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30/04/2007

Tha litir bheag na seachdain aig Ruairidh MacIlleathain.

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An Litir Bheag 102

O chionn fhada bha fear ann air an robh Calum Beag mar ainm. Bha e beag ach l脿idir. Bha e a鈥� fuireach ann an 脌ird Chlach. Bha taigh aige faisg air Uisge 脠ireann 鈥� the Findhorn River. Bha an taigh far a bheil an talamh 脿rd a鈥� t貌iseachadh.

Ann am Beurla 鈥檚 e an t-ainm a th鈥� air an 脿ite 鈥� The Streens no Streens of Findhorn. Seo na sgr矛obh an s脿r-e貌laiche, Uilleam MacBh脿tair: Na Srianaibh, the Streens of Findhorn, the Bridles ... a graphic and appropriate name for this remarkable gorge. 鈥橲 e Na Srianan a chanas sinn ris an 脿ite ann an G脿idhlig an-diugh. Seo na th鈥� aig Iain Mac an T脿illeir air an liosta aige de dh鈥檃inmean-脿ite (a th鈥� air an eadar-l矛on): Na Srianan. 鈥淭he Restraint鈥� referring to narrows in the River Findhorn.

Co-dhi霉, air ais gu Calum Beag. Nuair a bha e 貌g, bha e ag obair aig Caisteal Chaladair. Bha e ag obair mar bhuachaille. Latha a bha seo, bha e a鈥� buachailleachd treud de chrodh G脿idhealach. Th脿inig ceatharnaich a-nuas air. Chuir iad an gr猫im e. Th貌isich na ceatharnaich air slighe gu taobh an iar na G脿idhealtachd. Bha Calum c貌mhla riutha. D猫 bha e a鈥� dol a dh猫anamh?

Uill, bha breacan air. Breacan de she貌rsa 脿raidh. Bha a h-uile duine anns an sg矛re e貌lach air breacan Chaluim. Reub e dheth p矛osan beaga dhen bhreacan. Leig e don talamh iad. Cha robh fios aig na ceatharnaich gun robh e a鈥� d猫anamh sin.

An ath latha bha muinntir Chaladair a鈥� coimhead airson a鈥� chruidh. Lorg fear p矛os breacain. Bha fios aige gur e p矛os de bhreacan Chaluim a bh鈥� ann. Lorg cuideigin eile d脿rna p矛os. Mar sin lean iad an rathad a ghabh Calum is na ceatharnaich.

Lorg iad iad ann an ceann shuas Srath 脠ireann. Bha na ceatharnaich agus Calum nan suidhe ann an lagan. Bha iad a鈥� r貌stadh mart. Fhuair muinntir Chaladair an crodh air ais. Fhuair Calum Beag duais bhon uachdaran.

Nuair a chaochail a ph脿rantan, fhuair Calum an taigh aca anns na Srianan. Bha sin ann an 脿ite air a bheil Straneorn ann am Beurla. Tha mi a鈥� d猫anamh dheth gur e sin Srath an E貌rna. Ph貌s Calum t猫 bhon talamh 矛osal. Ach bha i gu math d矛leas dha. Agus th貌isich Calum air a bhith na cheatharnach e fh猫in. Ghoid e iomadh mart. Bheir sinn s霉il a bharrachd air a bheatha anns an ath Litir.

Faclan is abairtean

Faclan is abairtean: O chionn fhada: a long time ago; bha fear ann air an robh Calum Beag mar ainm: there was a man who was named Wee Calum; 脌ird Chlach: Ardclach; Uisge 脠ireann: Findhorn River; far a bheil an talamh 脿rd a鈥� t貌iseachadh: where the high ground starts; seo na sgr矛obh an s脿r-e貌laiche: here鈥檚 what the expert wrote; a chanas sinn ris an 脿ite: which we call the place; Caisteal Chaladair: Cawdor Castle; bha e ag obair mar bhuachaille: he was working as a herdsman; a鈥� buachailleachd treud de chrodh G脿idhealach: tending a herd of Highland cattle; th脿inig ceatharnaich a-nuas air: caterans (freebooters) came down upon him; chuir iad an gr猫im e: they captured him; air slighe gu taobh an iar na G脿idhealtachd: on a route to the West Highlands; c貌mhla riutha: along with them; breacan de she貌rsa 脿raidh: a plaid of an unusual type; reub e dheth: he ripped off; a鈥� coimhead airson a鈥� chruidh: looking for the cattle; lorg cuideigin eile d脿rna p矛os: somebody else found a second piece; lean iad an rathad a ghabh Calum is na ceatharnaich: they followed the route that Calum and the caterans took; ceann shuas Srath 脠ireann: the upper part of Strathdearn; nan suidhe ann an lagan: sitting in a hollow; a鈥� r貌stadh mart: roasting a stirk; duais bhon uachdaran: a reward from the laird; nuair a chaochail a ph脿rantan: when his parents died; tha mi a鈥� d猫anamh dheth: I reckon; ph貌s Calum t猫 bhon talamh 矛osal: Calum married a woman from the low country; bha i gu math d矛leas dha: she was very loyal to him; th貌isich Calum air a bhith na cheatharnach, e fh猫in: Calum started to be a cateran himself; ghoid e iomadh mart: he stole many cows.

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Tha gach Litir Bheag an seo / All the Little Letters are here.

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