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Bha mi ag innse dhuibh mu Uilleam Hare. Bha e an sàs ann am murt is reic chorp ann an Dùn Èideann mu dhà cheud bliadhna air ais. Dè thachair dha? A rèir aithris, dh’inns e do na poilis gun robh e am beachd a dhol dhachaigh a dh’Èirinn. Ach an deach?

Nochd aithrisean mòran bhliadhnaichean an dèidh sin gun robh Hare a’ fuireach ann an Lunnainn. Bha e na dhèirceach dall. Bhiodh e a’ coiseachd sràidean Lunnainn le cù na chois. 

Ach ʼs e Ware a bha air an duine sin mar ainm, seach Hare. Fhuair e litrichean bho na h-ùghdarrasan ann an Dùn Èideann, a’ dearbhadh nach e Uilleam Hare a bha ann. Ach bha muinntir Lunnainn coma. Bha gu leòr dhiubh a’ creidsinn gur e Hare a bha ann.

Bha sgeul ann cuideachd gun do chaochail Hare ann an Canada. Nochd fear agus a bhean ann an Ontairio. Thog iad taigh, pìos air falbh bho nàbaidhean. ʼS e Hare a bha orra mar ainm-cinnidh. 

Thàinig Albannach a dh’fhuireach anns an sgìre. Thug e leis duilleachan mu chùis-chùirte Bhurke. Agus, na chois, bha dealbh de Hare a rinn neach-ealain. 

Bha muinntir an àite ag ràdh, an dèidh sin, gun robh am murtair a’ fuireach anns an nàbachd aca. Leugh Hare an duilleachan. A rèir aithris, chaidh a shlàinte bhuaithe. Cha do mhair e beò fada. Ach tha ceist ann mun sgeul seo – carson a ghlèidh e ainm-cinnidh? Bha e air a bhith furasta gu leòr ainm ùr a thaghadh.

Bha sgeul ann cuideachd gun deach Hare a Bheal Feirste. Bha e air a chur an grèim airson mèirle. An uair sin bha e air a chur a dh’Astràilia. Bha e na chiontach faisg air Sydney.

Nuair a bha e aig uchd-bàis anns an ospadal, dh’aithnich am fear anns an ath leabaidh e. ʼS ann à Dùn Èideann a bha am fear sin. Dh’aidich Hare gur e a bha ann. Ach chaochail e tron oidhche.

Coma leinn na sgeòil sin. A rèir beul-aithris ann an Alba, thill e don Ghàidhealtachd – sgeul a thig fon phrosbaig anns an ath Litir. 

I was telling you about William Hare. He was involved in murder and the selling of bodies in Edinburgh about two hundred years ago. What happened to him? According to reports, he told the police that was considering returning to Ireland. But did he?

Reports appeared many years later that Hare was living in London. He was a blind beggar. He would walk the streets of London accompanied by a dog.

But that man’s name was Ware, rather than Hare. He received letters from the authorities in Edinburgh, proving that he was not William Hare. But the people of London were indifferent. Many of them believed that he was Hare.

There was also a story that Hare died in Canada. A man and his wife appeared in Ontario. They built a house, a good way from neighbours. Their surname was Hare.

A Scot came to live in the area. He took with him a pamphlet about Burke’s court case. And, along with it, there was a picture of Hare that an artist made.

The local people were saying, after that, that the murderer was living in their neighbourhood. Hare read the pamphlet. According to reports, his health deteriorated. He didn’t survive long. But there is question about this story – why did he keep his surname? It would have been easy to choose a new name.

There was also a story that Hare went to Belfast. He was arrested for theft. Then he was sent to Australia. He was a convict near Sydney.

When he was at death’s-door in hospital, the man in the next bed recognised him. That man was from Edinburgh. Hare admitted who he was. But he died during the night.

Let’s put those stories to the side. According to oral tradition in Scotland, he returned to the Highlands – a tale that will come under scrutiny in the next Litir.