24/03/2008

An t-seachdain sa chaidh dh’fhàg sinn Naomh Pòl – Saint Pol de Leon – air eilean anns a’ Bhreatainn Bhig. Chuir Pòl às do nathair mhòr a bha cunnartach. Shàbhail e an t-eilean – Batz, no L’Isle de Batz. Mar sin, chaidh an t-eilean a thoirt dha. Chaidh pàirtean de thìr-mòr faisg air an eilean a thoirt dha cuideachd.

Thog Pòl manachainn anns an eilean. Agus thog e cathair-eaglais air tìr-mòr. Ann am Fraingis ’s e Saint Pol-de-Leon an t-ainm a tha air an àite sin.

Bha Pòl gu math sean nuair a chaochail e. Tha cuid ag ràdh gun robh e ceud is ceathrad (140) bliadhna a dh’aois. A rèir aithris, dh’fhàs e uabhasach tana.

Chaochail Pòl ann an cealla. Bha an cealla faisg air a’ mhanachainn anns an eilean. Bha na h-eileanaich ag iarraidh a thiodhlacadh anns an eilean. Ach bha muinntir tìr-mòr ag iarraidh a thiodhlacadh anns a’ chathair-eaglais. Ciamar a bha iad a’ dol a thighinn gu rèite?

Uill, chaidh dà chairt ullachadh. Bha dà dhamh a’ tarraing gach cairt. Bha na cairtean air an cur letheach-slighe eadar an t-eilean agus a’ chathair-eaglais. Bha aon phaidhir dhamh a’ coimhead a dh’ionnsaigh na mara. Bha am paidhir eile a’ coimhead a dh’ionnsaigh a’ bhaile. Chaidh a’ chiste-laighe a chur air an dà chairt. Bha leth dhith air gach cairt. Bha e an urra ris an naomh fhèin dè an taobh a bha e a’ dol a ghabhail.

A rèir beul-aithris, nuair a thòisich na daimh air gluasad, chaidh a’ chiste à fianais. Cha b’ urrainn do dhuine a faicinn. Cha robh fios aig daoine dè an taobh a bha a’ chiste a’ dol.

Ràinig an dàrna cairt an cladach. Ràinig an tèile a’ chathair-eaglais. Agus chunnaic na daoine dè bha air tachairt. Ghabh na h-eileanaich briseadh-dùil. Bha a’ chairt aca falamh. Bha muinntir a’ bhaile a’ dèanamh gàirdeachas. Bha a’ chiste air a’ chairt acasan. Agus bha Naomh Pòl, Saint Pol de Leòn, air a thiodhlacadh sa chathair-eaglais. Tha am baile a’ giùlain ainm fhathast.

Faclan is abairtean: an t-seachdain sa chaidh dh’fhàg sinn Naomh Pòl: last week we left Saint Paul; anns a’ Bhreatainn Bhig: in Brittany; chuir Pòl às do nathair mhòr a bha cunnartach: Paul killed a snake that was dangerous; chaidh an t-eilean a thoirt dha: the island was given to him; manachainn: monastery; thog e cathair-eaglais air tìr-mòr: he built a cathedral on the mainland; gu math sean nuair a chaochail e: very old when he died; tha cuid ag ràdh: some [people] say; dh’fhàs e uabhasach tana: he became very thin; cho tana ’s gum b’ urrainn do dhaoine solas fhaicinn tro a làmhan: so thin that people could see light through his hands; chaochail Pòl ann an cealla: Paul died in a cell; ag iarraidh a thiodhlacadh: wanting to bury him; bha muinntir tìr-mòr ag iarraidh a thiodhlacadh anns a’ chathair-eaglais: the mainland people wanted to bury him in the cathedral; Ciamar a bha iad a’ dol a thighinn gu rèite?: how were they going to come to a resolution?; chaidh dà chairt ullachadh: two carts were prepared; bha dà dhamh a’ tarraing gach cairt: two oxen were pulling each cart; letheach-slighe eadar: halfway between; bha aon phaidhir dhamh a’ coimhead a dh’ionnsaigh na mara: one pair of oxen were facing the sea; a dh’ionnsaigh a’ bhaile: towards the town; chaidh a’ chiste-laighe a chur air an dà chairt: the coffin was placed on the two carts; leth dhith air gach cairt: half of it on each cart; bha e an urra ris an naomh fhèin dè an taobh a bha e a’ dol a ghabhail: it was up to the saint himself which way he was going to take; chaidh a’ chiste à fianais: the coffin disappeared from view; cha b’ urrainn do dhuine a faicinn: nobody could see it; cha robh fios aig daoine dè an taobh a bha a’ chiste a’ dol: nobody knew which route the coffin was taking; ràinig an dàrna cairt an cladach: the first [“second”] cart reached the shore; ràinig an tèile a’ chathair-eaglais: the other one reached the cathedral; chunnaic na daoine dè bha air tachairt: the people saw what had happened; ghabh na h-eileanaich briseadh-dùil: the islanders were disappointed; falamh: empty; bha muinntir a’ bhaile a’ dèanamh gàirdeachas: the people of the town were happy; air a thiodhlacadh sa chathair-eaglais: buried in the cathedral; tha am baile a’ giùlain ainm fhathast: the town still carries his name.