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18/10/2010

Tha litir bheag na seachdain-sa aig Ruaraidh MacIllEathain. This week's short letter for learners is introduced by Ruaraidh MacLean.

5 minutes

Last on

Mon 18 Oct 2010 19:00

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An Litir Bheag 284

Tha a鈥� Bhratach Sh矛th ainmeil. Tha i anns an Eilean Sgitheanach. Tha i le Clann 鈥檌c Le貌id Dh霉n Bheagain. Tha i ann an Caisteal Dh霉n Bheagain.

鈥橲 e a鈥� Bheurla oirre 鈥� The Fairy Flag. Tha a鈥� bhratach air a d猫anamh de sh矛oda. Tha i uabhasach sean. Agus pr矛seil.

听听听听听听听听听听听 A r猫ir beul-aithris, bha Le貌dach air eilthireachd don T矛r Naoimh. Bha e an s脿s ann an Cogaidhean na Croise. Latha a bha seo, bha e a鈥� dol tarsainn abhainn. Thug s矛thiche ionnsaigh air. Rinn MacLe貌id a鈥� ch霉is air an t-s矛thiche.

Thug an s矛thiche duais do MhacLe貌id. 鈥橲 e a bh鈥� ann bogsa fiodha. Bha bogsaichean na bu lugha anns a鈥� bhogsa. Anns a鈥� bhogsa mu dheireadh, bha p矛os de sh矛oda buidhe. A鈥� Bhratach Sh矛th.

Bha dualchas an cois na brataich. Nuair a thogadh duine a鈥� bhratach, bhiodh sluagh m貌r a鈥� nochdadh. Sluagh de ghaisgich armaichte.

Bha rabhadh an cois na brataich cuideachd. Nan togadh duine i taobh a-staigh latha is bliadhna, cha bhiodh b脿rr a鈥� f脿s air an fhearann aige airson latha is bliadhna. Tron 霉ine sin, cha bhiodh uain aig caoraich. Cha bhiodh laoigh aig crodh. Cha bhiodh leanabh aig teaghlach.

听听听听听听听听听听听 Thill MacLe貌id don Eilean Sgitheanach. Thug e a鈥� bhratach don cheann-chinnidh aige. Nochd sluagh m貌r de sh矛thichean. Ach cha do dh鈥檉h脿s b脿rr. Agus cha do rugadh uan no laogh no leanabh airson latha is bliadhna.

听听听听听听听听听听听 Chan eil fhios c貌 脿s a th脿inig a鈥� bhratach bho th霉s. Tha cuid ag r脿dh gun robh an s矛oda 脿s an Ear-mheadhanach. Tha beachd ann gun robh i aig R矛gh Nirribhidh 鈥� Harald Hardradr. Bha Harald ag obair don 脤mpire ann an Constantinople.

Bha Harald aig Bl脿r Drochaid Stamford anns a鈥� bhliadhna m矛le, seasgad 鈥檚 a sia (1066). Chaill e do na Sasannaich.

Anns an arm aige bha Goraidh Cr貌bhan. Tha esan ainmeil ann an eachdraidh nan G脿idheal. Tha cuid dhen bheachd gur d貌cha gun d鈥� fhuair Goraidh a鈥� bhratach bho Harald. Agus gun d鈥� fhuair Le貌dach i bho Ghoraidh. Ach c貌 aige tha fios a bheil sin f矛or. Bheir sinn s霉il a bharrachd air a鈥� Bhrataich Sh矛th an ath-sheachdain.

The Little Letter 284

The Fairy Flag is famous. It鈥檚 on the Isle of Skye. It belongs to the Clan MacLeod of Dunvegan. It鈥檚 in Dunvegan Castle.

听听听听听听听 In English it鈥檚 called the Fairy Flag. The flag is made of silk. It鈥檚 very old. And valuable.

听听听听听听听 According to oral tradition, a MacLeod was on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. He was involved in the Crusades. One day, he was crossing a river. A fairy attacked him. MacLeod defeated the fairy.

听听听听听听听 The fairy gave MacLeod a reward. It was a wooden box. Smaller boxes were in the box. In the final box, there was a piece of yellow silk. The Fairy Flag.

听听听听听听听 There was a heritage connected to the flag. When a man would pick up the flag, a large host would appear. A host of armed heroes.

听听听听听听听 There was also a warning connected to the flag. If a person picked it up within a year and a day, no crops would grow on his land for a year and a day. Through that time, no sheep would have lambs. No cattle would have calves. No family would would have a baby.

听听听听听听听 MacLeod returned to Skye. He gave the flag to his clan chief. A great host of fairies appeared. But no crops grew. And no lamb or calf or baby was born for a year and day.

听听听听听听听 It鈥檚 not know where the flag came from originally. Some people say that the silk was from the Middle East. There is an opinion that it bel-onged to the King of Norway 鈥� Har-ald Hardradr. Harald was working for the Emperor in Constantinople.

听

听听听听听听听 Harald was at the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066. He lost to the English.

听听听听听听听 In his army there was Godred Crovan. He is famous in the history of the Gaels. Some people think that perhaps Godred got the flag from Harald. And that a MacLeod got it from Godred. But who knows if that is true. We鈥檒l have another look at the Fairy Flag next week.

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  • Mon 18 Oct 2010 19:00

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The Little Letter for Gaelic Learners

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