180: Am fitheach a dh’èireas moch...
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.
Am fitheach a dh’èireas moch...
Bidh sibh eòlach air an t-seanfhacal ann am Beurla, ‘the early bird catches the worm.’ Uill, seo fear ann an Gàidhlig a tha car coltach ris, ged a tha e ’s dòcha beagan nas an-iochdmhoire: ‘Am fitheach a dh’èireas moch, ’s ann leis a bhios sùil a’ bheathaich a tha sa pholl’. Am fitheach a dh’èireas moch, ’s ann leis a bhios sùil a’ bheathaich a tha sa pholl.
Seadh, uill, tuigidh sibh gu bheil fithich gu math dèidheil air sùilean bheathaichean. Gu dearbh, tha seanfhacal eile ann mu dheidhinn sin: Cha toir am fitheach an t-sùil dha isean fhèin. Tha e cho dèidheil air an t-sùil is gun cum e dha fhèin i eadhon ma tha isean acrach anns an nead. Cha toir am fitheach an t-sùil dha isean fhèin.
Bidh fios agaibh, tha mi cinnteach, gur e a’ Bheurla a th’ air fitheach – raven. Tha an t-eun sin gu math ainmeil air feadh na Gàidhealtachd is, gu dearbh, tha e a’ nochdadh ann am mòran ainmean-àite, leithid Creag an Fhithich agus Creag nam Fitheach. Is bidh fios agaibh gum buin an t-eun seo do na feannagan – eòin mhòra dhubha. Ach an urrainn dhuibh na diofar fheannagan aithneachadh o chèile – ann an dreach agus ann an cainnt? Uill, seo iad – gu h-aithghearr co-dhiù.
A’ chiad tè – sin a’ chathag dhearg-chasach. ’S e feannag bheag a th’ innte, le casan dearga agus gob dearg, agus chan eil i ri faicinn ann am mòran àiteachan ann an Alba an là an-diugh. Chunnaic mise feadhainn ann an Colasa agus Orasa. ’S e chough no chough a th’ air ann am Beurla. A’ chathag dhearg-chasach.
’S e eun eadar-dhealaichte a th’ anns a’ chathaig fhèin – an jackdaw mar a theirear rithe ann am Beurla. Tha i dubh ach a-mhàin air cùl a cinn agus air cùl a h-amhaich. Tha an ròcas càirdeach dhi is tha ise gu tur dubh ach a-mhàin gu bheil i bàn timcheall a guib. Ann an Athall, chanadh na seann daoine ‘garrag’ ris an ròcas agus bha abairt aca – ‘cho Gàidhealach ris na garragan’.
’S e feannag a chanas sinn ris an eun dubh ris an canar carrion crow ann am Beurla agus canaidh sinn feannag ghlas ris an fheadhainn a tha glas agus dubh – na hoodies mar a theirear riutha ann am Beurla. Canaidh cuid starrag ris an eun seo. Agus aig deireadh na liosta tha am fitheach.
Sin iad ma tha – na feannagan: a’ chathag, a’ chathag dhearg-chasach, an ròcas, an fheannag, an fheannag ghlas agus am fitheach. Agus a-nise bu mhath leam rann bheag innse dhuibh air a bheil ‘Conaltradh nan Eun’ anns a bheil cuid de na feannagan a’ nochdadh. Tha am facal garrach a’ ciallachadh isean feannaig. Seo an rann agus saoilidh mi gum biodh e glè fhreagarrach do chloinn:
‘Fàg, fàg,’ ars’ an fheannag,
‘Is e mo mhac-s’ an garrach donn.’
‘Gòrach, gòrach,’ ars’ an ròcas,
‘Is e mo mhac-s’ an garrach gorm.’
‘Gròc, gròc,’ ars’ am fitheach,
‘Is e mo mhac-s’ a chriomas uain.’
‘Glidheag, glidheag,’ ars’ an fhaoileag,
‘Is e mo mhac-s’ an t-isean soirbh.’
‘Gliog, gliog,’ ars’ an iolair’,
‘Is e mo mhac-s’ an tighearna oirbh.’
Seo i a-rithist agus cuiridh mi na fuaimean ann gu ceart an turas seo.
‘Fàg, fàg,’ ars’ an fheannag,
‘Is e mo mhac-s’ an garrach donn.’
‘Gòrach, gòrach,’ ars’ an ròcas,
‘Is e mo mhac-s’ an garrach gorm.’
‘Gròc, gròc,’ ars’ am fitheach,
‘Is e mo mhac-s’ a chriomas uain.’
‘Glidheag, glidheag,’ ars’ an fhaoileag,
‘Is e mo mhac-s’ an t-isean soirbh.’
‘Gliog, gliog,’ ars’ an iolair’,
‘Is e mo mhac-s’ an tighearna oirbh.’
Faclan na Litreach: Creag an Fhithich: Rock of the Raven; Creag nam Fitheach: Rock of the Ravens; Athall: Atholl; soirbh: placid, easy-going.
Abairtean na Litreach: eadhon ma tha isean acrach anns an nead: even if there is a hungry chick in the nest; gum buin an t-eun seo do na feannagan:that this bird belongs to the crows; ann an dreach agus ann an cainnt: in appearance and in speech; ann an Colasa is Orasa: in Colonsay and Oronsay; ach a-mhàin air cùl a cinn agus air cùl a h-amhaich: except on the back of her head and the back of her neck; tha an ròcas càirdeach dhi: the rook is related to her; timcheall a guib: around her beak; conaltradh nan eun: conversation of the birds; gum biodh e glè fhreagarrach do chloinn: that it would be very suitable for children; is e mo mhac-s’ an garrach gorm: my son is the blue chick; ’s e mo mhac-s’ a chriomas uain: it’s my chick that picks the lambs’ bones; ’s e mo mhac-s’ an tighearna oirbh: my son is the lord over all of you.
Puing-ghràmair na Litreach: I feel I should use this slot this week to fend off potential indignation on the part of some readers/listeners who will claim they have a different word for their ‘crows’ etc. Indeed so. In the text I mention that starrag may be used for the hooded crow but it may also mean a carrion crow in some places. Whereas some people refer to a scarecrow as bodach-ròcais, others call it a bodach-starraig. The jackdaw may also be called a cnàimh-fhitheach, coc-bhran or sorachagand the rook may be called a creumhach, garrag (as mentioned in the text) and garrag ghlas.And the hooded crow is sometimes referred to as a feannag chorrach. The raven seems to be almost universally a fitheach, although Dwelly also gives biadhtach. And the young of both a carrion crow and a rook may be known as a garrach – although it is hardly a recommendation, as you will see if you look it up in Dwelly. If you have any other words for members of this group of birds, I would love to hear from you.
Seanfhaclan na Litreach: Am fitheach a dh’èireas moch, ’s ann leis a bhios sùil a’ bheathaich a tha sa pholl:the raven that rises early gets the eye of the beast (trapped) in the bog. Cha toir am fitheach an t-sùil dha isean fhèin: the raven won’t give the eye (even) to his own chick.
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