Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
le Ruairidh MacIlleathain
Iain mac ʼan Mhòir, murtair (1)
Each week the West Highland Free Press publishes the text for Ruairidh ‘s “Letter to Gaelic Learners” on BBC Radio nan Gàidheal (103.5-105 FM). Broadcasts are as follows: 10.00 pm on Sunday, following the Gaelic Learners’ programme ‘Beag air Bheag’, with a repeat at 10.30 pm on Wednesday. This is Litir 1,089. There is also a simpler version – An Litir Bheag – which is broadcast at 4.03 pm each Sunday. Litir Bheag 785 corresponds to Litir 1,089. The Litir is also available at www.bbc.co.uk/litir and www.learngaelic.scot/litir.
Ge b’ e a dhòirteas fuil duine, le duine dòirtear fhuil-san. A bheil sibh eòlach air an abairt sin? Tha i às a’ Bhìoball. ʼS e an earrann gu lèir: Ge b’ e a dhòirteas fuil duine, le duine dòirtear fhuil-san, oir ʼs ann an dealbh Dhè a rinn e an duine. Tha e a’ nochdadh gu math tràth anns an t-Seann Tiomnadh, ann an Genesis Caibideil IX, Rann 6.
Carson a tha mi a’ tòiseachadh le sin? Uill, bha mi a’ leughadh seann chunntas de mhurt air a’ Ghàidhealtachd, agus chrìochnaich an cunntas leis an earrainn sin à Leabhar Genesis. Chì sinn carson, nuair a thig an cunntas agam fhìn gu crìch.
Thachair e ann an sia ceud deug, ceathrad ʼs a trì (1643) ann am paraiste Chnoc Mhoire faisg air a’ Mhanachainn. Bha uachdaran ann am Fionn Ghasg, no mar a chanadh na Gàidheil anns an sgìre sin, ‘Fionn-uisg’. ʼS e Sìm Friseal an t-ainm a bh’ air.
Bha fear ann ris an canadh iad Iain mac ʼan Mhòir a bha ag obair dha. Chan e duine onarach a bh’ ann.
Latha a bha seo, bha Iain mac ʼan Mhòir a’ bualadh arbhar. Aig deireadh latha-obrach mar sin, bhiodh cead aige connlach a thoirt dhachaigh leis. Ach, gu tric, am broinn na connlaich, chuireadh e sìl eòrna am falach. Bha e a’ goid an eòrna a bhuineadh do a mhaighstir. An latha seo, gu mì-fhortanach dha, thuit am poca de dh’eòrna às a’ bhad chonnlaich aige.
Bha gille, a bha ag obair don aon uachdaran, faisg air làimh, agus chunnaic e na thachair. B’ esan Dòmhnall mac Uilleim. Rinn Dòmhnall trod ri Iain airson a bhith eas-onarach. ‘Chuir ar maighstir earbsa annad, Iain,’ thuirt an gille, ‘agus tha thu a’ briseadh sin.’
Bha an t-eagal air Iain gum faigheadh e a leabhraichean nan cluinneadh an t-uachdaran mun ghnothach. Chuir e plana ri chèile airson Dòmhnall a mhurt. Chaidh e thuige. ‘Lorg mi ròn mòr marbh air a’ chladach,’ thuirt e. ‘Chan eil fios aig duine eile mu dheidhinn, ach mo bhràthair-chèile, Iain MacCoinnich. Carson nach tig thu còmhla rinn, agus gheibh sinn uile an treas cuid dhen chlosach.’
Cha do thuig Dòmhnall an cunnart san robh e. Thachair an dithis ri Iain MacCoinnich aig a’ chars – ʼs e sin am fearann còmhnard bog ri taobh Linne Fharair. Gun rabhadh, thug Iain mac ʼan Mhòir biodag a-mach, agus shàth e an gille tro a chridhe. A rèir choltais, cha do thuig Iain MacCoinnich gur e murt a bha fa-near dhaibh. Bha an t-eagal air gun canadh a bhràthair-chèile gun robh esan cuideachd an sàs anns an droch ghnothach.
Thuirt Iain mac ʼan Mhòir ris, ‘Sàth thusa e, Iain. Bidh thu fhèin a cheart cho ciontach ʼs a tha mise.’ Feumaidh gun robh Iain MacCoinnich dhen bheachd nach robh roghainn aige. No ʼs dòcha dìreach gur e droch isean a bh’ ann fhèin. Shàth esan an gille cuideachd, gus an robh e gu cinnteach marbh.
Ghiùlain an dithis corp a’ ghille sìos gu cladach a’ chars. Cha robh duine a’ fuireach an sin, agus chan fhaca duine iad. Bha an làn a-mach. Dh’fhàg iad corp Dhòmhnaill air a’ chladach, an dùil gum biodh e air a sguabadh air falbh leis an tìde-mhara. Ach dè thachair? Innsidh mu dhuibh anns an ath Litir.
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Faclan na Litreach: Fionn Ghasg: Fingask; Sìm Friseal: Simon Fraser; Iain mac ʼan Mhòir: John, the son of big John; Dòmhnall mac Uilleim: Donald, son of William; ròn: seal.
Abairtean na Litreach: Tha e às a’ Bhìoball: it’s out of the Bible; oir ʼs ann an dealbh Dhè a rinn e an duine: for in the image of God has God made mankind; tràth anns an t-Seann Tiomnadh, ann an Genesis Caibideil IX, Rann 6: early in the Old Testament, in Genesis Chapter IX, Verse 6; chrìochnaich an cunntas leis an earrainn sin: the account finished with that passage; nuair a thig an cunntas agam fhìn gu crìch: when my own account finishes; paraiste Chnoc Mhoire faisg air a’ Mhanachainn: the parish of Kirkhill (Wardlaw) near Beauly; bhiodh cead aige connlach a thoirt dhachaigh leis: he would have permission to take straw home with him; thuit am poca de dh’eòrna às a’ bhad chonnlaich aige: his bag of barley fell out of his pile of straw; rinn Dòmhnall trod ri Iain airson a bhith eas-onarach: Donald scolded John for being dishonest; chuir ar maighstir earbsa annad: our master put his trust in you; gum faigheadh e a leabhraichean nan cluinneadh an t-uachdaran mun ghnothach: that he would get his books (the sack) if the landlord heard about the matter; gheibh sinn uile an treas cuid dhen chlosach: we’ll all get a third part of the carcase; aig a’ chars – ʼs e sin am fearann còmhnard bog ri taobh Linne Fharair: at the carse – that’s the flat, soft ground beside the Beauly Firth; thug X biodag a-mach, agus shàth e an gille tro a chridhe: he produced a dirk, and he stabbed the lad through the heart; gur e murt a bha fa-near dhaibh: that their intention was murder; bha an làn a-mach: the tide was out; an dùil gum biodh e air a sguabadh air falbh leis an tìde-mhara: expecting it to be swept away by the tide.
Puing-chànain na Litreach: Ge b’ e a dhòirteas fuil duine, le duine dòirtear fhuil-san: Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed. Duine here is a generic term so fuil duine means ‘blood of a human’. Dòirtear is the future passive form of dòirt ‘pour, spill’, translated as ‘shed’ in many English versions of the Bible. Dòirtear means ‘will be poured, spilled, shed’.
Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: chuireadh e sìl eòrna am falach: he would hide barley seed.
Tha “Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh” air a maoineachadh le MG ALBA