LESSON TEN -- AN DEICHEAMH LEASAN

 

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Copula -- Past Tense

The past tense of "is" is "bu" (or "b'" before a vowel or "f"), which aspirates:

Bu mhise an tidsear. -- I was the teacher.
Bu bhrèagha an latha e. -- It was a lovely day.
B'esan an saor. -- He was the carpenter.
B'fhìor an sgeul sin. -- That story was true.
B'ann an Glaschu a chunnaic mi i. -- It was in Glasgow that I saw her.
B'e sin a h-ainm. -- That was her name.
B'e am Facal Dia. -- The Word was God.

The negative is "cha bu" ("cha b'" before a vowel or "f"); a question is formed with "am bu" ("am b'" before a vowel or "f"); a negative question with "nach bu" ("nach b'" before a vowel or "f").

In addition to being the past tense of "is", "bu" is also used as the conditional, which is why we find it in all kinds of handy idioms (listed at length later in the lesson), e.g.

B'fheàrr leam cupan tì. -- I would prefer a cup a tea.
(Literally: it would be better with-me a cup of tea)

 

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Infinitive

This is a good time to introduce the infinitive, which is common with expressions using "is" and "bu", among others. A verb is said to be in the infinitive form when it appears as the second or third verb in any clause. In English, this means that the word "to" comes before it:

I want      to go home.
[verb 1]      [verb 2]

He'd like     to try    to sleep.
[verb 1]     [verb 2]   [verb 3]

In languages such as French, Spanish and Italian the infinitive form of a verb is the one found in the dictionary, from which the other tenses of the verb can be derived. In Gaelic, however, that is the job of the root of the verb, as we learned before. The infinitive in Gaelic is only a form of the verbal noun, and is seen in two different, but closely related, varieties. One is as an aspirated form of the verbal noun, but with "a" instead of "ag" or "a'" in front of it, e.g.:

a' pòsadh -- marrying -->
Tha mi a' dol a phòsadh. -- I'm going to marry.

a' bruidhinn -- speaking -->
Tha Seumas a' dol a bhruidhinn. -- James is going to speak.

Note that when there's a direct object used with an infinitive, the infinitive itself often gets pushed to the end of the sentence:

a' ceannachd -- buying -->
Bidh e ag iarraidh leabhar a cheannachd. -- He'll be wanting to buy a book.

a' faicinn -- seeing -->
Bha dùil aig Anna Iain a fhaicinn. -- Anna had hoped to see Iain.

The other form of the infinitive is just the unaspirated part of the verbal noun without anything else in front of it, e.g. "a' tighinn" (coming) becomes "tighinn" (to come), "a' seinn" (singing) becomes "seinn" (to sing). Although there's some overlap between the use of these two different kinds of infinitive, this latter unaspirated form is almost never used with a direct object:

a' bruidhinn -- speaking -->
Tha mi ag iarraidh bruidhinn. -- I want to speak.

But:

Tha mi ag iarraidh Gàidhlig a bhruidhinn. -- I want to speak Gaelic.

The infinitive of "bi" is "a bhith" -- "to be".

A possessive pronoun is used as the direct object pronoun in a sentence where there's an infinitive verb:

Tha mi ag iarraidh do choinneachadh. -- I want to meet you. (lit: I want your meeting)

 

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Idioms with the Copula

These stand in for some of the verbs that are missing in Gaelic. In each heading the subject is given as "X" and the object as "Y" before the examples.

i) Preference, Liking:
"Is / b'fheàrr le X Y" = X likes Y
(or: "Is / b'fheàrr le X Y na Z" = X prefers / would prefer Y to Z

Is fheàrr le Niall ceòl traidiseanta. -- Neil likes traditional music.
Is fheàrr leotha am baile mór. -- They prefer the big city.
B'fheàrr leam tì na cofaidh. -- I'd prefer tea to coffee.

ii) Liking:
"Is / bu toil le X Y" = X likes / would like Y

Is toil le Ailean ball-coise. -- Alan likes football.
Is toil leinn dealbhchluich. -- We like drama.
Bu toil le Catrìona deoch. -- Catriona would like a drink.

Is some dialects (Lewis among them I think) "caomh" stands in for "toil" here.

iii) Capability, Possibility:
"Is urrainn do X Y" = X can do Y

Is urrainn do Sheumas snàmh. -- Seumas can swim.
An urrainn dhut tighinn? -- Can you come?
Is urrainn do dh'Iain Gàidhlig a bhruidhinn. -- Iain can speak Gaelic.
Chan urrainn dhomh sin a dhéanamh. -- I cannot do that.

iv) Name:
"Is ainm do X Y" = X is named Y

Is ainm dhomh Niall. -- My name is Neil.
Is ainm dha Ruairidh. -- Ruairidh is his name.

v) "Should":
"Bu chòir do X Y" = X should (do) Y

Bu chòir dhut a dhol dhachaidh. -- You should go home.
Bu chòir do Choinneach sgrìobhadh thuca. -- Kenneth ought to write to them.

vi) Dislikes:
"Is beag air X Y" = X doesn't like Y

Is beag orm an dath sin. -- I don't like that colour.
Is beag air Seònag a bhith a' siubhal. -- Seonag hates to be travelling.

vii) Indifference:
"Is caingeis / coma le X" = X doesn't mind.

Is caingeis le Calum. -- Calum doesn't mind.
Is coma leam. -- I don't care.

 

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Comparatives & Superlatives

The comparative and superlative forms of an adjective are those which correspond to adjectives in English ending in -er and -est, respectively (e.g. the comparative of "big" is "bigger", and the superlative is "biggest"). In Gaelic both the comparative and the superlative forms of the adjective are normally created by taking the regular form of the adjective, slenderizing it (when possible) and adding "e" on the end. This new form is then preceded by the word "nas" in the comparative and "as" in the superlative (which both aspirate "f", but no other letters). For example:

òg -- young
eolach -- intelligent
nas òige -- younger
nas eolaiche -- more intelligent
as òige -- youngest
as eolaiche -- most intelligent

tiugh -- thick
geur -- sharp
nas tighe -- thicker
nas géire -- sharper
as tighe -- thickest
as géire -- sharpest

Some adjectives ending in consonant-vowel-consonant lose their final vowel or vowels before adding -e:

ìseal -- low;
nas ìsle -- lower;
as ìsle -- lowest

uasal -- noble;
nas uaisle -- nobler;
as uaisle -- noblest

The main irregular adjectives in the comparative and superlative are:

adjective comparative superlative
mór -- big
nas motha -- bigger
as motha -- biggest

beag -- little
nas lugha -- smaller
as lugha -- smallest

math -- good
nas fheàrr -- better
as fheàrr -- best

dona -- bad
nas miosa -- worse
as miosa -- worst

furasda -- easy
nas fhasa -- easier
as fhasa -- easiest

làidir -- strong
nas treasa -- stronger
as treasa -- strongest

The word "fheàrr" is by far the most common of these. Some of you may have seen the American car commercial in which the Scottish laird (or reasonable facsimile thereof) says that his family motto is "Nas leatha, nas fheàrr" (the wider, the better).

 

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Dependent Forms

The idea of the "dependent" form of a verb is important for understanding how to construct longer sentences in Gaelic. Simply put, a dependent form is the form that requires another word to come before it. When the verb is the first word in the sentence, is said to be the "independent" form:

Bha mi sona. -- I was happy. (Independent verb: bha)
Thuig e sin. -- He understood that. (Independent verb: thuig)
Chì iad e. -- They will see him. (Independent verb: chì)

But, as we've already learned, verbs can change when preceded by a negative word like "cha" or a question word like "an" or "nach". The form they change into is the "dependent":

Cha robh mi sona. -- I wasn't happy. (Dependent verb: robh)
An do thuig e sin? -- Did he understand that? (Dependent verb: do thuig)
Chan fhaic iad e. -- They won't see him. (Dependent verb: faic)

 

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Uses of the Dependent

i) A number of important words in Gaelic are followed by the dependent form. One of them is "càite?" meaning "where?" (which is normally followed by "an" or "am" before b, f, m, p):

       Cò tha i? -- Who is she? (Independent: tha)
but: Càit' a bheil i? -- Where is she? (Dependent: bheil)

       Dè gheibh mi? -- What will I get? (Independent: gheibh)
but: Càit' am faigh mi e? -- Where will I get it? (Dependent: faigh)

ii) Like the question "where", in Gaelic the conjunction corresponding to "where" (e.g. "the house where I was born", etc.) is also followed by the dependent. In English the same word is used for both, but the conjunction in Gaelic is called "far":

an t-àite far a' bheil iad -- the place where they are
am baile far an do dh'fhuirich mi -- the town where I stayed

iii) "Mus", sometimes written "mun" (or "mum" before b, f, m, or p) means "before" when used with a verb:

mus tig an geamhradh -- before the winter comes
mun do dh'fhàg iad -- before they left

iv) "Gus" means "until" or "up to":

gus an tug e suas -- until he gave up
gus an do thill e dhachaidh -- until he returned home

v) The most important use of the dependent is with the conjunction "gun" (spelt "gum" before b, f, m, or p, and "gu" before "bheil") which means "that". We already learned the word "a" meaning "that" or "which" which follows a noun and comes before a verb, e.g.:

am fear a chunnaic mi -- the man that I saw
na balaich a chluich -- the boys that played

The particle "a" here is clearly followed by the independent form of the verb. But "gun / gum" is followed by the *dependent) form and is most commonly used to report things that are said, believed, heard etc.

Chuala mi gu bheil e tinn. -- I heard that he is sick.
Thuirt Iain gun do dh'fhalbh Anna. -- Iain said that Anna left.
Gheall Màiri gun tilleadh i. -- Mairi promised that she would return.

Before a copula verb ("is" or "bu") this becomes "gur" (sometimes, and especially in older texts, spelled "gura"); this occasionally prefixes "h-" to a vowel:

Thuirt Niall gur h-e tidsear a tha ann an Iseabail. -- Neil said that Isabel is a teacher.
Ma shaoileas duine gur cudthromach e-fhéin... -- If a man thinks that he is important... (saoil, "judge, think")

The negative of "gu / gun / gum" is "nach".

Tha mi cinnteach nach eil i pòsda. -- I'm certain she isn't married.
Tha mi a' creidsinn nach do rinn e e. -- I believe he didn't do it.

 

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Dependent Forms of Irregular Verbs

This table has been compressed for space reasons so looks a little confusing but merely brings together all the forms of the irregular verbs. You've met the past and future independent forms in a previous lesson already. Remember that the dependent forms can be used to form both a question and a negative statement: e.g. if "deach" is the past dependent form of "rach" meaning "go", the question "did you go?" would be "an deach thu?" and the negative statement "I didn't go" would be "cha deach mi".

1. "rach", go (verbal noun "a' dol")
Past Independent: chaidh
Past Dependent: deach
Future Independent: théid
Future Dependent: téid
Conditional Independent: rachadh
Conditional Dependent: rachadh

2. "abair", say (verbal noun "ag ràdh")
Past Ind.: thuirt
Past Dep.: d'thuirt
Fut. Ind.: their
Fut. Dep.: abair
Con. Ind.: theireadh
Con. Dep.: abradh

3. "faigh", get (verbal noun "a' faighinn")
Past Ind.: fhuair
Past Dep.: d'fhuair
Fut. Ind.: gheibh
Fut. Dep.: faigh
Con. Ind.: gheibheadh
Con. Dep.: faigheadh

4. "faic", see (verbal noun "a' faicinn")
Past Ind.: chunnaic
Past Dep.: faca
Fut. Ind.: chì
Fut. Dep.: faic
Con. Ind.: chìtheadh
Con. Dep.: faiceadh

5. "cluinn", hear (verbal noun "a' cluinntinn")
Past Ind.: chuala
Past Dep.: cuala
Fut. Ind.: cluinnidh
Fut. Dep.: cluinn
Con. Ind.: chluinneadh
Con. Dep.: cluinneadh

6. "dèan", do (verbal noun "a' dèanamh")
Past Ind.: rinn
Past Dep.: d'rinn
Fut. Ind.: nì
Fut. Dep.: dèan
Con. Ind.: dhèanadh
Con. Dep.: dèanadh

7. "thoir", give (verbal noun "a' toirt")
Past Ind.: thug
Past Dep.: tug
Fut. Ind.: bheir
Fut. Dep.: toir
Con. Ind.: bheireadh
Con. Dep.: toireadh

8. "thig", come (verbal noun "a' tighinn")
Past Ind.: thàinig
Past Dep.: tàinig
Fut. Ind.: thig
Fut. Dep.: tig
Con. Ind.: thigeadh
Con. Dep.: tigeadh

9. "beir", bear (verbal noun "a' breith")
Past Ind.: rug
Past Dep.: do rug
Fut. Ind.: beiridh
Fut. Dep.: beir
Con. Ind.: bheireadh
Con. Dep.: beireadh

10. "ruig", reach (verbal noun "a' ruigsinn")
Past Ind.: ràinig
Past Dep.: d'ràinig
Fut. Ind.: ruigidh
Fut. Dep.: ruig
Con. Ind.: ruigeadh
Con. Dep.: ruigeadh

Gaelic folklore, partly in the form of stories passed on from one generation of speakers to the next, is of great importance to Gaelic culture. The social life of Gaels has for centuries included house- visits where stories like these were told and heard, though this practice is now unfortunately in decline. Although individual people could acquire a reputation for having a good grasp of a particular story or set of stories, many ordinary people were able to tell at least one or two of them, and in Scots Gaelic rather than being too polished the stories themselves have usually been very colloquial and down-to-earth. Certain events and themes in the stories are common to European and even Asian folktales, but usually there is an overlay of characters who are distinctively Gaelic, most notably in the Fenian cycle of stories. This story, "Balgam Mór", was collected in Inverary around the middle of the last century by the folklorist Iain Og Ile (John Francis Campbell of Islay) and published in his excellent anthology "More West Highland Tales".

"Balgam Mór" is similar in some respects to a story called "The King of Ireland's Son" found in "Beside the Fire", Douglas Hyde's collection of Irish folktales, but apart from some differences in the plot there are two characters in "Balgam Mór" missing in the Irish story. These are the Earchlais-Urlair and Nighean Dubh na Luideig. The Earchlais-Urlair's name means something like "Floor-Mischief" or "Confusion-of-the-House". She is a kind of witch who attaches herself to certain houses, particularly royal ones, in order to cause trouble. Nighean Dubh na Luideig ("Dark girl of the Ragged Cloth") is more mysterious but Campbell suggests that she is a washing-fairy, ordinarily (tho' not in this story) a harbinger of approaching death. He also writes: "The green well is usually situated in the Green Isle, one of the islands of the Happy Otherworld." Another element missing in the Irish version is the allusion in the story to a well-known Gaelic proverb, "Is fheàrr am bonnach beag leis a' bheannachd, na am bonnach mór leis a' mhallachd" -- the little bannock with a blessing is better than the big bannock with a curse.

The spelling in this tale has only been altered very slightly. Because the Gaelic is simple and in order to save space, no English translation is given here, but if there's a section you don't understand you can snip it, send it to me at ap435@chebucto.ns.ca, and I'll translate it for you.

One linguistic note: the word "arsa" or "ars'" means "said", but it only appears in literature; in speech the word "thuirt" is always used.

Balgam Mór

Bha nighean aig Rìgh Eilean nam Ban, a bha anabarrach brèagha. Agus (anabarrach, "exceedingly") mar a tha 'tachairt do na (a' tachairt, "happening") gruagaichean sgiamhach, (gruagach [f.], "maiden, damsel") bha móran shuirgheach aice. (sgiamhach, "pretty") (móran, "many") (suirgheach [m.], "suitor, wooer") Ach a h-aon cha phòsadh i, ach fear a dhèanadh long (long [f.], "ship") a sheòladh air muir is tìr, (seòl, "sail") (muir [f.], "sea") ach seo cha robh e an comas (an comas, "in the power") a h-aon dhiubh a dhèanamh, (a h-aon dhiubh, "one of them") ged a dh'fheuch cuid dhiubh (feuch ri, "try") ris.

Bha bantrach bhochd an- (bantrach [f.], "widow") sin, aig an robh triuir (triuir, "three (people)") mhac. Thuirt am fear a bu shine ri a mhàthair, "Eirich, (sine, "oldest" [from "seann"]) a mhàthair, is deasaich dhomh-sa bonnach, is (bonnach [m.], "oat-cake, bannock") falbhaidh mi, feuch an dèan (falbh, "leave") mi long a sheòladh air muir is tìr, gus feuch am faigh mi Nighean an Rìgh."

Dh'éirich a mhàthair, is rinn i dà bhonnach, fear beag (fear [m.], "one") is fear mór. Is thuirt i ris, "Có is fhearr leat -- am bonnach mór le mo mhallachd, (mallachd [f.], "curse") no am bonnach beag le mo bheannachd?"

"Beannachd no mallachd -- (no, "or") thoir dhomhsa am bonnach mór", thuirt esan, agus dh'fhalbh e leis a' bhonnach.

Thòisich e air togail an (toisich, "begin") (togail, "building") t-soithich, ach cha robh e (soithich [gs] soitheach [f.], "vessel") fada ag obair, nuair a thàinig seann duine liath an (liath, "grey, grey-haired") rathad, is thuirt e, "Tha thu trang, a Mhic na (trang, "busy") Bantraich!"

"Tha mi sin," thuirt esan.

"Ma bheir thu dhomhsa cuid (cuid [f.], "part, share") de do bhonnach mór, nì mi do chuideachadh." (déan cuideachadh, "help")

"Gu dearbh, cha toir -- (gu dearbh, "indeed, certainly") tha e beag nas leòir dhomh (nas leòir, "enough") fhéin, mun cuir mi crìoch air (cuir crìoch, "finish, put to an end") an t-soitheach seo."

Agus mar a thuirt, b'fhìor. (fìor, "true") Cha b'fhada 'na dhéidh seo, gus an tug e suas an obair, (thoir suas, "give up") is thug e an taigh air. (thoir... air, "go to")

"Ma tá," ars' an darna (matá, "well" (as interjection)) bràthair, "théid mi féin 'ga (darna, "second") fheuchainn cuideachd," agus (cuideachd, "also, as well") air a' cheart dòigh mar a (ceart, "same") (dòigh [f.], "way, manner") thachair d'a bhràthair, (d'a = do + a, "to his") thachair dha-san.

Ach latha de na làithean, thuirt am fear a b'òige ri a mhàthair, i a dheasachadh bonnaich dha-san, agus gun rachadh e a dh'fheuchainn an dèanadh e long.

Rinn a mhàthair anseo dà bhonnach. "A-nis", ars' ise, "gabh do roghainn, am fear (roghainn [f.], "choice") mór le mallachd do mhàthair, no am fear beag le a beannachd."

"Thoir thusa dhomhsa do bheannachd, a mhàthair, agus beag no mór am bonnach, tha mise toilichte", agus is ann (toilichte, "happy") mar seo a thachair.

Fhuair e bonnach beag agus beannachd 'na chois, is thug ('na chois, "to follow") e cùl do'n bhaile anns an (thoir cùl do, "turn your back on") robh e, agus ràinig e an t-àite anns an robh aige (anns an robh aige, "in which he had to") ris an long a thogail.

Thòisich e air obair, agus an ceann beagan làithean, (an ceann, "at the end of") thàinig an seann duine liath a-rithist, is thuirt e, "Tha thu trang, a Mhic na Bantraich."

"Tha mi", ars' esan.

"An toir thu dhomh roinn (roinn [f.], "share, division") de do bhonnach, is nì mi do chobhair." (déan cobhair, "help")

"Ach! gheibh thu sin, ged nach eil e ro mhór," thuirt esan.

Thòisich iad air togail na luinge, is cha b'fhada gus (luinge [gs] long) an robh i ullamh. (ullamh, "ready")

Dh'fhalbh iad a-nis 'ga seòladh, is a shealltainn (a' sealltainn, "looking") a-mach airson sgioba. (sgioba [m.], "crew")

Bha iad an-seo làtha 'ga seòladh, (is b'e an seòladair (seòladair [m.], "sailor") i; bu chaingeis leatha muir (caingeis, "no matter, indifferent") no monadh), bha iad an-seo (monadh [m.], "moor, upland") a' seòladh ri taobh coille, agus a-mach thàinig as a' choille fiadh 'na dheann. (fiadh [m.], "deer") (ann an deann, "at full speed") Cha deach am fiadh fad' air aghaidh, nuair a thàinig ceatharnach 'na dhéidh, is (ceatharnach [m.], "hero, champion") rug e air an fhiadh.

"Is math a ruitheas tu", ars' an sgiobair. (sgiobair [m.], "skipper, captain"; i.e. the man who built the ship) "Seadh", thuirt an (seadh, "yes") ceatharnach.

"Is fheàrr dhuit gabhail (a' gabhail aig, "taking service with") agam fhéin anns an t-soitheach seo."

"Nì mi sin", thuirt esan.

"C'ainm a th'ort?" (c'ainm = ciod an t-ainm; ciod = dè)

"Is ainm dhomh Lurga Luath." (lurga [f.], "shin, shank")

Cha deach iad fad' air an aghaidh mar seo, nuair a chunnaic iad fear eile agus a aghaidh ris a' ghrunnd, agus (aghaidh [f.], "face") e mar gum bitheadh e ag (grunnd [m.], "ground") éisdeachd.

Dh'fheòraich e dheth, ciod (feòraich (de), "ask (of)") è bha e 'déanamh mar siud. (siud, "that")

"Tha", thuirt esan, "tha mi ag éisdeachd an fheòir a' (feòir [gs] feur [m.], "grass") tighinn troimh an talamh."

"Is fheàrr dhuit tighinn leam fhéin 'san t-soitheach seo."

"Nì mi sin."

"C'ainm a th'ort?"

"Is e is ainm dhomh, Clàisneachd Mhath." (clàisneachd [f.], "hearing")

Cha robh iad fada a' seòladh, nuair a chunnaic iad fear eile, is e a' sgealbadh na creige le a (a' sgealbadh, "dashing to pieces") thòin. (creige [gs] creag, "rock") (tòn [f.], "arse, backside") "Ciod e tha thu déanamh mar sin?"

"Tha mi cur seachad an (cuir seachad, "pass (by)") làtha mar seo."

"Is fheàrr dhuit tighinn leam fhéin 'san t-soitheach seo."

"Nì mi sin."

"C'ainm a th'ort?"

"Is e Tòn Chruaidh as ainm (cruaidh, "hard") dhomhsa."

Cha deach iad fada mar seo, nuair a chunnaic iad fear eile, is gunna ri a shùil. (gunna [f.], "gun") (sùil [f.], "eye") "Ciod e tha thu ag amharc (ag amharc, "looking") mar sin?"

"Tha mi 'déanamh cuimse air (déan cuimse air, "aim at") eun a tha thall ann an Éirinn." (thall, "yonder, over there") (Éirinn [ds] Éire, "Ireland") "Is fheàrr dhuit tighinn leam fhéin 'san t-soitheach seo."

"Nì mi sin."

"C'ainm a th'ort?"

"Is ainm dhomh Cuimse (cuimse [f.], "aim, measurement") Dhìreach." (dìreach, "straight")

'Na dhéidh seo, chunnaic iad fear eile a' srùbadh (a' srùbadh, "sucking, inhaling") lochain, is 'ga spùtadh a-mach (lochan [m.], "little lake") a-rithist. (a' spùtadh, "spouting, pouring out")

"Is fheàrr dhuit do spùtadh a leigeil dhìot, agus (leig de, "leave off") agus tighinn leam fhéin 'san t-soitheach seo."

"Nì mi sin."

"C'ainm a th'ort?"

"Is ainm dhomh Balgum Mór." (balgum [m.], "gulp, mouthful")

Air an aghaidh ghabh iad, (gabh, "go, take") gus an do ràinig iad taigh an Rìgh, agus nuair a chunnaic an Rìgh an long a' tighinn, cha robh e ro dheònach a (deònach, "willing") nighean a thoirt gu Mac na Bantraich.

Is e a bh'ann, gun do chruinnich an Rìgh uaislean (cruinnich, "gather") a' bhaile mhóir gu léir, (uaislean [pl] uasal [m.], "a noble") a-chum is gun gabhadh iad (gu léir, "altogether") comhairle, ciod e dhéanadh (a-chum is, "in order that") iad mu Nighean an Rìgh. (comhairle [f.], "counsel") (mu, "about, concerning") Bha, an-sin, gach fear a' toirt a chomhairle is a theanga 'na ghob, ach le (teanga [f.], "tongue") còir is ceartas, bha Mac na (gob [m], "beak, gob, yapping mouth") Bantraich ri Nighean an Rìgh (còir [f.], "right, justice") fhaotainn, a chionn gun do (ceartas [m.], "justice") thog e an long a bhi i ag (a' faotainn, "getting") iarraidh. (a chionn, "since") (ag iarraidh, "wanting, asking for") Thàinig an Earchlais- Urlair agus thuirt i gum feuchadh ise ri dòigh a dhéanamh air Mac na Bantraich. (déan air, "frustrate, confound") Agus is e a bh'ann, gum feumadh Mac na Bantraich (feum, "need, must") neach fhaotainn a bheireadh (neach [m.], "someone, an individual") botal uisge á tobair uaine (botal [m.], "bottle") an iomall tòrra an domhain, (tobar [f.], "well") (uaine, "green") an toiseach air Nighinn Duibh (an iomall, "at the outermost") na Luideig. (tòrr [m.], "embankment, mound") (domhan [m.], "world") (an toiseach air, "before")

"Tha mi 'cluinntinn nì", (nì [m.], "thing, something") thuirt Clàisneachd Mhath.

"Ciod e tha thu cluinntinn?"

"Tha -- mur toir thu botal (mur toir thu, "if you don't bring") uisge á tobar uaine an iomall tòrra an domhain, an toiseach air Nighinn Duibh na Luideig, nach faigh thu Nighean an Rìgh."

"Leig a-mach mise", thuirt Lurga Luath. "Théid mise 'sa chomh-ruith rithe." (comh-ruith [f.], "race")

Agus air falbh chaidh iad. (air falbh, "away")

Bha Nighean Dubh na Luideig gu math luath. Ach cha déanadh i stàth air Lurga Luath. (stàth [m.], "anything good")

Ràinig Lurga Luath an tobar, agus thog e soitheach uisge: thachair Nighean Dubh na Luideig ris air an rathad. (tachair air, "happen upon, meet") Smaoinich i gum feuchadh i (smaoinich, "think") ris an t-soitheach a thoirt uaidh leis an teanga, bho'n a dh'fhairtlich e oirre le (fairtlich, "fail") luathas nan cas. (luathas [f.], "swiftness, speed") (cas [f.], "foot, leg") "Déan suidhe, is leig (leig, "let out") d'anail, is slìogaidh mi do (anail [f.], "breath") cheann." Rinn e seo, is cha (slìog, "pet, stroke") robh e fad' air a glùn, nuair (glùn [m.], "knee") a thuit e 'na throm chadal. (tuit, "fall") (trom, "heavy") (cadal [m.], "sleep") Rug i air claigeann eich (claigeann [m.], "skull") a bha làimh rithe, is chuir (eich [gs] each, "horse") i gu socrach fo a cheann e, (làimh ri, "next to") is thug i na buinn aisde leis (socrach, "gentle, careful") an t-soitheach uisge. (buinn [pl] bonn [m.], "sole of the foot") (aisde = as + i, "from her") (thoir as, "take to" (in running, etc.)) "Tha mi 'cluinntinn rud", thuirt Clàisneachd Mhath.

"Ciod e tha thu cluinntinn?"

"Tha mi cluinntinn srann (srann [f.], "snore") Lurga Luaith; chaidil e, agus (caidil, "sleep") agus tha Nighean Dubh na Luideig air an t-soitheach uisge a thoirt uaidh, is tha i 'tighinn 'na dheann."

"Nì mise gnothach ris sin", (gnothach [m.], "matter, business") thuirt Cuimse Dhìreach. Is (déan gnothach ri, "do something about") loisg e peileir air, is (loisg peileir, "fire a bullet") buailear claigeann an eich (buailear, "was struck") a bha fo a cheann.

Dhùisg Lurga Luath, is cha (dùisg, "wake up") b'fhada bha e 'cur ri Nighinn (cuir ri, "deal with") Duibh na Luideig. Spìon e an (spìon, "wrench, pluck") soitheach uisge uaipe, is dh'fhalbh e dhachaidh 'na làn (dhachaidh, "homewards") luathas. Nuair a ràinig e, thug esan an-seo an soitheach do Nighean an Rìgh.

Dh'iarr e an-seo Nighean an Rìgh a phòsadh, "ach cha leig sinn air falbh i mar sin (air falbh, "away") fhathast", thuirt an Earchlais- (fhathast, "yet") Urlair.

Is e a bh'ann, le comhairle na h-Earchlais-Urlair, gum feumadh e torc nimhe -- a bha (torc [m.], "boar") anns a' choille ubhal ud (nimh [f.], "poison") shuas -- a mharcachd beò, (a' marcachd, "riding [e.g. of a horse]") slàn, gu doras Lùchairt an (slàn, "healthy, uninjured") Rìgh, "is chan eil duine aige (lùchairt [f.], "palace, castle") as urrainn sin a dhéanamh," (as = a + is, "that is") thuirt an Earchlais-Urlair.

"Tha mi cluinntinn rud", arsa Clàisneach Mhath.

"Ciod e tha thu cluinntinn?"

"Tha -- gum feum thu torc nimhe a tha sa' choille ubhal ud shuas, a thoirt beò, slàn, gu Lùchairt an Rìgh, mum faigh thu Nighean an Rìgh."

Air falbh chaidh Lurga Luath is Tòn Chruaidh: Lurga Luath gu beireachd air an torc, is Tòn (beireachd [m.], "seizing, reaching") Chruaidh gu a mharcachd, is thug iad an torc gu Lùchairt an Rìgh.

Dh'iarr e, an sin, Nighean an Rìgh, ri a phòsadh.

Thuirt an Earchlais-Urlair ris an Rìgh gum feuchadh i dòigh eile air. "Thoir cuireadh dha do dhìnnear an- (cuireadh [m.], "invitation") diugh, is bheir thu air suidhe (dìnnear [f.], "dinner") air a' chathair mhóir anns a (thoir air, "compel, cajole") bheil am bior nimhe, is cuiridh (cathair [f.], "chair") sin as dha. (anns a bheil, "in which there is") (bior [m.], "spike") (cuir as do, "do away with, kill") Chuala Clàisneachd Mhath seo; thuirt Tòn Chruaidh gum bruicheadh esan lus an-seo. (bruich, "boil, cook") (lus [m.], "herb") Chaidh Tòn Chruaidh 'na ghille (bruich lus [idiom], "settle, put right") le a mhaighstir do'n Lùchairt, (gille [m.], "servant, boy") agus do sheòmar na dìnnearach. (seòmar [m.], "room") (dìnnearach [f.], "dining-room") Chuir an Rìgh furan is (furan [m.], "welcome, greeting") fàilte air, is sheall e dha (seall, "show") a' chathair mhór gu suidhe oirre.

Thuirt Tòn Chruaidh gun robh e 'na chleachdainn aige- (cleachdainn [f.], "habit, custom") san suidhe anns gach cathair air an robh a mhaighstir gu suidhe, feuch an robh i làidir gu leòr.

Shuidh Tòn Chruaidh anns a' chathair is bhris e gach (bris, "break") bìor agus gach cathair 'na phronnagan. (pronnag [f.], "fragment, piece")

An déidh na dinnearach, bha sùil aige ri Nighean an (bha sùil aige, "he hoped") Rìgh fhaotainn, ach thuirt an Earchlais-Urlair nach faodadh sin tachairt. (faod, "may, can")

"Feuchaidh sinn dòigh eile air."

Is e a bh'ann, gum feumadh e lochan uisge a bha am mullach na beinne seilge, (mullach [f.], "top, summit") a thoirt gu lagan bòidheach (seilge [gs] sealg [f.], "hunting") a bha fa chomhair doras mór (lagan [m.], "hollow, dell" Taigh an Rìgh.

Chuala Clàisneach Mhath seo.

"Leig mise 'na caraibh", ('na caraibh, "at it, in its direction") thuirt Balgam Mór, is ma tha iad am feum an uisgeachadh, (am feum, "in need of") is math a dh'fhaoidte, gum (uisgeachadh [m.], "soaking, drenching") faigh iad an sàth." ((ma) dh'fhaoidte, "perhaps") (sàth [f.], "sufficiency, abundance") Thug Balgam Mór am monadh air, is thòisich an spùtadh uisge tighinn.

Bha gach nì a bha mun chaisteal air snàmh an-seo. (caisteal [m.], "castle") Bha a choslas mur stadadh an (air snàmh, "swimming, floating") t-uisge, gum biodh gach nì (bha a choslas..., "it seemed...") a bha mu'n Lùchairt air a (mur stadadh, "if... wouldn't stop") mhilleadh gu tur. (air a mhilleadh, "destroyed") (gu tur, "completely, utterly") Ach is a bh'ann, gun d'iarr an Rìgh air Mac na Bantraich òrdagh a thoirt do (òrdagh [m.], "order, command") Bhalgam Mór, gun tuilleadh (gun tuilleadh, "that no further") uisge a dhòrtadh, is gum (a' dòrtadh, "pouring, spilling") faigheadh e fhéin a nighean gu pòsadh a nochd fhéin.

Is chaidh an Earchlais- Urlair a losgadh, bho'n is i (chaidh... losgadh, "was burned") bu chiontach ris an uisge a (ciontach, "guilty, culpable") mhilleadh gach nì, mar a rinneadh.

Phòs iad an-sin, agus rinn an Rìgh banais mhór, (banais [f.], "wedding") ghreadhnach, agus dh'fhàg (greadhnach, "joyful") mise an Caisteal an Rìgh iad le chéile. (le chéile, "together")

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Next lesson: some songs of the Highland Clearances.