03/04/2006

Bha mi a’ coiseachd an là eile. Bha mi air seann rathad ann am Bàideanach. ’S e an Seanalair Wade a thog an rathad. Bha sin eadar seachd ceud deug, fichead ’s a h-ochd (1728) agus seachd ceud deug is trithead (1730). Tha am pìos sin dhen rathad a’ dol eadar Eadrais agus Ruadhainn. Tha na bailtean sin faisg air Bail’ Ùr an t-Slèibh.

Eadar Eadrais agus Ruadhainn, tha baile-fearainn. ’S e Noid an t-ainm a th’ air. Bha Noid ainmeil anns an t-seann aimsir. Carson? Uill, bha bana-bhuidseach a’ fuireach ann.

Bha i a’ cur eagal air muinntir an àite. Bha an crodh aig daoine a’ bàsachadh. Bha na taighean aca a’ dol na theine. Bha aon rud a’ cumail na bana-bhuidsich toilichte. Airgead.

Thàinig fear às a’ Ghalltachd. Fhuair e taigh faisg air Ruadhainn. ’S e tuathanach a bh’ ann. Cha robh e a’ creidsinn ann am buidseachd. Bha e a’ magadh air daoine a bha a’ creidsinn ann am buidseachd. Dhiùlt e airgead a thoirt don bhana-bhuidsich.

Feasgar a bha seo, bha an duine a-muigh. Bha e a’ coimhead air a’ chrodh aige. Chunnaic e maigheach. Bha a’ mhaigheach a’ dol timcheall nam bò. Bha i a’ deothail nan sineachan aig na bà. “Uill,” thuirt e ris fhèin, “chan fhaca mi a leithid a-riamh.”

Bha gunna aige. Fhuair e faisg air a’ mhaighich. Loisg e oirre. Cha do thachair dad. Ruith a’ mhaigheach pìos beag air falbh. Stad i. Shuidh i sìos. Choimhead i air an tuathanach. Cha robh dragh sam bith oirre.

Thiormaich na bà. Cha d’ fhuair na daoine bainne sam bith. Bha an crodh a’ bàsachadh. Dh’iarr am fear Gallta air a’ bhuachaille aige dhol gu taigh na bana-bhuidsich. Dh’iarr e air dà thunnaig a thoirt don bhana-bhuidsich. Thuirt e ris, “Thalla gu taigh na caillich. Thoir na tunnagan dhi. Can rithe gu bheil mi an dòchas gun tachd iad i.”

Chaidh am buachaille gu taigh na caillich. “Can ri do mhaighstir,” thuirt a’ bhana-bhuidseach ris, “gun tachd mise esan mus bi a’ ghealach ùr againn.”

Oidhche a bha seo, bha an tuathanach a-muigh. Bha an dà chù aige còmhla ris. Bha seo faisg air Noid. Leum mial-chù mòr air. Dhìon na coin aige fhèin e. Bha sabaid mhòr ann. Dh’fhalbh na trì coin. Bha iad fhathast a’ sabaid. Agus chan fhaca is cha chuala duine na coin no a’ bhana-bhuidseach às dèidh sin.

Faclan is abairtean: an là eile: the other day; seann rathad ann am Bàideanach: an old road in Badenoch; seanalair: general; eadar Eadrais agus Ruadhainn: between Ettridge and Ruthven; faisg air Bail’ Ùr an t-Slèibh: close to Newtonmore; baile-fearainn: farm [settlement]; bha Noid ainmeil anns an t-seann aimsir: Nuide was famous in the old days; bana-bhuidseach: witch; a’ cur eagal air muinntir an àite: frightening the local people; bha an crodh a’ bàsachadh: the cattle were dying; bha na taighean aca a’ dol na theine: their houses were going on fire; às a’ Ghalltachd: from the Lowlands; tuathanach: farmer; a’ creidsinn ann am buidseachd: believing in witchcraft; a’ magadh air daoine: mocking people: dhiùlt e airgead a thoirt: he refused to give money; bha a’ mhaigheach a’ dol timcheall nam bò: the hare was going around the cows; bha i a’ deothail nan sineachan aig na bà: she was sucking the cows’ teats; chan fhaca mi a leithid a-riamh: I never saw the like; loisg e oirre: he shot at [on] her (maigheach is feminine); pìos beag air falbh: a short distance away; cha robh dragh sam bith oirre: she wasn’t in the slightest upset; thiormaich na bà: the cows dried up; cha d’ fhuair na daoine bainne: the people didn’t get milk; dh’iarr am fear Gallta air a’ bhuachaille aige dhol gu taigh na bana-bhuidsich: the Lowland man asked his herdboy to go to the witch’s house; thalla gu taigh na caillich: go to the old woman’s house; thoir na tunnagan dhi: give the ducks to her; can rithe gu bheil mi an dòchas gun tachd iad i: tell her that I hope they choke her; gun tachd mise esan mus bi a’ ghealach ùr againn: that I will choke him before we have the new moon; mial-chù: greyhound; dhìon na coin aige fhèin e: his own dogs defended him; chan fhaca is cha chuala duine na coin no a’ bhana-bhuidseach: nobody saw or heard the dogs or the witch.