23/04/2010

Tha mi a’ dol a chur crìoch air an stòiridh An Rìgh agus an Searrach. Bha an searrach aig an tuathanach air a dhol dhachaigh don chaisteal le gearran an rìgh. Cha robh an rìgh deònach an searrach a thoirt air ais don tuathanach.

Latha a bha seo, bha an rìgh a-muigh a’ sealg. Chaidh an tuathanach don chaisteal a bhruidhinn ri bean an rìgh. Mhìnich e dhi mar a bha cùisean.

“Nist,” thuirt i, “thig tràth sa mhadainn agus thoir leat bucaid de shalann. Tòisich air salann a chur anns a’ phàirc. Thig an rìgh a-mach a choimhead feuch gu dè tha thu a’ dèanamh. Can ris gu bheil thu a’ crathadh salainn. Faighnichidh e dhiot a bheil thu an dùil gum fàs an salann. Can ris gu bheil e a cheart cho coltach gum fàs salann anns an talamh ’s a tha e gum bi searrach aig gearran. Agus cha chan mi an còrr.”

Rinn an tuathanach mar a thuirt bean an rìgh. Bha bucaid aige de shalann. Bha e a’ crathadh an t-salainn air an talamh.

“Dè tha thu a’ dèanamh an sin?” dh’fhaighnich an rìgh.

“Nach eil mi,” ars esan, “a’ crathadh salainn?”

“Agus a bheil thu a’ smaoineachadh gum fàs an salann?” thuirt an rìgh.

“Chan eil mi cinnteach gum fàs,” ars an duine. “Ach tha e cho coltach gum fàsadh salann anns an talamh ’s a tha e gum bi searrach aig gearran.”

“Tha sin fìor,” dh’aidich an rìgh. Ach cha robh e deònach an searrach a thoirt seachad. ’S e searrach air leth math a bh’ ann. Chaidh an rìgh a-steach. “Thug thusa comhairle don tuathanach, nach tug,” thuirt e ri a bhean. Dh’aidich i gun tug.

“Tha mi cinnteach,” ars esan, “gu bheil cuimhne agad air na cùmhnantan air ar pòsadh.”

“Tha cuimhne agam orra,” fhreagair a bhean.

“Uill,” ars esan, “faodaidh tu dèanamh deiseil airson an caisteal fhàgail.”

“Tha sin math gu leòr,” ars ise, “ach bidh cuimhne agad fhèin air a’ chùmhnant eile – gum faodainn trì eallaich a thoirt leam a-mach às a’ chaisteal.”

“Ceart gu leòr,” thuirt an rìgh. “B’ e sin an cùmhnant.” Leis a sin, lìon a bhean ciste le òr is airgead is seudan. Chuir i a’ chiste taobh a-muigh a’ chaisteil agus thill i a-steach. Thog i a’ chreathall anns an robh an gille aca. B’ e sin an dàrna eallach a bha cead aice a thoirt a-mach às a’ chaisteal.

Bha an rìgh a’ coimhead gu math mì-thoilichte. Bha e a’ meòrachadh air cho gòrach ’s a bha e nuair a rinn e cùmhnantan a’ phòsaidh. Ach cha robh a bhean deiseil. Bha an treas eallach aice fhathast. Agus seo na rinn i. Dh’fhàg i a’ chreathall taobh a-muigh a’ chaisteil. Thill i a-steach agus rug i air làmh an rìgh fhèin. Thug i a-mach air an doras e.

Bha i air trì eallaich a thoirt a-mach às a’ chaisteal. Ach cha robh duine na bhroinn. Dh’fhaodadh duine sam bith an caisteal a ghabhail thairis. Mar sin, thuirt an rìgh, “Tillidh thusa a-steach don chaisteal agus thèid mi fhìn a-steach cuideachd. Giùlainidh mi a-steach na h-eallaich a thug thu a-mach.”

Agus sin mar a dh’èirich e don nighinn seòlta a bh’ aig an t-seann duine. Bha i fhèin agus an rìgh sona gu leòr. Agus tha mi an dùil gun d’ fhuair an tuathanach a shearrach air ais.

: mhìnich e dhi mar a bha cùisean: he explained to her how things were; thoir leat bucaid de shalann: bring with you a bucket of salt; tòisich air salann a chur anns a’ phàirc: start to plant salt in the field; a choimhead feuch gu dè tha thu a’ dèanamh: to see what you are doing; can ris gu bheil thu a’ crathadh salainn: tell him you are sprinkling salt; faighnichidh e dhiot: he will ask you; a bheil thu an dùil gum fàs an salann: do you expect the salt to grow; cha chan mi an còrr: I won’t say any more; cha robh e deònach an searrach a thoirt seachad: he wasn’t willing to give up the foal; thug thusa comhairle don tuathanach: you gave advice to the farmer; dh’aidich i gun tug: she admitted that she did; bidh cuimhne agad fhèin air a’ chùmhnant eile: you will remember the other condition; gum faodainn trì eallaich a thoirt leam: that I could take three loads with me; lìon a bhean ciste le seudan: his wife filled a chest with jewels; a’ meòrachadh air cho gòrach ’s a bha e: contemplating how foolish he was; rug i air làmh an rìgh fhèin: she took hold of the king’s hand; giùlainidh mi a-steach na h-eallaich a thug thu a-mach: I will carry in the loads you took out; sin mar a dh’èirich e don nighinn seòlta: that’s what happened to the crafty daughter.

Bha e a’ crathadh an t-salainn air an talamh: he was sprinkling the salt on the ground. The Gaelic for salt – salann (it’s related to similar words in many European languages) – is masculine. Thus it slenderises in the genitive singular (to salainn). However, because it starts with an “s” and is masculine, where the article is present, the genitive form is preceded by t- (and note the “s” is no longer sounded). This is a general grammatical rule in the language. Here are some other examples: tha mi a’ faicinn an t-saighdeir, tha e a’ lìbhrigeadh an t-soisgeil, tha i air mullach an t-sìthein. In the example in the Litir, salann is in the genitive because it is commanded by a verbal noun (a’ crathadh).

a cheart cho coltach gum fàs salann anns an talamh ’s a tha e gum bi searrach aig gearran: just as likely that salt will grow in the ground as it is that a gelding will have a foal.

Tha “Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh” air a maoineachadh le MG ALBA