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Tha mi a’ dol a dh’aithris sgeulachd dhuibh mu Dhreathan-donn. Chaidh a clàradh aig Ailidh Dall, Ailig Stiùbhart nach maireann, fear dhen luchd-siubhail agus sàr-sgeulaiche. Gabhaidh e cluinntinn ann an Gàidhlig air làrach-lìn Thobar an Dualchais. Tha dreach sgrìobhte dhith, ann am Beurla, anns an leabhar ‘Scottish Traditional Tales’. ʼS e an t-ainm a th’ air an sgeulachd ‘Mar a Fhuair Dreathan-donn Làmh-an-uachdair air Madadh-ruadh agus air Tuathanach’. No ann am Beurla, gu sìmplidh – The Wren. Nì mi fhìn i beagan nas giorra agus nas sìmplidhe.

Bha oidhche cur-cathaidh ann. Bha sneachd ann agus bha i fuar. Cha robh fios aig dreathan-donn càit an d’ rachadh e. Thàinig e gu caora anns a’ phàirc. ‘O,’ thuirt e ris a’ chaora, ‘an leig thu a-steach mi dha do chlòimh gu madainn?’

‘Cha leig,’ thuirt a’ chaora.

Thàinig e gu caorag bheag eile. ‘An leig thu a-steach mi dha do chlòimh gu madainn?’ thuirt e.

‘O, trobhad, a bhròinein,’ ars ise. ‘Cha dèan thu dolaidh orm a bhith a-staigh nam chlòimh.’

Nuair a bha an dreathan-donn sa chlòimh, bha fallas air leis cho blàth ʼs a bha e. Ge-tà, anns a’ mhadainn, bha sgòrnan na caoraig air a ghearradh. Bha a’ chaorag marbh. Thuirt an dreathan-donn ris fhèin, ‘feumaidh mis’ am madadh fhaighinn a mharbh i.’

Chaidh e dhan tuathanach. Dh’innis e dha mar a thachair. Thuirt e nam biodh an tuathanach deònach am madadh a lorg, gum pàigheadh an dreathan-donn e. 

Thuirt e ris an tuathanach, ‘ma nì thu sin dhòmhsa, bheir mi dhut baraille-fìon a thàinig a-staigh air a’ chladach.’

Thug an tuathanach each agus càrn leis don chladach. Chuir e am baraille air a’ chàrn. ‘Nise,’ thuirt an dreathan-donn, ‘tha mi an dòchas gun lorg thu am madadh a mharbh a’ chaorag.’ Ach mhaoidh an tuathanach air gun cuireadh e ceann an dreathain dheth le a chorraig.

Thuirt an t-eun gun dòirteadh e am baraille-fìon. ‘Cò leis a dhèanadh tu sin?’ thuirt an tuathanach. Agus thòisich an dreathan-donn air dobaig is dobaig air. Thog an tuathanach tuagh às a’ chàrn. Dh’fheuch e air an dreathan-donn. Ach bhuail e am baraille. Cha robh càil air fhàgail dheth!

‘Nì mi nas miosa na sin ort,’ ars an dreathan-donn. ‘Marbhaidh mi an t-each agad.’

‘Cò leis a dhèanadh tu sin?’ ars an tuathanach. 

Chaidh an dreathan-donn a-null don each agus thòisich e air dobaigeadh fo a dhosan e. Thog an tuathanach an tuagh. Ach bhuail e ceann an eich leis agus chuir e eanchainn a-mach.

‘Nì mi nas miosa na sin ort,’ ars an dreathan-donn. ‘Brisidh mi an càrn agad.’ Bha an dreathan a’ dobaigeadh air a’ chàrn agus bha an tuathanach a’ feuchainn ri a bhualadh leis an tuagh. Aig a’ cheann thall bhris an tuathanach an càrn gu lèir.

‘Nì mi nas miosa na sin ort,’ ars an dreathan-donn. ‘Brisidh mi do lurgainn.’ Agus thòisich e air dobaigeadh air lurgainn an tuathanaich. Dh’fheuch an tuathanach air an eun le a thuagh. Ach bhris e a lurgainn fhèin agus cha robh comas aige èirigh. Agus chì sinn an-ath-sheachdain mar a thachair don dreathan-donn.

Faclan na Litreach: dreadhan-donn: wren; dall: blind; caorag: little sheep; càrn: sledge (pulled by a horse); dobaig, dobaigeadh: peck, pecking; tuagh: axe; lurgainn: shank.

Abairtean na Litreach: Gabhaidh e cluinntinn ann an Gàidhlig air làrach-lìn X: it can be heard on the X website; beagan nas giorra agus nas sìmplidhe: a little shorter and simpler; cha robh fios aig dreathan-donn càit an d’ rachadh e: a wren didn’t know where he would go; thàinig e gu caora anns a’ phàirc: he came to a sheep in the field; an leig thu a-steach mi dha do chlòimh gu madainn?: will you let me into your wool until morning?; trobhad, a bhròinein: come here, you poor thing; cha dèan thu dolaidh orm: you won’t harm me; bha sgòrnan na caoraig air a ghearradh: the wee sheep’s throat was cut; nam biodh an tuathanach deònach am madadh a lorg, gum pàigheadh an dreathan-donn e: if the farmer were willing to find the fox, that the wren would pay him; ma nì thu sin dhòmhsa: if you do that for me; bheir mi dhut baraille-fìon a thàinig a-staigh air a’ chladach: I’ll give you a wine barrel (Ailidh Dall says casg-fìon) that came in on the shore; mhaoidh an tuathanach air gun cuireadh e ceann an dreathain dheth le a chorraig: the farmer threatened to take the wren’s head off with his finger; gun dòirteadh e: that he would empty (pour); dh’fheuch e air: he attempted to hit; nì mi nas miosa na sin ort: I’ll do worse than that to you; cò leis a dhèanadh tu sin?: with what would you do that?; thòisich e air dobaigeadh fo a dhosan e: he started to peck under its forelocks; cha robh comas aige èirigh: he was unable to get up.

Puing-chànain na Litreach: Bha oidhche cur-cathaidh ann: it was a night of blizzarding snow. This was the phrase used by Ailidh Dall. Cur in this context means ‘snowing’ (tha i a’ cur = it’s snowing) and cathadh means the drifting of snow and the formation of snowdrifts. You will also hear oidhche de chur is cathadh or bha cur is cathadh ann, but cur-cathaidh is succint and neat. Ailidh, one of the finest Gaelic storytellers of his generation, spoke Sutherland Gaelic.

Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: bha fallas air leis cho blàth ʼs a bha e: he was sweating because he was so warm.