Main content

18/01/2010

Tha litir bheag na seachdain-sa aig Ruaraidh MacIllEathain. This week's short letter for learners is introduced by Ruaraidh MacLean.

5 minutes

Last on

Mon 18 Jan 2010 19:00

Clip

An Litir Bheag 245

Tha am Bràigh Mòr ann an Gallaibh. Tha e faisg air a’ bheinn as àirde ann an Gallaibh – a’ Mhòr-bheinn. ’S e baile croitearachd a tha ann. Seo sgeulachd às a’ Bhràigh Mhòr – Bodach Dubh na Mòr-bheinne. O chionn fhada, nochd coigreach anns an sgìre. Bha falt dubh air. Cha robh biadh gu leòr aig na daoine. Ach chaidh an coigreach bho dhoras gu doras, ag iarraidh biadh. Cho-dhùin na daoine nach robh iad a’ dol a thoirt biadh don choigreach tuilleadh. An ath latha, chaidh an coigreach gu taigh. Dh’iarr e biadh. Cha d’ fhuair e biadh. Chaidh e don ath thaigh. Thachair an aon rud. Dh’fhàs an coigreach feargach. Bha aon mhuileann anns an sgìre. Bha an coigreach làidir. Chaidh e don mhuileann. Thog e a’ chlach uachdarach. Chuir e air a ghualainn i. Agus choisich e air falbh a dh’ionnsaigh na Mòr-bheinne. Gun mhuileann cha robh na daoine a’ faighinn min-choirce. Bha cuideigin a’ goid crodh is caoraich. Chunnaic na daoine am mèirleach. ’S e an coigreach a bha ann. Bha e a-nise uabhasach mòr. Bha bogha is saighdean aige. Mharbh e damh. Chaidh e dh’ionnsaigh na Mòr-bheinne.Chaidh na fir às a dhèidh. Ach thàinig ceò a-nuas orra. Chaidh am Bodach Dubh à sealladh. Bha na daoine a’ call rudan prìseil bho na taighean aca. Bha am Bodach Dubh ri mèirle. Gach turas a chaidh na daoine às a dhèidh, ruith e a dh’ionnsaigh na Mòr-bheinne. Agus thàinig an ceò a-nuas orra. Chuala na daoine mu bhoireannach ann an Cataibh. B’ ise piuthar a’ Bhodaich. Dh’inns i dhaibh an dòigh airson cumhachd a’ Bhodaich air a’ cheò a bhriseadh. Bha aon latha sa bhliadhna nuair nach robh an cumhachd sin aige. B’ e sin an seachdamh latha dhen t-seachdamh mìos. Air an t-siathamh latha dhen Iuchar, chruinnich na fir. An ath mhadainn, nochd am Bodach Dubh. Leum na fir a-mach. Dh’fhalbh am Bodach a dh’ionnsaigh na Mòr-bheinne. Dh’èigh e faclan neònach ann an Gàidhlig. Bha e a’ feuchainn ris an ceò a thoirt a-nuas. Ach cha tàinig an ceò an turas seo. Chaidh am Bodach a-steach air fosgladh air cliathaich na beinne. Agus innsidh mi an còrr an ath-sheachdain!

The Little Letter 245

Braemore is in Caithness. It is near the highest mountain in Caithness – Morven. It’s a crofting settlement. Here is a story from Braemore – The Black Bodach of Morven. A long time ago, a stranger appeared in the area. He had black hair. The people didn’t have enough food. But the stranger went from door to door, asking for food. The people decided they weren’t going to give the stranger food any more. Next day, the stranger went to a house. He asked for food. He didn’t get food. He went to the next house. The same thing happened. The stranger grew angry.  There was one mill in the area. The stranger was strong. He went to the mill. He picked up the upper [grinding] stone. He put it on his shoulder. And he walked away towards Morven. Without a mill, the people were not getting oatmeal. Somebody was stealing cattle  and sheep. The people saw the thief. It was the stranger. He was now enormously large. He had a bow and arrows. He killed a bullock. He went towards Morven. The men went after him. But mist came down upon them. The  Black Bodach disappeared. The people were losing valuable things from their houses. The Black Bodach was stealing. Every time the people went after him, he ran towards Morven. And the mist came down on them. The people heard about a  woman in Sutherland. She was the Bodach’s sister. She told them the way to break the power of the Bodach over the mist. There was one day in the year when he didn’t  have that power. That was the seventh day of the seventh month. On the sixth day of July, the men gathered. The next morning, the Black Bodach appeared. The men jumped out. The Bodach left in the direction of Morven. He shouted strange words in Gaelic. He was trying to bring down the mist. But the mist didn’t come this time. The Bodach went in an opening in the side of the mountain. And I’ll tell you the rest next week.

Broadcast

  • Mon 18 Jan 2010 19:00

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)

Podcast