141: The Linnet 141: An Linnet
Litir shìmplidh sheachdaineach do luchd-ionnsachaidh le clàr-fuaime, tar-sgrìobhadh is eadar-theangachadh. A simple weekly letter to Gaelic learners with audio, transcription and translation.
Tha an litir bheag 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 little 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.
An Linnet
Ann an ochd ceud deug, ceathrad ’s a trì (1843), chaidh an soitheach an Linnet air na creagan. Bha sin faisg air Cadabol. Tha Cadabol faisg air Baile a’ Chnuic ann am Machair Rois.
’S e bàta-seòlaidh a bha innte. Chaidh i air na creagan. Ach cha robh an t-slige aice briste. Bha feadhainn ag iarraidh a toirt gu Baile an Todhair. Chuir iad an Linnet air bhog. Tharraing iad i le eathraichean. Ach bha droch shìde ann. ’S e feasgar geamhraidh a bha ann. Bha i stoirmeil.
Dh’fhalbh an Linnet leis a’ ghaoith. Bha seachdnar air bòrd. Bha i a’ fàs dorch. Cha robh acair air bòrd. Agus cha robh stiùir aca.
Beagan làithean às dèidh sin, chaidh an long-bhriseadh a lorg. Chaill an seachdnar a bha air bòrd am beatha. Bha ceathrar aca à Baile an Todhair agus bha an triùir eile à Baile a’ Chnuic. ’S e call uabhasach a bha ann.
Sgrìobh fear Artar Ros marbhrann Gàidhlig mu dheidhinn.
Tha ’n duine truagh gach uile là
a’ dol air thuras dh’ionnsaigh bhàis,
’s gun fhios an t-àm an tèid e ’n sàs –
tha uair a bhàis am falach air
Sin an dàrna rann. Seo a-nis an t-siathamh is an t-seachdamh rann:
Ach dhiùlt i falbh dhaibh uair no dhà
is iad ga feuchainn le luchd-ceàird;
ach nuair a thàinig oidhche a’ bhàis,
siud ghabh i an sàl is dh’imich i
Is ged bha àireamh mhòr air bòrd
ga tarraing suas gu Bail’ an Todhair,
dh’fhalbh i uath’ gun stiùir, gun seòl,
is cha bu deòin leath’ fuireach dhaibh
’S dòcha gum bi cuspair nas aotruime agam anns an ath Litir! Ach fàgaibh mi sibh an t-seachdain seo le rann eile bhon “Linnet Mhòr”:
Och, a Bhàis, b’ an-iochdmhor cruaidh
thu ann an siud ’m measg thonnaibh ’chuain
dar chuir thu ort do chlogaid chruaidh
is thilg gun truas do shaighead annt’.
Faclan is abairtean: chaidh an soitheach an Linnet air na creagan: the vessel, the Linnet, went on the rocks; tha Cadabol faisg air Baile a’ Chnuic ann am Machair Rois: Cadboll is near Hilton on the flat lands of Easter Ross (“the Seaboard Villages”); ’s e bàta-seòlaidh a bha innte:she was a sailing boat; cha robh an t-slige aice briste: her hull wasn’t broken; ag iarraidh a toirt gu Baile an Todhair:wanted to take her to Balintore (a neighbouring village); air bhog: afloat; tharraing iad i le eathraichean:they pulled her with boats; droch shìde: bad weather; feasgar geamhraidh: a winter’s afternoon; leis a’ ghaoith:with the wind; bha seachdnar air bòrd: there were seven people on board; acair; anchor; cha robh stiùir aca:they had no rudder; beagan làithean às dèidh sin: a few days after that; chaidh an long-bhriseadh a lorg: the wrecked ship was found; ’s e call uabhasach a bha ann: it was a terrible loss; marbhrann: elegy; tha an duine truagh gach uile là: the poor man each and every day; a’ dol air thuras dh’ionnsaigh bhàis: going on a journey towards death; gun fhios an t-àm an tèid e ’n sàs: without knowing the time he will be taken [by death]; an dàrna rann: the second verse; tha uair a bhàis am falach air: the time of his death is hidden from him; dhiùlt i falbh dhaibh uair no dhà: she refused to leave [afloat] once or twice; is iad ga feuchainn le luchd-ceàird: with them trying [to float her] with tradesmen/engineers; nuair a thàinig oidhche a’ bhàis:when the night of death came; she took to the salt water and she left; ged bha àireamh mhòr air bòrd: although there was a large number [of people] on board; ga tarraing suas gu Bail’ an Todhair: dragging her up to Balintore; dh’fhalbh i uatha gun stiùir, gun seòl:she went from them without a rudder, without a sail [uatha is a Ross-shire variant of bhuapa – it means “from them”]; cha bu deòin leatha fuireach dhaibh: she wasn’t willing to wait for them; ’s dòcha gum bi cuspair nas aotruime agam:perhaps I’ll have a lighter subject; fàgaibh mi sibh: I’ll leave you; a Bhàis, b’ an-iochdmhor cruaidh thu: Death, you are unmerciful and hard; am measg thonnaibh a’ chuain: amid the ocean waves (thonnaibh is an old dative plural of tonn); dar chuir thu ort do chlogaid chruaidh: when you put on your hard helmet (dar is a variant of nuair, meaning “when”) thilg gun truas do shaighead annta: [you] fired your arrow into them.
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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
This letter corresponds to Tha an Litir seo a’ buntainn ri Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 445
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