Dunvegan Castle (2)
I was telling you about the Fairy Flag of Clan MacLeod. It’s in
Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye. There are three other stories
about the flag.
There was a man, a MacDiarmad, who was a ploughman. A fairy gave him a
box for the clan chief. The ploughman took the box to Dunvegan Castle.
The lady [clan chief’s wife] was expecting a baby. But, when she looked
at the flag, the labour started immediately. And the baby appeared
shortly after.
There is another story about the flag. One particular night, there was
a great celebration in Dunvegan Castle. A nurse was keeping an eye on
the chief’s young son. She put the baby in his cradle in his room. That
was in the tower called the Fairy Tower. The nurse left to take part in
the celebration.
While she was away, the lad awoke and became restless. He kicked his
blanket off. A fairy came and put a silk shawl around the lad. When the
girl returned, she picked up the lad, still with the shawl around him.
She went to the celebration with him. When she joined the others, the
room was filled with fairy voices, singing a special lullaby.
And there is another story. One time, a MacLeod chief married a fairy
woman. They were living together for years in the land of the fairies.
MacLeod wanted to return to his own people. They farewelled each other
at the bridge at
Beul-atha nan Trì Allt . People call it the Fairy Bridge in English.
The fairy woman gave the chief the Fairy Flag. She said to him, if he were
in an emergency at time of war, that he’d only have to bring out the flag
and wave it. And he would be victorious. But she warned him that it would
only work three times. According to the folk of the Castle, the chief waved
the Fairy Flag twice in battle when the MacLeods were in dire straits. They
won each time.
Caisteal Dhùn Bheagain (2)
Bha mi ag innse dhuibh mun Bhrataich Shìth no Fairy Flag aig Clann
ʼic Leòid. Tha i ann an Caisteal Dhùn Bheagain anns an Eilean Sgitheanach.
Tha trì stòiridhean eile ann mun bhrataich.
Bha fear MacDhiarmaid, a bha na threabhaiche. Thug sìthiche bogsa dha
airson a’ chinn-chinnidh. Thug an treabhaiche am bogsa a Chaisteal Dhùn
Bheagain. Bha a’ bhean-uasal an dùil leanabh a bhith aice. Ach, nuair a
thug i sùil air a’ bhrataich, thòisich an spàirn-bhreith sa mhionaid! Agus
nochd an leanabh goirid an dèidh sin.
Tha stòiridh eile ann mun bhrataich. Oidhche a bha seo, bha cuirm mhòr a’
dol ann an Caisteal Dhùn Bheagain. Bha tè-altraim a’ cumail sùil air mac òg
a’ chinn-chinnidh. Chuir i an leanabh na chreathail anns an t-seòmar aige.
Bha sin anns an tùr ris an canar Fairy Tower. Dh’fhalbh an
tè-altraim a ghabhail pàirt anns a’ chuirm.
Fhad ʼs a bha i air falbh, dhùisg an gille is dh’fhàs e an-fhoiseil. Bhreab
e a phlaide dheth. Thàinig sìthiche agus chuir e seàla shìoda timcheall a’
ghille. Nuair a thill an nighean, thog i an gille, fhathast leis an t-seàla
timcheall air. Dh’fhalbh i don chuirm leis. Nuair a chaidh i far an robh
càch, lìonadh an seòmar le guthan shìthichean, a’ seinn tàladh sònraichte.
Agus tha stòiridh eile ann. Uair a bha seo, phòs ceann-cinnidh nan Leòdach
bean-shìth. Bha iad a’ fuireach còmhla fad bhliadhnaichean ann an tìr nan
sìthichean. Bha an Leòdach ag iarraidh tilleadh do a mhuinntir fhèin. Leig
iad soraidh le chèile aig an drochaid aig Beul-atha nan Trì Allt. Canaidh
daoine Fairy Bridge rithe ann am Beurla.
Thug a’ bhean-shìth a’ Bhratach Shìth don cheann-chinnidh. Thuirt i ris,
nam biodh e ann an èiginn aig àm catha, nach leigeadh e leas ach a’
bhratach a thoirt a-mach agus a crathadh. Agus bhiodh buaidh aige. Ach thug
i rabhadh dha nach obraicheadh i ach trì tursan. A rèir muinntir a’
Chaisteil, chrath an ceann-cinnidh a’ Bhratach Shìth dà thuras ann an cath
nuair a bha na Leòdaich ann an èiginn. Gach turas bha buaidh aca.
