William Wallace (2)
I was telling you about
William Wallace. My accounts of him are from the book ‘The History of
Scotland’.
One day, when he was living in Ayr, William went fishing in the river.
He and a lad were returning home with a basket full of trout. Two or
three English soldiers came over.
The soldiers asked the Scots to give them the basket and the fish.
Wallace was willing to give them a share of the trout. But the soldiers
weren’t satisfied with that. Their exchange came to blows.
With the thick end of his fishing rod, William struck one of the
soldiers on his head. He fell dead. William took the man’s sword and
made for the other soldiers. They fled. But William had to leave for
another area.
A year later, William was married. He was living in Lanark. One day, he
was walking in the town along with friends. He had a green suit on.
An English soldier came. He started to mock William’s suit. Wallace did
not want to be involved in a fight. But more soldiers came, and they
were all mocking him. Finally, one of them struck the head of the
scabbard in which sat Wallace’s sword. The Scot drew his sword. He put
the soldier down with one blow.
There was a fight. Wallace reached his house, with the help of his
friends. Then, out he went through the back door. He hid in a wood.
The English governor, Heselrig, got revenge on him. He burned Wallace’s
house and killed his wife. A maidservant of hers went to the wood. She
told Wallace and his followers everything. They were extremely sad.
‘I shall not rest until I have revenge,’ said Wallace. That night, he
gathered thirty men. They went quietly to the town. They reached the house
of the governor. There was a stair between the street and the governor’s
bedroom. Wallace ascended the stair. And I’ll tell you what happened in the
next Litir.
Uilleam Uallas (2)
Bha mi ag innse dhuibh mu Uilleam Uallas. Tha na cunntasan agam mu
dheidhinn às an leabhar ‘Eachdraidh na h-Alba’.
Latha a bha seo, agus e a’ fuireach ann an Inbhir Àir, chaidh Uilleam a
dh’iasgach anns an abhainn. Bha e fhèin is balach a’ tilleadh dhachaigh le
basgaid làn bhreac. Thàinig dithis no triùir shaighdearan Sasannach nan
rathad.
Dh’iarr na saighdearan air na h-Albannaich a’ bhasgaid agus na h-èisg a
thoirt dhaibh. Bha Uallas deònach roinn de na bric a thoirt dhaibh. Ach cha
robh na saighdearan riaraichte le sin. Chaidh an dol a-mach eatarra gu
buillean.
Le ceann reamhar na slait-iasgaich aige, thug Uilleam buille air fear de na
saighdearan na cheann. Thuit e marbh. Thog Uilleam claidheamh an duine agus
rinn e air na saighdearan eile. Theich iad. Ach b’ fheudar do dh’Uilleam
falbh gu sgìre eile.
Bliadhna an dèidh sin, bha Uilleam pòsta. Bha e a’ fuireach ann am baile
Lannraig. Latha a bha seo, bha e a’ coiseachd anns a’ bhaile còmhla ri
caraidean. Bha deise uaine air.
Thàinig saighdear Sasannach. Thòisich e air magadh air deise Uilleim. Cha
robh Uallas ag iarraidh a bhith an sàs ann an sabaid. Ach thàinig tuilleadh
shaighdearan, agus bha iad uile a’ magadh air. Mu dheireadh, bhuail fear
dhiubh ceann na truaill anns an robh an claidheamh aig Uallas. Tharraing an
t-Albannach a chlaidheamh. Chuir e an saighdear gu talamh le aon bhuille.
Bha sabaid ann. Ràinig Uallas a dhachaigh, le taic a charaidean. An uair
sin, a-mach leis air an doras chùil. Chaidh e am falach ann an coille.
Rinn an riaghladair Sasannach, Heselrig, dìoghaltas air. Loisg e taigh
Uallais agus chuir e a bhean gu bàs. Theich ban-òglach aice don choille.
Dh’inns i a h-uile nì do Uallas agus do a luchd-leanmhainn. Bha mulad orra.
‘Cha bhi fois agam gus an dèan mi dìoghaltas,’ thuirt Uallas. Air an
oidhche sin, thionail e trithead fear. Chaidh iad gu sàmhach don bhaile.
Ràinig iad taigh an riaghladair. Bha staidhre eadar an t-sràid agus
seòmar-cadail an riaghladair. Dhìrich Uallas an staidhre. Agus innsidh mi
dhuibh na thachair anns an ath Litir.
