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Bha mi ag innse dhuibh mu Chailleach Bheag nam Bòcan – Ada Goodrich-Freer – a chruinnich beul-aithris bhon t-Sagart Èirisgeach, Mgr Ailein. No a chleachd beul-aithris a chruinnich an sagart.

Bha Mgr Ailein dripeil ann a bhith a’ cruinneachadh sgeulachdan is naidheachdan bho dhaoine. Cha robh innealan-clàraidh fuaim ann agus b’ fheudar dha a h-uile càil a chuala e a sgrìobhadh.

Am measg na chruinnich e, bha sgeulachdan mu thaibhsean agus bòcain. Tha mi airson tè dhiubh innse dhuibh an-dràsta. ’S ann à Uibhist a Deas a tha i. ’S e an tiotal a th’ oirre ‘Lachlann mac Mhaighstir Alasdair agus an Geama Iomain’.

Bha Lachlann mac Mhaighstir Alasdair a’ fuireach ann an Dreumasdal ann an Uibhist a Deas. B’ e a bhràthair am bàrd ainmeil Alasdair mac Mhaighstir Alasdair. Bha Lachlann na fhear-taca ann an Dreumasdal. Aig aon àm, a rèir aithris, bha e na Chaitligeach, ach chuir e a chùl ris a’ chreideamh.

Nuair a bha e aig uchd bàis, chuir e fios a-mach gu sagart. Ach cha do leig feadhainn eile leis an t-sagart a dhol faisg air. Mar sin, chaochail e às aonais deas-ghnàth bàis na h-Eaglaise. Bha iad ag ràdh an uair sin gun robh a thaibhs gun fhois. Bhiodh a thaibhs air seachran gus an tigeadh Latha a’ Bhreitheanais.

Beagan bhliadhnaichean an dèidh sin, timcheall deireadh an ochdamh linn deug, bha gille òg à Dalabrog a’ cluich iomain air an tràigh. B’ esan Iain mac Dhòmhaill Òig ’ic Nìll. Bha ùpraid ann mu thadhal – an deach a chur gus nach deach. Bha Iain feargach agus bha e ri fìor dhroch chainnt. Fhad ’s a bha an ùpraid a’ dol, chunnaic na balaich fear iongantach mòr na sheasamh aig an tiùrr aig ceann shuas a’ chladaich. Ghabh a h-uile balach eagal agus theich iad cho luath ’s a bheireadh an casan iad.

Bliadhnaichean an dèidh sin, nuair a bha Iain na làn-duine, fhuair e obair mar sgalag aig an Urramach Rothach, ministear ann an Dreumasdal. B’ e an obair aig Iain a bhith a’ cumail sùil air an arbhar fad na h-oidhche, agus an crodh a chumail air falbh.

Oidhche a bha seo, thàinig mac a’ mhinisteir, Aonghas, don bhothan far an robh Iain. Dh’inns e do dh’Iain gun robh an crodh ag ithe an fheòir. Dh’fhalbh Iain a-mach. Chan fhac’ e an crodh, ach chunnaic e fear mòr mòr nach b’ aithne dha. Thionndaidh e agus ghabh e rathad eile, ach bha am fear mòr air a bheulaibh. Thionndaidh e a-rithist agus, a-rithist, bha am fear mòr na rathad.Ìý

Bha an t-eagal air Iain. Dh’èigh e, ‘A Dhia ’s a Mhoire, glacaibh m’ anam.’ 

Fhreagair am fear mòr, ‘Tha sin glè mhath, ach cha b’ e sin a’ chainnt a bh’ agad nuair a chuala mise mu dheireadh thu.’

Dh’aidich am fear mòr gur e e fhèin a chuir eagal air Iain agus càch nuair a bha iad a’ cluich iomain air an tràigh. Grunn tursan an dèidh sin, chunnaic Iain an dearbh thaibhs. Bha còmhradh eatarra, agus dh’aidich an creutair os-nàdarrach gum b’ esan taibhs Lachlainn mhic Mhaighstir Alasdair.Ìý

Faclan na Litreach: innealan-clàraidh fuaim: audio-recording devices; taibhsean agus bòcain: ghosts and spectres; Dreumasdal: Drimsdale; sgalag: servant, lackey; arbhar: grain, corn (growing); crodh: cattle.

Abairtean na Litreach: a chleachd beul-aithris a chruinnich an sagart: who used oral tradition that the priest collected; bha Mgr Ailein dripeil ann a bhith a’ cruinneachadh sgeulachdan is naidheachdan bho dhaoine: Father Allan was very busy collecting stories and anecdotes from people; b’ fheudar dha a h-uile càil a chuala e a sgrìobhadh: he had to write down everything he heard; taibhsearachd is bòcain ’s a leithid sin: the second sight and ghosts and things like that; X agus an Geama Iomain: X and the Shinty Game; b’ e a bhràthair am bàrd ainmeil: his brother was the famous bard; chuir e a chùl ris a’ chreideamh: he turned his back on the religion; nuair a bha e uchd bàis, chuir e fios a-mach gu sagart: when he was at death’s door, he sent for a priest; chaochail e às aonais deas-ghnàth bàis na h-Eaglaise: he died without [receiving] the death-rites of the Church; gun robh a thaibhs gun fhois: that his ghost was without rest; gun do dh’fhuiling X peanas airson an creideamh aige a thrèigsinn: that X received a punishment for abandoning his religion; air seachran gus an tigeadh Latha a’ Bhreitheanais: wandering until Judgement Day [would come]; bha e ri fìor dhroch chainnt: he was using very bad language; fear iongantach mòr na sheasamh: an enormous man standing; aig an tiùrr aig ceann shuas a’ chladaich: at the tide line on the upper part of the beach; cho luath ’s a bheireadh an casan iad: as quickly as their legs would carry them; nach b’ aithne dha: that he didn’t know; A Dhia ’s a Mhoire, glacaibh m’ anam: God and Mary, preserve my soul; cha b’ e sin a’ chainnt a bh’ agad nuair a chuala mise mu dheireadh thu: that wasn’t the language you used when I last heard you; dh’aidich an creutair os-nàdarrach: the supernatural creature admitted.

Puing-chànain na Litreach: Bha ùpraid ann mu thadhal – an deach a chur gus nach deach: there was uproar about a goal – was it scored or not. Some of the terminology we use in football comes from shinty and here is an example. For ‘score a goal’ in both sports we say ‘cuir tadhal’. Chuir iad tadhal dìreach ro letheach-slighe ‘they scored a goal just before half-time.’ Feumaidh sinn trì tadhail a chur airson an geama seo a bhuannachadh ‘we’ll have to score three goals to win this game.’

Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: bha am fear mòr na rathad: the big man was in his way.