994: Fearchar a’ Ghunna (2)
Litir sheachdaineach do luchd-ionnsachaidh le clàr-fuaime, tar-sgrìobhadh is mìneachadh. A weekly letter to Gaelic learners with audio, transcription and explanation.
Tha an litir ag obrachadh leis an fhaclair. Tagh an taba ‘teacsa Gàidhlig’ agus tagh facal sam bith san teacsa agus fosglaidh am faclair ann an taba ùr agus bidh mìneachadh den fhacal ann. The letter is integrated with the dictionary. Select the tab ‘Gaelic text’ and choose any word and the dictionary will open and you will see the English explanation of the Gaelic word.
Fearchar a’ Ghunna (2)
Bha mi ag innse dhuibh mu Fhearchar a’ Ghunna. Bha e a’ fuireach ann am bothan faisg air mansa a’ Chaisteil Ruaidh. Ach chaidh e fhèin agus am ministear a-mach air a chèile, agus chaidh a shadail a-mach. Chaidh e a dh’fhuireach ann am bothan air Monadh Tharradail faisg air a’ Bhlàr Dhubh.
A thaobh biadh, cha robh e miarraideach. Nan lorgadh e cearc-fhraoich no ròcas marbh, bhiodh e gan ithe. Bhiodh e ag ithe chearcan is coineanaich amh. Bha e gu math measail air losgannan. Ach bhiodh e a’ toirt an sùilean asta an toiseach oir cha do chòrd e ris nuair a bha e gan ithe gum biodh iad a’ coimhead air! Feumaidh gun robh e gan ithe fhèin amh cuideachd!
Aon turas lorg e closach seann eich, agus cù a’ reubadh feòil às. Ghabh Fearchar a chuid dhen fheòil cuideachd!
Bha e cianail measail air sealg ach cha robh amas math aige. Latha a bha seo bha e faisg air Caisteal Bhrathainn nuair a chunnaic e ròcas. Loisg e air ach dh’fhalbh an t-eun cho slàn ri breac. Mìos an dèidh sin, bha Fearchar mìltean air falbh bho Bhrathann nuair a lorg e ròcas a chaidh a mharbhadh le geamair. Thog ar laoch an t-eun an-àirde. ‘Seall seo, seall seo!’ ghlaodh e. ‘Seo an ròcas air an do loisg mi aig Caisteal Bhrathainn. Dh’amais mi gu math agus b’ fhiosrach dhomh gun do mharbh mi e!’ Agus dh’ith Fearchar an t-eun!
Bhiodh e a’ toirt leis pìos mònach loisgeach airson leigeil leis a ghunna a losgadh. Latha a bha seo chaidh e gu gobha. Dh’iarr e air a’ ghobha inneal a chruthachadh a leigeadh leis a bhith a’ losgadh a ghunna uair sam bith. Dh’aontaich an gobha sin a dhèanamh nam biodh Fearchar a’ cantainn ùrnaigh ainmeil – Ùrnaigh na Creubhaig. Rinn Fearchar sin agus rinn an gobha pìos cruadhach dha a bha ceangailte ri a chaol-dùirn. Nam biodh Fearchar a’ bualadh na cruadhach le spor, gheibheadh e sradag a leigeadh leis a ghunna a losgadh.
Bha Fearchar a’ coiseachd air rathad nuair a chunnaic e beathach. Loisg e air, ach cha do rinn e cron sam bith air. Ach bha e dhen bheachd gun robh air a leòn agus ruith e às a dhèidh. Fad an latha a lean e air, agus am beathach a’ cumail astar eadar e fhèin agus an sealgair. Mu dheireadh, ràinig Fearchar taigh. ‘Carson a tha thu a’ ruith an dèidh m’ asail?’ dh’fhaighnich fear an taighe.
‘ʼS e a th’ ann damh a thilg mi air a’ mhonadh,’ thuirt Fearchar. A rèir choltais cha robh Fearchar air asal fhaicinn roimhe sin.
Uaireannan bhiodh daoine a’ gabhail brath air Fearchar leis nach robh Beurla sam bith aige. Latha a bha seo bha e aig a’ mhargaidh anns a’ Bhlàr Dhubh. Chunnaic e fear de na h-uaislean aig nach robh Gàidhlig sam bith. Bha fios aig Fearchar gun robh fùdar-gunna aige. Bhruidhinn e ri duine-uasal eile aig an robh Gàidhlig. ‘ Ciamar a dh’iarras mi fùdar air?’ dh’fhaighnich Fearchar mun fhear eile, ‘Chan eil Gàidhlig aige.’
‘O, can ris trì faclan Beurla,’ fhreagair am fear eile. ‘ Guard your life. Agus gheibh thu fùdar gu leòr.’
Chaidh Fearchar chun an duine eile. ‘Guard your life!’ thuirt e ris agus theich am fear eile le eagal!
Faclan na Litreach: : miarraideach: fussy; cearc-fhraoich: red grouse; coineanaich amh: raw (uncooked) rabbits; losgannan:frogs; ròcas: rook; Caisteal Bhrathainn: Brahan Castle; geamair: gamekeeper; pìos mònach loisgeach: a bit of burning peat; sradag: spark; fùdar-gunna: gunpowder.
Abairtean na Litreach: faisg air mansa a’ Chaisteil Ruaidh: near the Redcastle manse; chaidh e fhèin agus am ministear a-mach air a chèile: he and the minister fell out with each other; chaidh a shadail a-mach: he was thrown out; bhiodh e a’ toirt an sùilean asta an toiseach: he would take their eyes out to begin with; cha do chòrd e ris nuair a bha e gan ithe: he didn’t enjoy it when he was eating them; lorg e closach seann eich: he found the carcase of an old horse; cù a’ reubadh feòil às: a dog ripping meat from it; bha e cianail measail air sealg ach cha robh amas math aige: he was terribly keen on hunting but his aim was poor; cho slàn ri breac: entirely uninjured; dh’iarr e air a’ ghobha inneal a chruthachadh: he asked the blacksmith to create a device; a leigeadh leis a bhith a’ losgadh a ghunna uair sam bith: which would allow him to fire his gun at any time; nam biodh X a’ cantainn ùrnaigh ainmeil: if X would recite his famous prayer; a bha ceangailte ri a chaol-dùirn: that was connected to his wrist; a’ bualadh na cruadhach le spor: hitting the steel with a flint; a’ cumail astar eadar e fhèin agus an sealgair: keeping a distance between itself and the hunter; carson a tha thu a’ ruith an dèidh m’ asail?: why are you running after my donkey?; ʼs e a th’ ann damh a thilg mi air a’ mhonadh: it’s a stag I felled on the hill; aig a’ mhargaidh anns a’ Bhlàr Dhubh: at the market in Muir of Ord; can ris trì faclan Beurla: say three English words to him; theich am fear eile le eagal: the other man fled in fear.
Puing-chànain na Litreach: Ciamar a dh’iarras mi fùdar air? : how will (‘can’) I ask him for powder? Dh’iarras is the relative future form of the verb iarr (the dh’ is there because it starts with a vowel); it is formed by adding –(e)as to the verbal root (and leniting it if applicable). You would commonly use it with ciamar eg ciamar a chanas mi sin ann an Gàidhlig? ‘how do I say that in Gaelic?’
Gnathas-cainnt na Litreach: b’ fhiosrach dhomh gun do mharbh mi e: I knew I [had] killed it.
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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
This letter corresponds to Tha an Litir seo a’ buntainn ri An Litir Bheag 690
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