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Bha mi ag innse dhuibh mu Naomh Faolan. Chaidh e gu àite air an robh ‘An Srath’ mar ainm. Bha e ann an ceann shuas Ghleann Dochard. Thog iad eaglais ann. Fhad ʼs a bha iad ga togail, chaidh na daimh aig Faolan fhuasgladh bhon uidheam aca. Air an oidhche, thàinig madadh-allaidh. Dh’ith e fear de na daimh.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Anns a’ mhadainn rinn Faolan ùrnaigh do Dhia. Bha e ag iarraidh gun tilleadh an aon mhadadh-allaidh agus gum biodh e soitheamh, socair. ʼS e sin a thachair. Leig am madadh-allaidh le Faolan a chur ri crann mar gur e damh a bha ann. Dh’obraich e mar dhamh fhad ʼs a bha iad a’ togail na h-eaglaise. An dèidh sin, dh’fhalbh e agus chaidh e air ais mar a bha e.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Rinn Faolan iomadh mìorbhail eile agus bha gràdh aig muinntir an àite air. Chuir na daoine ‘Srath Fhaolain’ air an t-srath sin mar ainm.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Thàinig an sgeulachd sin à Breviarium Aberdonense – The Aberdeen Breviary a dh’ainmich mi an t-seachdain sa chaidh. Cuiridh mi crìoch air an Litir le sgeulachd eile bhon aon leabhar. Tha i mu dheidhinn Naoimh Ma-ruibh – naomh le ceangal sònraichte don Chomraich, an dùthaich agam fhìn ann an Ros an Iar.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Thàinig Lochlannaich don Chomraich. Bha iad a’ dèanamh sgrios air a’ Ghàidhealtachd. Dh’inns pearsaichean-eaglais dhaibh gun robh an dùthaich na comraich. Bha sin air sgàth buadhan Ma-ruibhe.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Ach bha na Lochlannaich coma. Cha do ghabh iad sùim de dhualchas Ma-ruibh. Ghoid iad tòrr stuth bho na daoine. Thill iad do na bàtaichean aca. Chuir iad na siùil an-àirde. Bha iad a’ falbh air chùrsa a bha a’ coimhead fàbharach dhaibh. Cha robh fairge mhòr sam bith ann. Ach, gu h-obann, shluig a’ mhuir iad. Bha iad uile air am bàthadh.

Ìý

I was telling you about St Fillan. He went to a place called ‘The Strath’. It was in upper Glen Dochart. They built a church there. While they were building it, Fillan’s oxen were untied from their equipment. At night, a wolf came. It ate one of the oxen.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý In the morning, Fillan prayed to God. He was wanting the same wolf to return and to be gentle and docile. That’s what happened. The wolf allowed Fillan to attach it to a plough as if it were an ox.Ìý It worked like an ox while they were building the church. After that, it left and it went back to as it was [before].

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Fillan performed many other miracles and the people loved him. The people called the strath ‘Strathfillan’.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý That story came from Breviarium Aberdonense – The Aberdeen Breviary – that I mentioned last week. I’ll finish the Litir with another story from the same book. It’s about St Maolrubha – a saint with a special link to Applecross, my own country in Wester Ross.

ÌýÌýÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýScandinavians came to Applecross. They were causing destruction in the Highlands. Clerics told them that the country was a sanctuary. That was because of Maolrubha’s virtues.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý But the Scandinavians were indifferent. They took no account of Maolrubha’s heritage. They stole many things from the people. They returned to their boats. They hoisted the sails. They were departing on a course that was looking favourable for them. But, suddenly, the sea swallowed them. They were all drowned.