23/06/2000

An t-seachdain ’s a chaidh, gheall mi dhuibh gun innsinn dhuibh criomag de sheann sgeulachd an t-seachdain-sa. ’S e an t-ainm a th’ oirre Sgeulachd a’ Ghille Charaich, Mac na Banntraich. Agus seo am pàirt far a bheil an gille carach a’ deanamh a’ chùis air a’ bhuachaille. Aig toiseach ghnothaich, bu chòir dhomh mìneachadh gu robh an gille carach air a chur roimhe a bhith na mhèirleach agus gu robh e a’ fuireach còmhla ri fear a bha a’ teagasg na sgilean sin dha – an gadaiche dubh.

Co-dhiù, bha fear beartach anns a’ bhaile a fhuair cuireadh dhol gu banais agus dh’iarr e air a’ bhuachaille aige falbh don mhonadh airson caora a thoirt dhachaigh mar phrèasant-bainnse. Nise, bha an gille carach a’ cumail sùil air a’ bhuachaille, agus thuirt e ris a’ ghadaiche dubh, “Cuiridh mi geall gun goid mi a’ chaora sin mus ruig am buachaille an taigh aige.” Agus dh’fhalbh e a-mach. Bha aig a’ bhuachaille ri dhol tro choille agus ruith an gille carach air thoiseach air. Shalaich e tè de na brògan aige agus dh’fhàg e ann am meadhan an rathaid i. An uairsin chaidh e am falach.

Nuair a ràinig am buachaille a’ bhròg, thuirt e, “Nam biodh do leth-bhreac ann, thogainn thu is ghlanainn thu.” Ach cha robh aon bhròg gu mòran feum dha, gu h-àraidh leis gu robh i salach, agus chaidh e seachad oirre.

Bha an gille carach air a h-uile facal dheth sin a chluinntinn. Thog e a’ bhròg shalach, is ruith e mar a’ pheilear tron choille gus am faigheadh e air thoiseach air a’ bhuachaille a-rithist. An uairsin, chuir e a bhròg eile ann am meadhan an rathaid. Nuair a ràinig am buachaille an t-àite, thuirt e ris fhèin, “’s e seo leth-bhreac na bròige salaich.” Dh’fhag e a’ chaora ann a sin, agus ruith e air ais airson a’ bhròg shalach a thogail gus am biodh paidhir aige.

Agus fhad ’s a bha e air falbh, ruith an gille carach a-mach às a’ choille, thog e an darna bròg agus a’ chaora agus theich e dhachaigh gu luath.

Uill, cha robh an duine beartach ro thoilichte, ach dh’iarr e air a’ bhuachaille dhol a-mach don mhonadh a-rithist airson gobhar fhaighinn. Agus nuair a chunnaic an gille carach am buachaille, thuirt e ris a’ ghadaiche dubh, “Cuiridh mi geall gun tèid agam air an gobhar a ghoid bhuaithe mus ruig e an taigh aige.”

A-rithist, b’ fheudar don bhuachaille dhol tron choille agus ruith an gille carach air thoiseach air. Chaidh e am falach agus, nuair a bha am buachaille faisg air, thòisich e air mèilich, a’ deanamh fuaim mar a bhios caora. “O,” ars’ am buachaille ris fhèin, “’s e sin a’ chaora a chaill mi an-dè.” Cheangail e an gobhar ri craobh, agus dh’fhalbh e a lorg na caorach.

Agus fhad ’s a bha e air falbh, ghoid an gille carach an gobhar agus chaidh e dhachaigh leis. ‘S e a bha carach, seòlta gun teagamh!

Tha an sgeulachd a’ leantainn, leis a’ ghille carach a’ dèanamh a’ chùis air mòran eile. Ach bha a mhàthair air a bhith ri fàidhearachd mu dheidhinn a bhàis bho bha e na bhalach òg, nan cumadh e a’ dol mar mhèirleach. Thuirt i gun d’rachadh a chrochadh ann an Eirinn. Agus, anns an sgeulachd, tha an gille carach a’ dol a dh’Eirinn. Ach dè thachras dha mu dheireadh? Uill, mholainn gun leugh sibh an sgeulachd fhèin ann am Popular Tales of the West Highlands, Leabhar a h-aon. Tha i an dà chuid ann am Beurla is Gàidhlig agus chan eil rian nach còrd i ribh.

gadaiche: thief,robber; banais: weeding; buachaille: herdsman; shalaiche: he dirtied; theich e: he fled.

Sgeulachd a Ghille Charaich, Mac na Bantraich: the Story of theShifty Lad, the Widows Son; far a bheil X a deanamh a chùis air Y: where X gets the better ofY; mus ruig am buachaille an taigh aige: before the herdsman reaches his house; bha aig abhuachaille ri dhol tro choille: the herdsman had to go through a wood; ruith X air thoiseachair: X ran ahead of him; chaidh e am falach: he hid; nam biodh do leth-bhreac ann, thogainnthu is ghlanainn thu: if the other one of your pair was here, I would pick you up and clean you;gu mòran feum dha: of much use to him; ruith e mar a pheilear: he ran like the wind (lit. likethe bullet); thòisich e air mèilich: he started to bleat; s e sin a chaora a chaill mi an-dè: thatsthe sheep I lost yesterday; s e a bha carach, seòlta gun teagamh: its him that was shifty andcunning without doubt; bha a mhàthair air a bhith ri fàidhearachd mu dheidhinn a bhàis: hismother had been prophesying about his death; gun drachadh a chrochadh ann an Eirinn: thathe would be hanged in Ireland; chan eil rian nach còrd i ribh: there is no way you will not enjoyit.

bu chòir dhomh mìneachadh gu robh an gille carach air achur roimhe a bhith na mhèirleach: I should explain that the shifty lad had determined onbeing a robber. If we look at this expression in the past tense, it is chuir e roimhe he put infront of him. It is an idiomatic Gaelic equivalent to he made up his mind to.. and should beemployed rather than the English-influenced rinn e suas inntinn which is not a Gaelic idiom.To employ this phrase you must have a good grasp of the phases of the prepositional pronounsassociated with ro (before) ie romham, romhad, roimhe, roimhpe, romhainn, romhaibh andromhpa. Here are some other examples: Chuir mi romham a bhith nam fhiaclair (I decided tobecome a dentist); Chuir i roimhpe cuideam a chall (she decided to lose weight); chuir iadromhpa a bhith modhail (they decided to be polite). How would you say in Gaelic when didyou decide to go in for the ministry??

cuiridh mi geall gun goid mi a chaora: I bet Ill steal thesheep. This is the best idiomatic way of saying I bet or Ill wager. Chuir i geall gumbuannaicheadh i (she bet she would win). Cuiridh mi geall gun tèid agam air an gobhar a ghoid(I bet Ill manage to steal the goat).