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An t-seachdain sa chaidh, thòisich mi an Litir le earrann às a’ Bhìoball: Ge b’ e a dhòirteas fuil duine, le duine dòirtear fhuil-san. Bha an cunntas agam mu mhurt Dhòmhnaill mhic Uilleim ann an sgìre Chnoc Mhoire faisg air a’ Mhanachainn. Dh’fhàg am murtair, Iain mac ʼan Mhòir, agus a bhràthair-chèile, Iain MacCoinnich, a bha cuideachd ciontach, corp Dhòmhnaill air a’ chladach. 

Anns an sgìre sin, chan eil an sruth mara uabhasach làidir. Trì latha an dèidh a’ mhuirt, lorg cìobair an corp. Chaidh a chur don eaglais ann an Cnoc Mhoire. Dh’iarr an siorram, Alasdair Siosalach, air a h-uile inbheach anns an sgìre nochdadh aig an eaglais. Bha eadar sia ceud is seachd ceud duine ann.

Bha corp Dhòmhnaill rùisgte, air dèile. Nuair a leugh an siorram ainm gach duine, bha aige no aice ri tighinn air adhart, air beulaibh a h-uile duine eile, agus làmh a chur air broilleach Dhòmhnaill. Bha an siorram an dòchas nach cleitheadh am murtair a chiont anns an t-suidheachadh sin.

Thàinig turas Iain mhic ʼan Mhòir. Chuir e a làmh air broilleach a’ ghille, agus thachair rudeigin annasach. Dh’fhosgail lot air broilleach Dhòmhnaill, agus thàinig fuil às. Chaidh iarraidh air Iain a làmh a chur air a’ chorp dàrna turas. Rinn e sin, agus ruith fuil à sròn a’ chuirp.

Bha sin gu leòr airson an t-siorraim. Thug iad Iain a-steach don eaglais, agus dh’iarr iad air aideachadh gum b’ esan am murtair. Ach dhiùlt e. Chaidh a chur don phrìosan ann an Inbhir Nis, gus an aidicheadh e a chiont. 

Mhothaich daoine nach robh sgeul air Iain MacCoinnich. Thàinig aithris gum facas e aig drochaid Inbhir Nis, agus e a’ ceannach tombaca. An uair sin, dh’fhalbh e rathad Shrath Narann. 

Bha Iain mac ʼan Mhòir air a chur don chip ann an Inbhir Nis – sin rud ris an canar ‘the stocks’ ann am Beurla. Bha e an sin, fliuch is fuar, airson ceala-deug. Mu dheireadh, thuit a dhà chois dheth, mar gun robh lannsair air an gearradh dheth. Ghabh cuid truas ris – agus cuimhnichibh nach robh e air am murt aideachadh. 

Chaidh Iain a thoirt dhachaigh gu Fionn Ghasg. Mean air mhean, dh’fhàs e na bu làidire. Bha e eadhon comasach air coiseachd air na stùmpaichean coise aige. Chuir a nàbaidhean airgead ri chèile, agus cheannaich iad each dha. Cha robh e comasach air obair a dhèanamh. Bha e na dhèirceach.

Ge-tà, chaidh Iain MacCoinnich a lorg. Bha e a’ fuireach ann am Baile Chè fon ainm ‘Dòmhnall Gàidhealach’. Chaidh a chur an grèim. ʼS ann nuair a chunnaic e seann Eaglais Inbhir Nis a dh’aidich e a chiont. Dh’inns e gur e Iain mac ʼan Mhòir a bu choireach ris a’ mhurt.

Chaidh an dà Iain a chur air beulaibh britheamh. Fhuair am britheamh ciontach iad. Bha an cinn gu bhith air an gearradh dhiubh, agus air an sealltainn don phoball. Ri taobh na h-eaglaise ann an Cnoc Mhoire, bha ceann Iain MhicCoinnich agus làmh dheas Iain mhic ʼan Mhòir air an cur air pòla.

Bha an cunntas dhen ghnothach air a dhèanamh le pears-eaglais. Aig an deireadh, sgrìobh e: ‘ʼS ann mar sin a bha lagh Dhè air a chur an gnìomh – Ge b’ e a dhòirteas fuil duine, le duine dòirtear fhuil-san.’

Faclan na Litreach: Cnoc Mhoire: Kirkhill; sruth mara: tidal current; dh’fhosgail lot: a wound opened; dhiùlt: refused; gum facas e: that he was seen; cip: stocks (for punishment); Fionn Ghasg: Fingask; stùmpaichean coise: stumps of legs; dèirceach: beggar; Baile Chè: Keith; pears-eaglais: member of the clergy.

Abairtean na Litreach: às a’ Bhìoball: out of the Bible; ge b’ e a dhòirteas fuil duine, le duine dòirtear fhuil-san: whoever sheds the blood of humans, by humans shall his blood be shed; dh’fhàg am murtair agus a bhràthair-chèile corp Dhòmhnaill air a’ chladach: the murderer and his brother-in-law left Donald’s body on the shore; lorg cìobair an corp: a shepherd found the body; dh’iarr an siorram, Alasdair Siosalach, air a h-uile inbheach anns an sgìre nochdadh aig an eaglais: the sheriff, Alexander Chisholm, required every adult in the area to appear at the church; rùisgte, air dèile: naked and on a plank; agus làmh a chur air broilleach Dhòmhnaill: and to put a hand on Donald’s breast; nach cleitheadh am murtair a chiont: that the murderer wouldn’t conceal his guilt; ruith fuil à sròn a’ chuirp: blood flowed from the body’s nose; dh’iarr iad air aideachadh gum b’ esan am murtair: they asked him to admit that he was the murderer; nach robh sgeul air Iain MacCoinnich: that there was no sign of John Mackenzie; dh’fhalbh e rathad Shrath Narann: he left in the direction of Strathnairn; thuit a dhà chois dheth, mar gun robh lannsair air an gearradh dheth: his two feet fell off, as if a surgeon had cut them off him; ghabh cuid truas ris: some people felt pity for him; dh’aidich e a chiont: he admitted his guilt; air an sealltainn don phoball: shown to the people; ʼs ann mar sin a bha lagh Dhè air a chur an gnìomh: thus was God’s law exerted.

Puing-chànain na Litreach: Thàinig turas Iain mhic ʼan Mhòir: the turn came of John son of big John. Iain mac Iain Mhòir is the man’s full name. Iain in such a situation often becomes shortened to ʼ²¹²Ô, andÌý³¾²¹³¦ is genitivised when the whole phrase is in the genitive, as it is here. Traditionally, for ‘Donald MacLeod’s cow’, we would say mart Dhòmhnaill MhicLeòid. In a patronymic it is similar. The tractor belonging to Seonaidh mac Phàdraig Bhig would be tractar Sheonaidh mhic Phàdraig Bhig. Note that the mac in such a sloinneadh is often dispensed with, and the man referred to as Seonaidh Phàdraig Bhig, giving us tractar Sheonaidh Phàdraig Bhig.

Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: gus an aidicheadh e a chiont: until he admitted [would admit] his guilt.