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12/04/2010

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 12 Apr 2010 19:00

Clip

An Litir Bheag 257

Tha mi a鈥 leantainn leis an st貌iridh An聽R矛gh agus an Searrach. Thuirt an r矛gh聽ris an duine, 鈥淭hig an seo a-m脿ireach.聽Mura h-inns thu dhomh gu d猫 as聽luaithe air an t-saoghal, caillidh thu do聽cheann.鈥澛燙haidh an duine dhachaigh.聽鈥淐an ris an r矛gh,鈥 thuirt a nighean,聽鈥渘ach eil s矛on ann a tha cho luath ris聽an smaoineachadh. Faodaidh sibh a聽bhith an seo agus faodaidh ur smuaintean聽a dhol sa mhionaid gu taobh thall聽an t-saoghail. Chan eil creutair sam聽bith cho luath ri sin.鈥澛燘ha an duine riaraichte. An ath聽mhadainn chaidh e don chaisteal.聽鈥淎gus d猫 an rud as luaithe air聽an t-saoghal?鈥 thuirt an r矛gh.聽鈥淐han eil n矛 air an t-saoghal聽cho luath ri smaoineachadh.鈥澛犫淭ha an t-each agam nas聽luaithe na sin,鈥 thuirt an r矛gh.聽鈥淐han eil,鈥 ars an duine.聽鈥淔aodaidh ur smuaintean a bhith air聽taobh thall na r矛oghachd ann an tiotan.聽Chan eil each sam bith cho luath ri聽sin.鈥澛犫淎,鈥 ars an r矛gh, 鈥渢ha mi聽riaraichte le sin. Ach tha mi a鈥 dol a聽chur ceist eile ort. C貌 tha a鈥 fuireach聽c貌mhla riut?鈥澛燿uine.聽鈥淪eadh,鈥 ars an r矛gh. 鈥淭ha mi聽ag iarraidh do nighean a ph貌sadh.鈥澛燗ch chuir an r矛gh c霉mhnant air a鈥櫬爌h貌sadh. 鈥淪eo an c霉mhnant,鈥 thuirt e.聽鈥淢a thig s矛on eadarainn, feumaidh tu聽an caisteal fh脿gail.鈥澛犫淭ha sin math gu le貌r,鈥 ars ise.聽鈥淎ch tha c霉mhnant agamsa cuideachd.聽Ma thig s矛on eadarainn, f脿gaidh聽mi an caisteal. Ach bidh mi a鈥櫬爐oirt tr矛 eallaich a-mach 脿s a鈥櫬燾haisteal.鈥澛犫淭ha sin math gu le貌r,鈥 ars an聽r矛gh. Ph貌s iad. An ceann greis rugadh聽leanabh gille dhaibh.聽Bha tuathanach faisg air l脿imh.聽Bha l脿ir aige. Bha searrach aig an l脿ir.聽Latha a bha seo, chaidh an l脿ir agus an聽searrach don bheinn. Bha eich aig an聽r矛gh air a鈥 bheinn. Bha, agus gearran.聽Chaidh an searrach air ais don聽chaisteal leis a鈥 ghearran.聽Thuirt an r矛gh gur ann leis-san a聽bha an searrach. Cha b鈥 urrainn don聽tuathanach an searrach fhaighinn air聽ais. D猫 bha a鈥 dol a thachairt? Cuiridh聽mi cr矛och air an sgeulachd an ath-sheachdain.

The Little Letter 257

I am continuing with the story聽鈥淭he King and the Foal鈥. The聽king said to the man, 鈥淐ome here聽tomorrow. If you don鈥檛 tell me聽what is swiftest in the world, you鈥檒l聽lose your head.鈥澛燭he man went home. 鈥淭ell the聽king,鈥 his daughter said, 鈥渢hat聽there鈥檚 nothing as swift as聽thinking. You can be here and your聽thoughts can go in an instant to聽the other side of the world. There聽is no creature as swift as that.鈥澛燭he man was satisfied. The聽next morning he went to the castle.聽鈥淎nd what is the swiftest聽thing in the world?鈥 said the king.聽鈥淭here is nothing in the聽world as swift as thinking.鈥澛燤y horse is swifter than聽that,鈥 said the king.聽鈥淣o,鈥 said the man. 鈥淵our聽thoughts can be at the other side of聽the kingdom in a moment. There is聽no horse as swift as that.鈥澛犫淎h,鈥 said the king, 鈥淚鈥檓聽satisfied with that. But I鈥檓 going聽to ask you a question. Who lives聽with you?鈥澛犫淢y daughter,鈥 the man聽answered.聽鈥淥kay,鈥 said the king. 鈥淚聽want to marry your daughter.鈥 But聽the king put a condition on the聽marriage. 鈥淗ere is the condition,鈥澛爃e said. 鈥淚f anything comes聽between us, you will have to leave聽the castle.鈥澛犫淭hat鈥檚 good enough,鈥 she聽said. 鈥淏ut I also have a condition.聽If anything comes between us, I鈥檒l聽leave the castle. But I鈥檒l be taking聽three loads out of the castle.鈥澛犫淭hat鈥檚 good enough,鈥 said聽the king. They married. In time, a聽baby boy was born to them.聽There was a farmer nearby.聽He had a mare. The mare had a聽foal. One day, the mare went to the聽mountain. The king had horses on聽the mountain. He also had a聽gelding. The foal went back to the聽castle with the gelding.聽The king said the foal was聽his. The farmer couldn鈥檛 get the聽foal back. What was going to聽happen? I鈥檒l bring the story to a聽conclusion next week.

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  • Mon 12 Apr 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)

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