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Bha mi ag innse dhuibh mu mar a fhuair an guirmean gu ruige Alba. Bha dìlleachdan Barrach air bòrd bàta gun fhiosta don sgiobair no criutha. Aig an àm sin, a rèir an lagh, bha aig an sgiobair ri a leithid de dhuine a chur thar a’ chliathaich. Dh’òrdaich an sgiobair an gille a chur a-mach.

            Ach cha robh am meat ag aontachadh. ʼS ann leis-san a bha an dàrna leth dhen bhàta. ‘Na cuir e thar a’ chliathaich idir,’ thuirt e. ‘Cumaidh mise e. Bheir mi mo bhiadh fhèin dha, agus gheibh mi àite dha air an taobh thall nuair a ruigeas sinn e.’ Ghabh an sgiobair ris a sin.

            Ràinig iad na h-Innseachan. Bha am meat eòlach air tuathanach ann. Thug e an gille gu taigh an tuathanaich. ‘An gabh thu an gille seo?’ thuirt e ris an tuathanach. ‘An cùm thu e gus an tig mise air an ath bhòidse? Ma dh’fhaodte gur e ùine mhòr a bhios ann. Agus seallaidh tus’ às a dhèidh. Bidh a shàbhailteachd an urra riut fhèin.’

            ‘Glè mhath,’ ars an tuathanach, ‘nì mi nas urrainn dhomh air a shon.’

            Dh’fhalbh am meat. Bha e a’ seòladh nan cuantan gun fhiosta dha cuin a thilleadh e chun nan Innseachan. Ach bha an tuathanach uabhasach fhèin mhath dhan dìlleachdan. Bha e a’ dèanamh a h-uile sìon a b’ urrainn dha air a shon.

            Latha de na làithean, thuirt an tuathanach ris, ‘Bheir mi dhut bara an-diugh agus thèid thu a dh’iarraidh connadh bhon choillidh. Agus bheir thu leat do dhinnear.’

            ‘Glè mhath,’ ars an gille. Thug bean an tuathanaich dinnear dha. Thug e leis tuagh is thug e leis bara agus thòisich e air connadh a ghearradh anns a’ choillidh. Cha robh e ann fada nuair a thàinig duine far an robh e. Bha coltas air an duine gun robh an t-acras air. Riaraich an gille an dinnear air an dithis aca. Lìon an duine bara a’ ghille agus chuir e air an rathad e.

            Chaidh an gille dhachaigh leis a’ chonnadh agus chaidh iarraidh air a dhol a-mach air an làrna-mhàireach a-rithist airson tuilleadh connaidh fhaighinn. Thuirt e ri bean an tuathanaich nach robh an dinnear aige an latha roimhe pailt gu leòr dha.

            ‘Glè mhath,’ arsa bean an tuathanaich. ‘Bidh an dinnear agad pailt gu leòr an turas seo.’ Dh’fhalbh an gille air an làrna-mhàireach leis a’ bhara. An turas seo cò thàinig na rathad ach dithis fhear Bha an t-acras orra. Riaraich an gille am biadh air an triùir aca. Lìon an dithis eile am bara aige agus chuir iad air an rathad e. Nuair a ràinig e an taigh bha am bara aige làn connaidh. Chunnaic e bean an tuathanaich. ‘An dèan thu,’ ars esan, ‘an dinnear dhomh nas pailte a-màireach.’

            ‘Glè mhath,’ ars ise, ged a bha i a’ gabhail iongnadh mun uiread a dh’itheadh an gille.

            An làrna-mhàireach, dh’fhalbh an gille a-rithist leis a’ bhara. Thàinig triùir a choimhead air anns a’ choillidh. Riaraich e a chuid bìdh air a h-uile duine aca. An turas seo, cha do chuir na fir an gille dhachaigh. Thug iad leotha e. Bha e air falbh fad beagan làithean. Bha na fir toilichte leis a’ ghille agus lìon iad am bara aige le slatan òir. Agus leanaidh an sgeulachd anns an ath Litir.

Faclan na Litreach: guirmean: normally woad but as this is from India it is likely to mean guirmean Innseanach, indigo; meat: mate; Na h-Innseachan: India, the Indies [Na h-Innsibh in some dialects]; latha de na làithean: one day; bara: barrow; tuagh: axe.

Abairtean na Litreach: Bha dìlleachdan Barrach air bòrd bàta gun fhiosta don sgiobair: there was a Barra lad who was an orphan on board a boat unbeknown to the captain; bha aig X ri a leithid de dhuine a chur thar a’ chliathaich: X had to throw a person of that type over the side; ʼs ann leis-san a bha an dàrna leth dhen bhàta: he owned half of the boat; gheibh mi àite dha air an taobh thall: I’ll find him a place on the other side; ghabh an sgiobair ris a sin: the captain accepted that; gus an tig mise air an ath bhòidse: until I come on the next voyage; bidh a shàbhailteachd an urra riut fhèin: his safety will depend on you; nì mi nas urrainn dhomh air a shon: I’ll do what I can for him; a’ seòladh nan cuantan gun fhiosta dha cuin a thilleadh e: sailing the oceans, not knowing when he would return; a’ dèanamh a h-uile sìon a b’ urrainn dha: doing everything he could; cha robh e ann fada nuair a thàinig duine far an robh e: he wasn’t there long when a man came to him; chaidh iarraidh air a dhol a-mach air an làrna-mhàireach: he was asked to go out the next day; bean an tuathanaich: the farmer’s wife; nach robh an dinnear aige an latha roimhe pailt gu leòr dha: that his previous day’s dinner wasn’t big enough for him; ged a bha i a’ gabhail iongnadh mun uiread a dh’itheadh an gille: although she was surprised about the amount the lad would eat; thàinig triùir a choimhead air: three men came to see him; thug iad leotha e: he took him with them; lìon iad am bara aige le slatan òir: they filled his barrow with golden rods.

Puing-chànain na Litreach: thèid thu a dh’iarraidh connadh bhon choillidh: you’ll go to fetch fuel from the forest. Coille is a feminine word and in some dialects slenderizes to coillidh (traditionally) in the dative singular form ie bha e anns a’ choillidh ‘he was in the wood’. This type of slenderization is disappearing in modern usage.

Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: Riaraich e a chuid bìdh air a h-uile duine aca: he divided his food amongst them all.