Black-haired John of Lewis (3)
Black-haired John of Lewis, the
Sailor, was in the robbers’ house. The
robbers weren’t there. There was a
secret room in the house. John opened
the door of the room. He saw a
beautiful woman. She was hanging by
her hair from the ceiling.
She appeared to be dead. But she
wasn’t. She awoke. She told John
what had happened to her. She was
the daughter of the King of Spàin.
Two of the robbers were caught at the
King’s Castle. The King had them
killed. The other robbers took revenge
by capturing the King’s daughter.
John and the daughter left. They
reached a shieling bothy for the night.
When they were in the bothy, they
heard voices outside. John opened the
door. There were three bodies
standing there. Their heads were
between their hands. “Gentlemen,”
said John, “what do you want?”
“We are,” they replied, “a father
and his two sons. We were killed in
the bothy by robbers. They buried us
behind the bothy. But they didn’t put
each head with its own body. So, we
don’t have peace.” They asked John
to put the heads in the correct place. John did that.
The next day, John and the King’s daughter left the bothy. They reached a port-town. They stopped there and they married. They were happy and successful.
One day, a ship came. On board was the commander of the Spanish fleet. He was looking for the King’s daughter. The King [had] promised the hand of his daughter to any man who would find her. That and half his kingdom.
The commander came to Black-haired John’s house. He spoke to John and his wife. He recognised that she was the daughter of the King of Spain. But he said nothing. He gave John and his wife an invitation to go out the next day to see the ship.
What was going to happen to Black-haired John? I’ll finish the story next week.
Iain Dubh Leòdhasach (3)
Bha Iain Dubh Leòdhasach, an
Seòladair, ann an taigh nan robairean.
Cha robh na robairean ann. Bha
seòmar uaigneach anns an taigh.
Dh’fhosgail Iain doras an t-seòmair.
Chunnaic e boireannach bòidheach.
Bha i crochte air a falt ris a’ mhullach.
Bha coltas oirre gun robh i
marbh. Ach cha robh. Dhùisg i.
Dh’innis i do dh’Iain mar a thachair
dhi. B’ i nighean Rìgh na Spàinne.
Chaidh dithis de na robairean a
ghlacadh aig Caisteal an Rìgh. Chuir
an Rìgh gu bàs iad. Rinn na robairean
eile dìoghaltas le bhith a’ glacadh
nighean an Rìgh.
Theich Iain agus an nighean.
Ràinig iad bothan-àirigh airson na h-oidhche. Nuair a bha iad anns a’
bhothan, chuala iad guthan air an taobh
a-muigh. Dh’fhosgail Iain an doras.
Bha trì colainnean nan seasamh ann.
Bha an cinn eadar an làmhan. “A
dhaoine còire,” ars Iain, “dè tha sibh
ag iarraidh?”
“Is sinne,” fhreagair iad, “athair
agus a dhithis mhac. Chaidh ar
marbhadh anns a’ bhothan le robair ean. Thiodhlaic iad sinn air cùl a’
bhothain. Ach cha do chuir iad gach
ceann le a cholainn fhèin. Mar sin,
chan eil fois againn.” Dh’iarr iad air Iain na cinn a chur anns an àite cheart. Rinn Iain sin.
An ath latha, dh’fhàg Iain agus nighean an Rìgh am bothan. Ràinig iad baile-puirt. Stad iad an sin agus phòs iad. Bha iad sona agus soirbheachail.
Latha a bha seo, thàinig long. Air bòrd bha ceannard cabhlach na Spàinne. Bha e a’ sireadh nighean an Rìgh. Gheall an Rìgh a nighean mar bhean do dh’fhear sam bith a lorgadh i. Sin agus leth a rìoghachd.
Thàinig an ceannard gu taigh Iain Duibh. Bhruidhinn e ri Iain agus a bhean. Dh’aithnich e gum b’ ise nighean Rìgh na Spàinne. Ach cha tuirt e guth. Thug e cuireadh do dh’Iain is a bhean a dhol a-mach an ath latha, agus an long fhaicinn.
Dè bha a’ dol a thachairt do dh’Iain Dubh? Cuiridh mi crìoch air an stòiridh an ath-sheachdain.
