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27/02/2006

Letter for those at an early stage in learning Gaelic.

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An Litir Bheag 42

Bha sinn ann am Bràigh Mhàrr an t-seachdain sa chaidh. Bha aona bhò aig a’ Bhanntrach NicLeòid. Bha i a dol ga call. Bha an t-uachdaran ag iarraidh na bà. Bha sin airson an torc mòr a bhiathadh. Ach mharbh mac na banntraich, Sanndaidh, an torc. Fhuair Sanndaidh binn bàis.

Chuala a’ Bhanntrach NicLeòid gu robh an rìgh gu bhith ann an ath-là. Dh’fhàg i an taigh aice. Bha i ag iarraidh coinneachadh ris an rìgh air an rathad. Bha i ag iarraidh taic bhon rìgh. Chaidh i suas an gleann. Chuir i seachad an oidhche ann. Thàinig a’ mhadainn. Cha robh an rìgh ann. Bha i fuar. Feasgar, thàinig an rìgh. Dh’iarr a’ bhanntrach air an rìgh am mac aice a shàbhaladh.

            Dh’iarr an rìgh air a’ bhanntraich dhol còmhla ris gu Caisteal Ceann na Drochaid. Nuair a bha e anns a’ chaisteal, bhruidhinn an rìgh ris an uachdaran.

Thug an rìgh cothrom do Shanndaidh. Chuir iad a mhàthair air leac air taobh thall Uisge Chluainidh. Bha Sanndaidh na sheasamh air drochaid-thogalach a’ chaisteil. Chaidh fàd mònach a chur air ceann a mhàthar. Dh’iarr an rìgh air Sanndaidh am fàd a bhualadh le saighead.

Bha an t-eagal air a’ ghille. Dh’iarr e am bogha aige fhèin fhaighinn. Dh’iarr e cuideachd an dà shaigheid aige. Bha iad sin aige nuair a chaidh a chur an grèim.

Air taobh thall Uisge Chluainidh, bha màthair a’ ghille. Bha i na seasamh le fàd mònach air a ceann. Dh’amais Sanndaidh gu cùramach. Leig e sreang a’ bhogha. Bhuail an t-saighead anns an fhàd. Thuit am fàd far ceann a mhàthar. Bha a h-uile duine toilichte.

Dh’iarr an rìgh air Sanndaidh tighinn air a bheulaibh. “Is math a rinn thu, ’ille,” thuirt e, “ach carson a dh’iarr thu dà shaigheid?”

“Nan robh mi air fàilneachadh leis a’ chiad tè,” fhreagair an gille, “agus nan robh mi air mo mhàthair a mharbhadh, bha mi air an dàrna tè a chur annaibh fhèin.” Bha an t-uabhas air an t-sluagh. Ach rinn an rìgh gàire mhòr. Leig e an gille ma sgaoil. Thill Sanndaidh agus a mhàthair don taigh aca.  Dh’fhuirich iad ann an sin airson a’ chòrr dhem beatha.

Faclan is abairtean

Faclan is abairtean: Bha sinn ann am Bràigh Mhàrr: we were in Braemar; bha aona bhò aig a’ Bhanntrach NicLeòid: the Widow MacLeod had one cow; bha i a dol ga call: she was going to lose it [fem.]; bha an t-uachdaran ag iarraidh na bà: the landlord was wanting the cow; airson an torc mòr a bhiathadh: to feed the big boar; fhuair Sanndaidh binn bàis: Sandy received a death sentence; gu robh an rìgh gu bhith ann an ath-là: that the king was going to be there the next day; bha i ag iarraidh taic bhon rìgh: she wanted help from the king; chuir i seachad an oidhche ann: she spent the night there; dh’iarr a’ bhanntrach air an rìgh am mac aice a shàbhaladh: the widow asked the king to save her son; dhol còmhla ris gu Caisteal Ceann na Drochaid: to go with him to Kindrochit Castle; cothrom: opportunity; chuir iad a mhàthair air leac air taobh thall Uisge Chluainidh: they put his mother on a rocky ledge on the other side of Clunie Water (a burn); bha Sanndaidh na sheasamh air drochaid-thogalach a’ chaisteil: Sandy was standing on the castle’s drawbridge; fàd mònach: a peat; am fàd a bhualadh le saighead: to hit the peat with an arrow; am bogha aige fhèin: his own bow; dh’iarr e cuideachd an dà shaigheid aige: he also requested his two arrows; nuair a chaidh a chur an grèim: when he was arrested; dh’amais Sanndaidh gu cùramach: Sandy aimed carefully; leig e sreang a’ bhogha: he released the bowstring; far ceann a mhàthar: from his mother’s head; air a bheulaibh: in front of him; is math a rinn thu, ’ille: you did well, lad; carson a dh’iarr thu dà shaigheid?: why did you request two arrows?; nan robh mi air fàilneachadh leis a’ chiad tè: if I had failed with the first one; nan robh mi air mo mhàthair a mharbhadh: if I had killed my mother; bha mi air an dàrna tè a chur annaibh fhèin: I would have put the second one in you; bha an t-uabhas air an t-sluagh: the people were horrified; rinn an rìgh gàire mhòr: the king gave a great laugh; leig e an gille ma sgaoil: he released the lad; airson a’ chòrr dhem beatha: for the rest of their lives.

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)

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