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A letter for Gaelic learners with Roddy MacLean.

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Litir 401: Taigh a鈥 Bhl脿ir Bhuidhe

Bha Fionn agus a laoich ann an Taigh a鈥 Bhl脿ir Bhuidhe gun chomas 猫irigh. Cha robh n矛 air bith a dh鈥 fhuasgladh iad ach fuil tri霉ir chloinne R矛gh Innis T矛le air a s矛oladh tro amalan airgid ann an cupaichean 貌ir. Bha Oscar is Laoghaire a鈥 feitheamh ris an tri霉ir aig beul-atha na h-abhainn aig dol fodha na gr猫ine.Th脿inig sluagh m貌r. Thug Oscar is Laoghaire ionnsaigh orra is cha do dh鈥檉h脿g iad aon duine be貌. Dh鈥檌nnis iad do Fhionn na thachair agus nach fhac鈥 iad clann an R矛gh. Dh鈥檌arr Fionn orra dhol air ais gu beula-atha na h-abhainn a-rithist air an oidhche sin. Ach roimhe sin,bha an t-acras air Fionn is a chompanaich. 鈥淔aigh biadh dhuinn an-dr脿sta,鈥 arsa Fionn.聽

R脿inig an d脿 laoch an Taigh M貌r. Nuair a fhuair Oscar sealladh air taigh na c貌caireachd, chunnaic e duine fuathasach m貌r, agus ceithir l脿mhan air, a鈥 togail na fe貌la 脿s a鈥 choire. Chaidh Oscar a-staigh ach cha robh an duine a-nise ri fhaicinn. Thug e s霉il mun cuairt agus chunnaic e iolaire mh貌r a鈥 dol a thilgeil ugh air. Thog Oscar a sgiath eadar e fh猫in is an tugh, ach chuir am buille air a leth-ghl霉n e l脿imh ris a鈥 choire. Rinn an iolaire air. Thog Oscar an coire. Thaom e air ceann an e貌in e. Thug an iolaire sgreuch fuathasach aiste, chaidh i tron bhalla agus cha robh an ath shealladh aig Oscar dhith. An uair sin, dh鈥檉halbh Oscar is Laoghaire le biadh airson Fionn is a chompanaich.

Aig dol fodha na gr猫ine bha Oscar is Laoghaire a鈥 feitheamh aig beul-atha na h-abhainn. Chunnaic iad sluagh m貌r a鈥 tighinn. Nuair a th脿inig iad am fagas, ghlaodh iad, 鈥淐貌 an d脿 luidealach mh貌r mh矛-sgiamhach a tha an siud nan seasamh anns an anmoch? C貌 air bith iad, tha an t-脿m dhaibh a bhith a鈥 gabhail an eagail.鈥

鈥淒脿 thrian d鈥 ur n-eagal a bhith oirbh fh猫in, ach trian bheag dheth a bhith oirnn,鈥 thuirt Oscar. Thug Oscar is Laoghaire ionnsaigh orra is cha do dh鈥檉h脿g iad aon duine be貌. Thill iad agus dh鈥檌nnis iad do Fhionn nach t脿inig clann an R矛gh fhathast. Dh鈥檌arr Fionn orra tilleadh gu beul-atha na h-abhainn a-rithist an ath oidhche. Ach roimhe sin, bha an t-acras air Fionn is achompanaich. 鈥淔aigh biadh dhuinn,鈥 arsa Fionn.

Chaidh Oscar air thoiseach don Taigh Mh貌r. Bha e a鈥 gleidheadh a sh霉il gu math biorach, feuch c貌 bhiodh ann an taigh na c貌caireachd an latha seo. Nuair a fhuair e sealladh air, chunnaic e duine eireachdail, calma air an robh d脿 cheann agus ceithir l脿mhan, a鈥 togail na fe貌la 脿s a鈥 choire. Ach nuair a chaidh e a-staigh, cha robh duine ri fhaicinn. Na 脿ite bha Beithir Mh貌r Sgiathach, agus d脿 cheann nathrach oirre, na seasamh air an 霉rlar.
Chagair Oscar ri Laoghaire, 鈥淒猫an thus鈥 air a鈥 bhiadh is n矛 mis鈥 air a鈥 Bheithir.鈥 Thog ea sgiath agus tharraing e a shleagh. Le aon s脿thadh chuir e an t-sleagh tro aon cheann, agus p矛os dhith tron cheann eile aig a鈥 Bheithir. Nuair a tharraing Oscar an t-sleagh a-mach 脿s a鈥 Bheithir, chaidh i 脿 sealladh.

Chaidh Oscar is Laoghaire air ais gu Taigh a鈥 Bhl脿ir Bhuidhe leis a鈥 bhiadh do Fhionnis a dhaoine. Nuair a th脿inig ciaradh an fheasgair, thuirt Fionn ri Oscar, 鈥淏iodh d鈥 amalan agus do chupaichean leat a-nochd.鈥 Ach am bitheadh ann an dha-r矛ribh? D猫anaibh cinnteach gum bi sibh san 猫isteachd an ath-sheachdain nuair a thig an sgeulachd gu ceann.

Faclan na Litreach

ghlaodh: shouted; s脿thadh: thrust.

Abairtean na Litreach

cha robh n矛 air bith a dh鈥檉huasgladh iad ach fuil tri霉ir chloinne R矛ghInnis T矛le: nothing would free them but the blood of the three children of the King of Iceland; tro amalan airgid ann an cupaichean 貌ir: through silver rings into gold cups; thug X ionnsaigh orra: X attacked them; faigh biadh dhuinn an-dr脿sta: get food for us just now; sealladh air taigh na c貌caireachd: a view of the cooking house; duine fuathasach m貌r, agus ceithir l脿mhan air: an enormous man with four hands; a鈥 togail na fe貌la 脿s a鈥 choire: lifting the meat out ofthe cauldron; chunnaic e iolaire mh貌r a鈥 dol a thilgeil ugh air: he saw a large eagle going to throw an egg at him; thog e a sgiath: he lifted his shield [sgiath can also mean 鈥渨ing鈥漖; thaom e air ceann an e貌in e: he poured it on the bird鈥檚 head; thug an iolaire sgreuch fuathasach aiste: the eagle gave a terrible shriek; dol fodha na gr猫ine: sunset; am fagas: close;nan seasamh anns an anmoch: standing in the evening; c貌 air bith iad: whoever they are; thaan t-脿m dhaibh a bhith a鈥 gabhail an eagail: it鈥檚 time for them to get scared; d脿 thrian d鈥 ur neagala bhith oirbh fh猫in: two thirds of your fear be on yourselves; bha e a鈥 gleidheadh a sh霉il gu math biorach: he was keeping a sharp eye out; chunnaic e duine eireachdail, calma air an robh d脿 cheann: he saw a handsome, brave man who had two heads; Beithir Mh貌r Sgiathach:a large winged dragon; d脿 cheann nathrach: two snake heads; d猫an thus鈥 air a鈥 bhiadh: you make for the food; tharraing e a shleagh: he drew his spear; ciaradh an fheasgair: dusk; biodhd鈥 amalan agus do chupaichean leat a-nochd: may you have your rings and cups tonight; am bitheadh ann an dha-r矛ribh?: but would it really ie would they get their rings and cups?; nuair a thig an sgeulachd gu ceann: when the story comes to an end.

Puing-ch脿nain na Litreach

chuir am buille air a leth-ghl霉n e: the blow put him on one knee. Notice the use of leth- here 鈥 when referring to a pair of items, particularly body parts,it means 鈥渙ne鈥 (ie one half of the pair). For 鈥渙ne-eyed鈥 we say leth-sh霉ileach, not aon-sh霉ileach.Other examples are leth-l脿mhach (one-handed or one-armed), leth-chasach (one-legged) and leth-thaobhach (one-sided).

Gn脿ths-cainnt na Litreach

C貌 an d脿 luidealach mh貌r mh矛-sgiamhach a tha an siud?:who are the two big uncomely slobs over there? Readers of the Litir sometimes ask me to introduce them to swear words and terms of abuse in Gaelic, which I stubbornly resist (being ignorant of the best ones anyway!) But, to satisfy such desires a little, here is an example. 鈥橲 e luidealach a th鈥 annad! You鈥檙e a slob!

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