10/02/2006

Bha Sanndaidh MacLeòid à Gleann an t-Slugain a’ dol a mharbhadh an tuirc, air an robh Tad-Losgann mar ainm. Bha an torc mòr is sanntach. Bha aig a h-uile teaghlach san sgìre ri bò a thoirt don uachdaran airson an torc a bhiathadh. Bha an t-uachdaran a’ fuireach ann an Caisteal Ceann na Drochaid ann am Bràigh Mhàrr.

Bha Sanndaidh air taobh thall an uillt bho tholl an tuirc. Bha e tràth tràth sa mhadainn agus bha e fhathast dorch. Anns an dorchadas, chunnaic e freiceadan air bàrr balla a’ chaisteil. Dh’fheumadh Sanndaidh a bhith faiceallach – agus sàmhach. Choimhead e a-steach don toll. Cha robh sgeul air an torc. Bhiodh e na chadal anns an t-saobhaidh aige. Thug an gille grèim air casan a’ chapaill-choille mhairbh a bh’ aige. Thilg e closach an eòin thairis air an allt is a-steach don toll.

Thàinig an torc a-mach às an t-saobhaidh. Chaidh e gu far an robh closach a’ chapaill-choille. Bha Sanndaidh deiseil. Loisg e saighead air. Chaidh an t-saighead tro chridhe an tuirc agus thuit am beathach marbh. Cha do rinn e fuaim sam bith. Rinn Sanndaidh a shlighe dhachaigh agus chaidh e air ais a leabaidh.

Anns a’ mhadainn bha muinntir a’ chaisteil air bhoil. Bha an torc nimhe aig an uachdaran marbh, agus saighead na chridhe. Thachair e fo shròn an fhreiceadain. Bha esan anns an toll-dhubh airson a bhith dearmadach. ’S e an rud a bu mhios’ a bh’ ann gu robh dùil air Rìgh Calum anns an sgìre an ath-là. Bha an t-eagal ann gum feuchadh am boghadair air an rìgh. Air an làimh eile, bha na daoine cumanta toilichte gu robh an torc marbh. Cha bhiodh aca ri bò a thoirt seachad don uachdaran tuilleadh.

Bha an t-uachdaran feargach. Chuir esan roimhe am boghadair a lorg. Thug e sùil gheur air an t-saigheid a mharbh an torc. Bha na h-itean air an cur oirre ann an dòigh shònraichte. Chuir e fios mun cuairt, feuch faighinn a-mach cò am fleistear a bh’ ann, cò am fear a bhiodh a’ dèanamh shaighdean anns an dòigh sin. Chuir e daoine a-mach gu gach taigh airson saighdean a lorg a bha coltach ris an tè a mharbh Tad-Losgann. Ro chiaradh an fheasgair, thill dithis aca le Sanndaidh MacLeòid nan cois. Thilg iad Sanndaidh don toll-dhubh.

Air an làrna-mhàireach, chaidh Sanndaidh a thoirt a-mach. Nochd e mu choinneimh an uachdarain. Mhìnich an gille don uachdaran mar a mharbh e an torc airson bò a mhàthar a shàbhaladh. Ach cha robh tròcair sam bith aig an uachdaran dha. Thuirt e ri Sanndaidh gum biodh e air a chrochadh an ath mhadainn air a’ chroich air Creag Choinnich.

Bha màthair Shanndaidh, a’ Bhanntrach NicLeòid, troimh-a-chèile mu na thachair. Uair is uair choirich i i fhèin air a shon. Bha i dhen bheachd gum b’ ise a bu chòir a bhith a’ dol air a’ chroich, seach an gille aice. Ach dè dhèanadh i? Bha fios aice nach biodh tròcair sam bith aig an uachdaran dhi. ’S e duine cruaidh, an-iochdmhor a bh’ ann. Cha dèanadh e feum sam bith dhi dhol a dh’iarraidh tròcair bhuaithe.

Ge-tà, bha beagan dòchais aice, oir chuala i gu robh an rìgh gu bhith ann an Caisteal Ceann na Drochaid an ath-là. Calum a’ Chinn Mhòir fhèin. Chuir i roimhpe coinneachadh ris an rìgh mus ruigeadh e Bràigh Mhàrr airson a’ chùis a mhìneachadh dha. Agus innsidh mi dhuibh mar a chaidh dhi anns an ath Litir.

Faclan na Litreach: Sanndaidh: Sandy; sanntach: greedy; freiceadan: sentry; saobhaidh: animal den; tròcair: mercy.

Abairtean na Litreach: bha aig a h-uile teaghlach ri bò a thoirt don uachdaran: every family had to give the landlord a cow; bha e tràth tràth sa mhadainn: it was very early in the morning; dh’fheumadh Sanndaidh a bhith faiceallach: Sandy would have to be careful; cha robh sgeul air an torc: there was no sign of the boar; thug e grèim air casan a’ chapaill-choille mhairbh: he took hold of the legs of the dead capercaillie; thilg e closach an eòin: he threw the bird’s carcase; chaidh an t-saighead tro chridhe an tuirc: the arrow went through the boar’s heart; rinn X a shlighe dhachaigh: X made his way home; bha X air bhoil: X were in a frenzy; thachair e fo shròn an fhreiceadain: it happened under the sentry’s nose; anns an toll-dhubh airson a bhith dearmadach: in the dungeon for being negligent; ’s e an rud a bu mhios’ a bh’ ann: the worst thing was; gum feuchadh am boghadair air an rìgh: that the archer would try [to kill] the king; cha bhiodh aca ri bò a thoirt seachad tuilleadh: they would no longer have to give away a cow; bha na h-itean air an cur oirre ann an dòigh shònraichte: the feathers were put on it [fem.] in a particular way; feuch faighinn a-mach cò am fleisdear a bh’ ann: to try to find out who the fletcher/arrowmaker was: ro chiaradh an fheasgair: before dusk; mar a mharbh e an torc airson bò a mhàthar a shàbhaladh: how he killed the boar in order to save his mother’s cow; gum biodh e air a chrochadh: that he would be hanged; uair is uair choirich i i fhèin: time and again she blamed herself; gum b’ ise a bu chòir a bhith a’ dol air a’ chroich: that is was herself should be going on the gibbet; ’s e duine cruaidh, an-iochdmhor a bh’ ann: he was a hard, unmerciful man; coinneachadh ris an rìgh mus ruigeadh e Bràigh Mhàrr: to meet the king before he reached Braemar.

Puing-chànain na Litreach: thilg iad Sanndaidh don toll-dhubh: they threw Sandy into the dungeon. I have taken the traditional view of leniting the second element of toll-dubh in the dative singular with the article. But the main point I want to make is the use of the preposition do (or dialectually dha – I might have said dhan toll-dhubh). In relation to a location, as here, and with the use of a verb like “tilg”, it means “to and into”. You might have expected me to say, “thilg iad Sanndaidh anns an toll-dhubh” but it would be possible to understand from that that Sandy was already in the dungeon and was being thrown about within it. The use of do/dha makes it clear that he is being thrown into the dungeon. Similarly thuit e don abhainn would mean “he fell into the river” (from another place eg the bank or a bridge), whereas thuit e san abhainn suggests that he was already in the river when he fell.

Gnàths-cainnt na Litreach: innsidh mi dhuibh mar a chaidh dhi anns an ath Litir: I’ll tell you how she got on in the next Litir.