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Tha mi ag aithris an sgeòil ‘Ceatharnach Shiaboist’. Nuair a chaidh a’ bhò dhubh aig Ruairidh Dearg a dhìth, chuir Alasdair Moireasdan agus a cho-ogha, Ùisdean MacAmhlaigh, romhpa dhol a choimhead anns a’ bhothan aig a’ cheatharnach air mullach na Beinne Mòire. Cha robh iad a’ creidsinn gum biodh duine sam bith làidir gu leòr airson bò a tharraing suas gu mullach na beinne. Ach chaidh iad ann le armachd, deiseil airson sabaid.

Air cliathaich na beinne, lorg iad fianais gun robh a’ bhò dhubh air a marbhadh an sin, agus air a tarraing suas am bruthach. Shaoil iad nach biodh iad glic a dhol suas. Bhiodh fios aig a’ cheatharnach gun robh iad ann. Gu dearbh, bha. Bha e a’ coimhead orra bho gu h-àrd. Thuig e gun robh fios aig an dithis fhear gum b’ esan am mèirleach. Ach cha robh fios aige gun robh an dithis eile eòlach air a bhothan air mullach na beinne.

Tha an sgeulaiche, Tormod an t-Seòladair, ag innse dhuinn beagan mun cheatharnach. Bha e mòr, mu chòig air fhichead bliadhna a dh’aois, agus bha e sgeadaichte ann an trusgan Gàidhealach. Bha fhèileadh air a dhèanamh de bhreacan Cloinn ʼic Leòid. Bha falt dubh air agus bha e eireachdail.

Mu sheachdain an dèidh call na bà, bha an ceatharnach na shuidhe anns a’ bhothan aige air an oidhche. Thàinig fitheach mòr don bhothan. Mar as trice, nuair a thig fitheach gu dachaigh duine, tha e a’ comharrachadh cunnart no eadhon bàs. Ach cha do chuir e dragh air a’ cheatharnach. Dh’èirich e, thog e a chlaidheamh, dh’fhalbh e a-mach agus chaidh e sìos le cliathaich na beinne.

Nuair a dh’èirich a’ ghrian, bha an duine ri taobh Loch Athabhat Mòr, ann an àite còmhnard, mìle gu leth bhon bhothan aige. Bhiodh na banaraich a’ tighinn a-mach bho na bailtean. Bha iad a’ dol a bhleoghainn nam bò. Chitheadh iad e.

Mar sin, chuir e roimhe a dhol am falach gus an tigeadh dorchadas na h-oidhche. Faisg air ceann a deas an locha, lorg e bac àrd le fraoch fada a’ fàs air a mhullach. Chaidh e am falach fon fhraoch. Bha e na laighe an sin, agus gu math cofhurtail. Cha b’ fhada gus an robh e na chadal.Ìý

Mu mheadhan-latha, thàinig dithis bhoireannach òga gu taobh siar an locha. ʼS e latha brèagha samhraidh a bh’ ann. Bha na boireannaich mu naoi bliadhn’ deug a dh’aois. B’ i tè dhiubh Iseabail Mhoireasdan, an nighean a bu shine aig ceann-cinnidh nam Moireasdanach. Còmhla rithe bha a co-ogha, Peigi Mhoireasdan.

Ràinig iad cladach ceann a deas an locha, far an robh an talamh bog, le bac àrd, agus fraoch a’ fàs air a’ mhullach. Faisg air sin, bha an duilleag-bhàite bhàn a’ fàs. ‘Seall, a Pheigi,’ thuirt Iseabail. ‘Tha mi a’ dol a spìonadh cuid de na flùraichean brèagha seo.’

‘Thoir an aire,’ arsa Peigi. ‘Tha an t-uisge domhainn agus tha grunnd an locha bog. Ma thuiteas tu a-steach, bidh thu air do bhàthadh.’

‘Na gabh eagal,’ fhreagair Iseabail. ‘Bidh mi faiceallach. Cha tuit mi a-steach.’ Aig a’ mhionaid sin, thàinig dealan-dè mòr. Stad e air an duilleig-bhàite a b’ fhaisge air a’ chladach. Agus chì sinn dè thachair an uair sin anns an ath Litir.

Faclan na Litreach: Ceatharnach Shiaboist: The Shawbost Freebooter; a cho-ogha: his cousin; eireachdail: handsome; fitheach: raven; còmhnard: flat; banaraich: milkmaids; chitheadh iad: they would see; spìonadh: picking, plucking.

Abairtean na Litreach: Tha mi airson ur toirt gu taobh siar Leòdhais: I want to take you to the west of Lewis; gum biodh duine sam bith làidir gu leòr airson bò a tharraing suas gu mullach na beinne: that any man would be strong enough to drag a cow up to the top of mountain; le armachd, deiseil airson sabaid: with weapons, ready to fight; bha e a’ coimhead orra bho gu h-àrd: he was watching them from on high; gum b’ esan am mèirleach: that he was the robber; sgeadaichte ann an trusgan Gàidhealach: wearing Highland garb; bha fhèileadh air a dhèanamh de bhreacan Cloinn ʼic Leòid: his kilt and plaid were made of MacLeod tartan; call na bà: the loss of the cow; tha e a’ comharrachadh cunnart no eadhon bàs: it marks danger or even death; chaidh e sìos le cliathaich na beinne: he descended the mountainside; a’ dol a bhleoghainn nam bò: going to milk the cows; lorg e bac àrd le fraoch fada a’ fàs: he found a high bank with long heather growing; am falach fon fhraoch: hiding under the heather; dithis bhoireannach òga: two young women; Iseabail Mhoireasdan, an nighean a bu shine aig ceann-cinnidh nam Moireasdanach: Ishbel Morrison, the eldest daughter of the clan chief of the Morrisons; còmhla rithe bha a co-ogha, Peigi Mhoireasdan: along with her was her cousin, Peggy Morrison; bha an duilleag-bhàite bhàn a’ fàs: the white-flowered water lily was growing; seall, a Pheigi: look, Peggy; thoir an aire: take care; tha grunnd an locha bog: the bottom of the loch is soft; bidh thu air do bhàthadh: you’ll be drowned.

Puing-chànain na Litreach: Mar sin, chuir e roimhe a dhol am falach: thus, he decided to hide. This use of the verb cuir and the preposition ro is a very useful one to say that somebody has decided or resolved to do something. You have to use the appropriate form of the prepositional pronoun e.g. chuir mi romham ‘I decided’; an do chuir thu romhad? ‘did you decide?; chuir sinn romhainn ‘we decided’. In the text of the Litir we have chuir Alasdair Moireasdan agus a cho-ogha, Ùisdean MacAmhlaigh, romhpa.. ‘AM and his cousin ÙM decided’...

Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: Cha b’ fhada gus an robh e na chadal: it wasn’t long until he was asleep.