Chulainn.

The Little Letter 262

Conall and Cuchullin were related to each other. They were cousins. They learned together in the same university. They were close to each other. Conall made a pledge. The first person who would tell him the news of Cuchullin’s death, he would lose his life. The day came when Cuchullin fell in battle. He said to his companion Laoghaire, “Tell Conall the story of my death. But tell him that in a riddle. Or you yourself will be in danger.” Cuchullin died. Laoghaire left to tell the news of his death to Conall. Laoghaire reached Conall. Conall said, “How is my friend, Cuchullin?” “He’s well,” said Laoghaire. He was telling a lie. “He made a new house. The house is low and narrow. When he stretches out his feet, his head reaches the upper end of the house, his feet reach the lower end of the house, and his nose reaches the roof of the house.” Conall understood the message. “Is my friend dead?” he said. “You said that yourself,” replied Laoghaire. He was now safe. Conall and Laoghaire left. They found every family that were enemies of Cuchullin. Conall went into their homes. He brought out their heads. Every family in the land was afraid. They reached a village. A noble young woman was living there. The people were afraid. But the young woman wasn’t afraid. “Don’t be afraid,” she said to the others. “I will make Conall peaceful.” She invited Conall and Laoghaire to dinner. When the dinner was over, everybody went out. They saw the heads that Conall and Laoghaire had. But they pretended that they were not afraid. “Laoghaire,” said Conall, “if you do not have enough heads, we’ll take your own head off. That or my own head.” “No,” replied Laoghaire. “I wouldn’t like that.” “I wouldn’t like [it] either,” agreed Conall. And it appears that the pair did no more harm to the old enemies of Cuchullin.

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  • Mon 17 May 2010 19:00
    ĂŰŃż´«Ă˝ Radio nan GĂ idheal

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)

Podcast

  • An Litir Bheag

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