Loch a’ Ghartain (2)
I was telling you about Donald MacPherson and the Bodach who lived in
the woods around Loch Garten. When he saw the white thing in the
darkness, Donald made for his house. When he reached the kitchen, he
fainted.
He didn’t say anything about the matter until next day. People had
different opinions about it. Some people thought it was the Bodach that
had scared him. People would hear [the Bodach] when somebody was about
to die. And, shortly after that night, the man who rented the farm
where Donald was playing cards died.
They buried the man in the cemetery at the old church in Kincardine.
They took his remains in a cart which was pulled by two white
stallions. They got the cart from the innkeeper in Nethy Bridge.
They took the old road near Tulloch. When they reached the place where
Donald saw the white thing, the stallions started to fight with each
other. They were kicking and biting and rising on their hind legs. The
funeral cart turned over. But the horses were still fighting. And one
of them let out a scream like the scream that Donald heard the other
night previously.
Did Donald have the second sight? Had he seen an apparition? Were the
stallions the Bodach? The local people had many opinions on the matter.
In addition to the Bodach, people were making out that a water beast
was living in Loch Garten. It was black with a large mane and large
head. People would be seeing it beside the burn that goes from Loch
Garten to Loch Mallachie about half a mile away. They were saying that
this creature would eat young children and lambs.
One crofter was bolder than the others. He decided to capture the beast.
But how? You’ll hear next week.
Loch Garten (2)
Bha mi ag innse dhuibh mu Dhòmhnall Mac a’ Phearsain agus am Bodach a bha
beò anns na coilltean timcheall Loch a’ Ghartain. Nuair a chunnaic e an rud
geal anns an dorchadas, rinn Dòmhnall air an taigh aige. Nuair a ràinig e
an cidsin, chaidh e an laigse.
Cha tuirt e dad mun ghnothach chun an ath latha. Bha diofar bheachdan aig
daoine air. Bha cuid dhen bheachd gur e am Bodach a chuir eagal air. Bhiodh
daoine ga chluinntinn nuair a bha bàs an impis tighinn air cuideigin. Agus,
goirid an dèidh na h-oidhche sin, chaochail am fear aig an robh am
baile-fearainn air mhàl far an robh Dòmhnall a’ cluich chairtean.
Thiodhlaic iad an duine anns a’ chladh aig an t-seann eaglais ann an Ceann
Chàrdainn. Thug iad an dust aige ann an cairt a bha air a tarraing le dà
àigeach gheal. Fhuair iad a’ chairt o fhear an taigh-òsta ann an Drochaid
Neithich.
Thug iad an seann rathad faisg air an Tulach. Nuair a ràinig iad an t-àite
far am faca Dòmhnall an rud geal, thòisich na h-àigich air sabaid le
chèile. Bha iad a’ breabadh ʼs a’ bìdeadh ʼs ag èirigh air an casan
deiridh. Chuir an carbad-tiodhlacaidh car. Ach bha na h-eich fhathast a’
sabaid. Agus leig fear dhiubh sgreuch coltach ris an sgreuch a chuala
Dòmhnall an oidhche roimhe.
An robh an dà-shealladh air Dòmhnall? An robh e air manadh fhaicinn? Am b’
iad na h-àigich am Bodach? Bha iomadh beachd aig muinntir an àite air a’
chùis.
A bharrachd air a’ Bhodach, bha daoine a’ cumail a-mach gun robh
biast-uisge a’ fuireach ann an Loch a’ Ghartain. Bha e dubh le muing mhòr
agus ceann mòr. Bhiodh daoine ga fhaicinn ri taobh an uillt a tha a’ dol
bho Loch a’ Ghartain gu ruige Loch Mallachaidh mu leth-mhìle air falbh. Bha
iad ag ràdh gum biodh an creutair seo ag ithe clann òg agus uain.
Bha aon chroitear na bu dàna na càch. Chuir e roimhe a’ bhiast a chur an
grèim. Ach ciamar? Cluinnidh sibh an-ath-sheachdain.
