麻豆社

Anns an litir o chionn m矛os bha mi ag innse dhuibh mu bhoireannach 脿 Astr脿ilia is aithne dhomh a thug sg脿ilean, neo sgail-uisge, leatha don Eilean Sgitheanach. Cha do mhair e sl脿n ach d脿 latha mus deach a bhriseadh ann an stoirm. Agus bheirinn comhairle do dhuine sam bith a tha a鈥� tighinn don Gh脿idhealtachd bho dh霉thaich eile gun a bhith a鈥� toirt sg脿ilean leis. C貌ta gu cinnteach, ach chan eil sg脿ilean gu m貌ran feum nuair a tha a鈥� ghaoth l脿idir mar a bhios i gu tric air Gh脿idhealtachd.

Ach tha sg脿ileanan gu m貌ran feum ann an d霉thchannan eile far am bi t貌rr uisge ann ach far nach bi cus gaoith鈥� ann aig an aon 脿m. Ann an ceann a deas is taobh sear 脌isia, mar eisimpleir, bidh m貌ran gan cleachdadh gu h-脿raidh anns an r脿ith fhliuch, neo monsoon mar a chanas iad. Ch矛thear manaich Bhudastach ann an Thailand ann an earradh cr貌ch neo orains, a鈥� coiseachd na sr脿id, is chan eil c脿il aca nan l脿mhan ach sg脿ilean snasail dubh.

Agus anns na beanntan gu tuath air na h-Innseachan, far a bheil daoine, anns an fharsaingeachd, gu math bochd, 鈥檚 ann tric a ch矛thear bodach a鈥� coiseachd tro bhealach 脿rd, eadar craobhan rhododendron, gun bhr貌gan air a chasan is le gl猫 bheag a dh鈥檃odach air. Ach bidh e a鈥� toirt sg脿ilean leis fo achlais mar a bhios muinntir nan oifisean m貌ra ann an Lunnainn gach madainn is feasgar.

Mar a shaoileadh sibh, 鈥檚 ann airson an cumail fh猫in tioram a tha a鈥� mh貌r-chuid a鈥� gi霉lain sg脿ilean leotha. Ach gu deas air na beanntan anns na sg矛rean teth is fliuch gu h-脿raidh ann an taobh sear nan Innseachan faisg air B脿gh Bheang脿il, tha adhbhar a bharrachd ann. Cha do smaoinich mi air a seo gus an cuala mi c貌mhradh air an r猫idio turas le boireannach 脿 baile faisg air Calcutta.

Bha am fear-naidheachd a bha a鈥� deanamh an agallaimh air mothachadh do rud annasach fhad 鈥檚 a bha e anns an sg矛re sin. Bhiodh m貌ran de mhuinntir an 脿ite a鈥� coiseachd timcheall le sg脿ileanan. Agus bhiodh na sg脿ileanan suas fosgailte, os an cionn. Ach 鈥檚 e an rud a chuir iongnadh air 鈥� nach robh an t-uisge ann aig an 脿m! Bha e tioram ach, a dh鈥檃indeoin sin, bha na sg脿ileanan suas.

鈥淐arson a tha sin?鈥� dh鈥檉haighnich e dheth fh猫in, agus 鈥檚 e sin a鈥� cheist a chuir e air a鈥� bhoireannach air an r猫idio.

鈥淯ill, nach eil e follaiseach?鈥� fhreagair am boireannach, 鈥渢ha airson ar d矛on.鈥�

鈥淎ch cha robh an t-uisge ann,鈥� thuirt am fear eile, 鈥渘eo a鈥� ghrian na bu mhotha.鈥� (leis gu robh e sg貌thach)

鈥淥,鈥� ars鈥� am boireannach, 鈥渃han e uisge neo grian a tha a鈥� cur dragh oirnn.鈥�

鈥淯ill,鈥� thuirt am fear-naidheachd, 鈥渄猫 tha a鈥� cur dragh oirbh ma th脿?鈥�

鈥淭ha,鈥� ars鈥� ise, 鈥渘athraichean.鈥�

Aig an 脿m seo dhen bhliadhna, tha e coltach, bidh na nathraichean puinnseanta, ris an canar cobras, a鈥� leum a-mach 脿s na craobhan air daoine a tha a鈥� coiseachd fodhpa. Ach ma tha sg脿ilean os do chionn, chan fhaigh an nathair a fiaclan annad agus tha deagh chothrom agad faighinn air falbh. Ma 鈥檚 breug bhuam e, is breug thugam e!

O chionn greis gheall mi dhuibh gun toirinn t貌imhseachan dhuibh bho 脿m gu 脿m. Agus airson cr矛och a chur air an litir an t-seachdain-sa, ged nach eil ceangal aige do nathraichean neo sg脿ileanan, seo fear eile.

Is mi mi-fh矛n,

Is mi gach duine

Ach sgr矛ob mo dhruim

鈥檚 cha mhi duin鈥� idir.

Seo e a-rithist:

Is mi mi-fh矛n,

Is mi gach duine

Ach sgr矛ob mo dhruim

鈥檚 cha mhi duin鈥� idir.

Uill, faodaidh sibh smaoineachadh air agus innsibh mi dhuibh de th鈥檃nn an ath sheachdainn.

sg脿ilean, sgail-uisge: umbrella; mar eisimpleir: forexample; r脿ith: season; snasail: neat, elegant: bealach: mountain pass; foachlais: under his arm; B脿gh Bheang脿il: the Bay of Bengal; adhbhar: reason;iongnadh: surprise; follaiseach: obvious; nathair, nathraichean: snake, snakes;puinnseanta (or puinnseanach): poisonous; fodhpa: below them; a fiaclan: herteeth (nathair is feminine).

o chionn m矛os: a month ago; boireannach 鈥� isaithne dhomh: a woman I know; cha do mhair e sl脿n ach d脿 latha: it onlyremained intact for two days; gun a bhith a鈥� toirt sg脿ilean leis: not to bring anumbrella with him; gu m貌ran feum: of much use; bidh m貌ran gan cleachdadh:many (people) use them; ch矛thear manaich Bhudastach 鈥� ann an earradh cr貌chneo orains: Buddhist monks are seen in saffron or orange robes; gu tuath air nah-Innseachan: to the north of India; gu deas air na beanntan: to the south of themountains; gus an cuala mi: until I heard; bha am fear-naidheachd a bha a鈥檇eanamah an agallaimh air mothachadh do rud annasach: the journalist who wasdoing the interview had noticed something unusual; a鈥� coiseachd timcheall:walking around; a dh鈥檃indeoin sin: despite that; airson ar d矛on: to protect us;neo a鈥� ghrian na bu mhotha: or the sun either; tha deagh chothrom agad faighinnair falbh: you have a good opportunity to get away; gheall mi dhuibh gun toirinnt貌imhseachan dhuibh: I promised I would give you a riddle; airson cr矛och a churair: to finish.

Is mi mi-fh矛n, is mi gach duine, ach sgr矛ob modhruim 鈥檚 cha mhi duin鈥� idir. Literally this means 鈥淚 am myself, I am eachperson, but scratch my back and I鈥檓 nobody.鈥� The negative form of theAssertive Verb 鈥� cha mhi (I am not, the opposite to 鈥渋s mi鈥�) is sometimesconfused by learners with the future of the Verb to Be (cha bhi). It is most oftenused in response to the question 鈥渁n tu?鈥� or in the emphatic form 鈥渁n tusa鈥�(are you?). Gabh mo lethsgeul, an tusa Iain Mac a鈥� Ghobhainn? (excuse me areyou John Smith?). Cha mhi, is mis鈥� a bhrathair, Alasdair (no, I am his brother,Alasdair). A Dh貌mhnaill, an tusa a bhios a鈥� deanamh na lite an-diugh?(Donald, is it yourself that is making the porridge today?). Cha mhi, chan eilmi math air (no I am no good at it).

Ma 鈥檚 breug bhuam e, is breug thugam e: lit. ifit is a lie from me, it is a lie to me ie. I am only relating what I have heard andcannot affirm its veracity! This is a commonly used expression in Gaelic, andsometimes in conversation only the first part is used (ma 鈥檚 breug bhuam e鈥�),the rest being understood.