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An robh sibh riamh aig Loch a’ Ghartain ann an Srath Spè? Tha e faisg air Coit Ghartain, far am biodh daoine a’ dol a-null is a-nall thar Uisge Spè ann an coit – bàta beag – anns an t-seann aimsir. Tha Loch a’ Ghartain ainmeil an-diugh oir ʼs e fear de na h-àiteachan as fheàrr ann an Alba airson an iolair-uisge fhaicinn. Tha e cuideachd gu math brèagha, le coille-ghiuthais ceithir-timcheall air. Tha cothrom an sin an capall-coille fhaicinn.Ìý

Bhathar ag ràdh aig aon àm gun robh creutair os-nàdarrach a’ fuireach anns na coilltean timcheall Loch a’ Ghartain. ʼS e am Bodach a chanadh muinntir an àite ris. Chan eil fhios a’m am faiceadh daoine càil, ach chluinneadh iad am Bodach a’ glaodhaich is a’ caoidh. Bha iad ag ràdh gun robh e ag innse gum biodh bàs ann.

Bha fear Dòmhnall Mac a’ Phearsain às an Tulach am measg na feadhainn a thug cunntas air a’ Bhodach. Bhiodh e a’ coinneachadh ri caraidean air an Tulach a h-uile seachdain airson cairtean a chluich, agus drama no dhà a ghabhail.

Oidhche a bha seo, goirid ro mheadhan-oidhche, bha iad a’ cluich chairtean, ach cha robh uisge-beatha air fhàgail aca. B’ e Dòmhnall Mac a’ Phearsain am fear a b’ òige dhen chuideachd. Chaidh iarraidh air falbh gu bothan far am faigheadh e tuilleadh uisge-bheatha. Chaidh Dòmhnall ann, thog e na botail agus thill e don taigh far an robh a charaidean.Ìý

Bha an oidhche ciùin agus bha an iarmailt làn rionnagan. Cha robh lòchran aig Dòmhnall, ach bha e furasta gu leòr dha a shlighe fhaicinn. Ràinig e glac far an robh preasan aitinn a’ fàs. Chuala e fuaim coltach ri each a bha a’ feuchainn ri èirigh gu a chasan. An uair sin, chuala e nàdar de sgread mar gun robh an t-eagal air an each.Ìý

Thug Dòmhnall sùil mun cuairt ach cha robh sgeul air each no càil eile. Bha e dhen bheachd gun robh a charaidean ri cleas. Dh’èigh e nach robh dragh sam bith air. Ach cha robh duine eile ann. Thàinig an t-eagal air an duine òg agus lean e air gu sgiobalta. Ràinig e bad chraobhan-beithe leth-cheud slat bhon taigh far an robh a charaidean. An sin, chuala e sgreuch os a chionn anns na geugan. Bha e an dùil gun tigeadh a charaidean a-mach às an taigh nuair a chuala iad an sgreuch. Ach cha do nochd duine.

Chaidh Dòmhnall a-steach agus bha e follaiseach nach robh a charaidean air càil a chluinntinn. Cha do dh’inns e dad dhaibh.

Aig trì uairean sa mhadainn, thàinig an cèilidh gu ceann. Bha dachaigh Dhòmhnaill air rathad eadar-dhealaichte bho chàch. Bha e a’ coiseachd leis fhèin – mu chòig ceud slat air rathad a’ bhaile-fearainn agus trì cheud slat air an rathad phoblach. Gu h-obann, nochd rudeigin geal, solasach air a bheulaibh. Bha e coltach ri siota geal.

Cha robh Dòmhnall airson leantainn air a shlighe, ach cha robh e airson tilleadh don àite às an tàinig e na bu mhotha. Mar sin, dh’fhàg e an rathad agus choisich e dhachaigh thar an fhraoich. Agus chuala e an aon sgreuch eagallach a chuala e nuair a bha e a’ faighinn an uisge-bheatha. A-nise, bha eagal a bheatha air. Ach dè rinn e? Innsidh mi dhuibh anns an ath Litir.

Faclan na Litreach: Loch a’ Ghartain: Loch Garten; Srath Spè: Strathspey; iolair-uisge: osprey; capall-coille: capercaillie; lòchran: lantern.

Abairtean na Litreach: Coit Ghartain, far am biodh daoine a’ dol a-null is a-nall thar Uisge Spè ann an coit: Boat of Garten, where people would go over and back across the River Spey in a small boat; le coille-ghiuthais ceithir-timcheall air: being surrounded by pine forest; bhathar ag ràdh aig aon àm gun robh creutair os-nàdarrach a’ fuireach: it was said at one time that there was a supernatural creature living; chluinneadh iad am Bodach a’ glaodhaich is a’ caoidh: they would hear the Bodach calling and wailing; Dòmhnall Mac a’ Phearsain às an Tulach: Donald MacPherson from Tulloch; agus drama no dhà a ghabhail: and to take a dram or two; oidhche a bha seo, goirid ro mheadhan-oidhche: one night, a little before midnight; b’ e Dòmhnall Mac a’ Phearsain am fear a b’ òige dhen chuideachd: X was the youngest of the company; bothan far am faigheadh e tuilleadh uisge-bheatha: a bothy where he would get more whisky; bha an iarmailt làn rionnagan: the heavens were full of stars; glac far an robh preasan aitinn a’ fàs: a hollow where juniper bushes were growing; fuaim coltach ri each a bha a’ feuchainn ri èirigh gu a chasan: a noise like a horse that was trying to get to its feet; gun robh a charaidean ri cleas: that his friends were playing a trick [on him]; bad chraobhan-beithe leth-cheud slat bhon taigh: a clump of birch trees fifty yards from the house; thàinig an cèilidh gu ceann: the gathering came to an end; air rathad eadar-dhealaichte bho chàch: on a different way from the others; còig ceud slat air rathad a’ bhaile-fearainn: five hundred yards on the farm road; nochd rudeigin geal, solasach air a bheulaibh: something white and luminous appeared in front of him; thar an fhraoich: across the heather (moor); an aon sgreuch eagallach: the same frightening scream.

Puing-chànain na Litreach: cha robh e airson tilleadh don àite às an tàinig e na bu mhotha: he didn’t want to return to the place he had come from either. This is the past tense form of nas motha which idiomatically stands for ‘either’ in this structure (only following a negative verb). Chan eil mise cinnteach nas motha ‘I’m not sure either’. Sometimes nas motha is also used in the past tense.Ìý

Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: bha eagal a bheatha air: he was frightened out of his wits.