380: Deirdre (5)
Litir sheachdaineach do luchd-ionnsachaidh le clàr-fuaime, tar-sgrìobhadh is mìneachadh. A weekly letter to Gaelic learners with audio, transcription and explanation.
Tha an litir ag obrachadh leis an fhaclair. Tagh an taba ‘teacsa Gàidhlig’ agus tagh facal sam bith san teacsa agus fosglaidh am faclair ann an taba ùr agus bidh mìneachadh den fhacal ann. The letter is integrated with the dictionary. Select the tab ‘Gaelic text’ and choose any word and the dictionary will open and you will see the English explanation of the Gaelic word.
Deirdre (5)
Chuala Rìgh Uladh, Conachar, gun robh Naois, Deirdre, Aillean is Àrdan a’ dol a thilleadh a dh’Alba. Chaidh e gu draoidh airson taic fhaighinn. Dh’iarr e air an draoidh stad a chur orra. Chuir an draoidh coille ro Chlann Uisne tro nach b’ urrainn do dhuine falbh. Ach chaidh Clann Uisne troimhpe gun duilgheadas.
“Feuchaidh mi dòigh eile,” thuirt an draoidh. Chuir e fairge ghlas romhpa air a’ mhachair ghorm. Ach cha do chuir sin stad air na laoich. Cha robh Conachar toilichte.
“Feuchaidh sinn dòigh eile airson stad a chur orra,” thuirt an draoidh. Agus reòdh e an fhairge chorrach ghlas na cnapan carrach cruaidh. Bha na cnapan geur air an dàrna oir agus puinnseanta air an oir eile. Dh’èigh Àrdan gun robh e a’ fàs sgìth.
“Thig is suidh air mo ghualainn dheis,” arsa Naois. Thàinig Àrdan agus shuidh e air gualann Naois. Cha robh e ann fada nuair a fhuair e bàs. Ach, ged a bha e marbh, cha robh Naois ga leigeil às.
Dh’èigh Aillean gun robh esan a-nis a’ fàs fann. Dh’iarr Naois air Aillean grèim a chumail air gus am faigheadh e gu tìr e. Ach cha robh Aillean fada mar sin nuair a thàinig laigse a’ bhàis air. Nuair a chunnaic Naois gun robh a dhithis bhràithrean, a ghràdhaich e cho mòr, marbh, bha e coma co-dhiù bhiodh e fhèin beò no marbh. Leig e osna ghoirt a’ bhàis agus sgàin a chridhe.
“Tha Clann Uisne marbh agus cha chuir iad dragh ort tuilleadh,” thuirt an draoidh ris an Rìgh.
“Tiormaich a-nise a’ mhuir,” thuirt an Rìgh, “gus am faic mi Deirdre.” Thiormaich an draoidh a’ mhuir agus bha triùir mhac Uisne nan laighe còmhla marbh, gun deò, taobh ri taobh air a’ mhachair mhìn ghorm. Bha Deirdre os an cionn a’ fras-shileadh nan deur.
Chruinnich daoine timcheall corp nan laoch. Dh’fhaighnich iad dhen Rìgh gu dè dhèanadh iad leis na cuirp. Thug an Rìgh seachad òrdugh sloc a chladhach faisg air loch, anns am biodh cuirp nam bràithrean air an cur, ri taobh a chèile.
Bha Deirdre na suidhe air bruach na h-uaghach. Nuair a bha na cuirp san uaigh, thuirt i, “Teann a-nall, a Naois, mo ghràidh. Druideadh Àrdan ri Aillean. Nan robh ciall aig mairbh, dhèanadh sibh àite dhomhsa.” Agus ’s e sin a thachair. Leum Deirdre sìos don uaigh agus laigh i ri taobh Naois, agus bha i marbh ri a thaobh.
Dh’òrdaich an droch Rìgh a corp a thogail às an uaigh agus a thiodhlacadh ann an sloc eile air taobh thall an locha. Rinneadh mar a dh’òrdaich an Rìgh agus dhùineadh an sloc.
Ach cha b’ e sin deireadh na sgeòil. Tro thìde phòs an Rìgh deagh bhean. Shìos aig an loch, dh’fhàs craobh ghiuthais às an uaigh aig Deirdre agus dh’fhàs craobh ghiuthais às an uaigh aig Naois. Agus chuir geugan an dà chraoibh snaidhm na chèile os cionn an locha.
Dh’òrdaich an Rìgh an dà chraoibh a ghearradh sìos. Ach dh’fhàs iad a-rithist agus chuir iad snaidhm na chèile os cionn an locha. A-rithist dh’òrdaich an Rìgh an dà chraoibh a ghearradh sìos. Ach a-rithist, dh’fhàs iad agus chuir iad snaidhm na chèile os cionn an locha. Bha an Rìgh a’ dol a dh’òrdachadh treas turas gum biodh na craobhan air an gearradh sìos. Ach chuir a bhean stad air an droch obair aige agus air a’ gheur-leanmhainn aige air na mairbh.
Faclan na Litreach: fann: weak; Rìgh Uladh: King of Ulster; dìsnean: dice; trian: a third; ciad: first; dàrna: second; a’ chamhanaich: dawn.
Abairtean na Litreach: chuir an draoidh coille ro Chlann Uisne tro nach b’ urrainn do dhuine falbh:the druid put a forest in front of the Children of Uisne through which no man could pass; troimhpe gun duilgheadas: through it (fem) without difficulty; feuchaidh mi dòigh eile: I’ll try another way; chuir e fairge ghlas romhpa air a’ mhachair ghorm: he put a grey sea in front of them on the green plain; cha do chuir sin stad air na laoich: that didn’t stop the heroes; reòdh e an fhairge chorrach ghlas na cnapan carrach cruaidh: he froze the grey uneven sea into jagged, hard lumps; geur air an dàrna oir agus puinnseanta air an oir eile: sharp on one edge and poisonous on the other edge; suidh air mo ghualainn dheis: sit on my right shoulder; cha robh Naois ga leigeil às: Naois wasn’t letting go of him; grèim a chumail air gus am faigheadh e gu tìr e: to keep a grip on him until he got him to land; nuair a thàinig laigse a’ bhàis air: when the weakness of death came upon him; a ghràdhaich e cho mòr: whom he loved so much; bha e coma co-dhiù bhiodh e fhèin beò no marbh:he did not care whether he were alive or dead; leig e osna ghoirt a’ bhàis: he heaved the sore sigh of death; sgàin a chridhe: his heart rent; gun deò: without breath; a’ fras-shileadh nan deur: sobbing [showering the tears]; dè dhèanadh iad leis na cuirp: what they should [would] do with the bodies; bruach na h-uaghach: the edge of the grave; druideadh X ri Y:let X draw closer to Y; nan robh ciall aig mairbh: if the dead had understanding; dhèanadh sibh àite dhomhsa:you would make a place for me; phòs an Rìgh deagh bhean: the King married a good wife; dh’fhàs craobh ghiuthais às an uaigh: a pine tree grew from the grave; chuir geugan an dà chraoibh snaidhm na chèile: the two trees’ branches entwined with each other; chuir a bhean stad air an droch obair aige: his wife stopped his bad work; air a’ gheur-leanmhainn aige air na mairbh: on his persecution of the dead.
Puing-chànain na Litreach: Rinneadh mar a dh’òrdaich an Rìgh agus dhùineadh an sloc : It was done as the King ordered and the pit was closed. Rinneadh and dhùineadh are both examples of past passives. In regular verbs like dùin, these are formed by leniting the root of the verb and adding an –(e)adh suffix. Dhùineadh an doras: the door was closed. Dèan is an irregular verb, and rinneadh is the past passive form in this verb. Rinneadh an obair: the work was done.
Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: Teann a-nall: come over here.
Download the text of this week's letter as a PDF:Thoir a-nuas Litir mar PDF:
PDF documents are especially suited for printing out. Most computers can open PDF files, but if you have problems viewing them you may need to install reader software such as Tha faidhleachan PDF gu sònraichte math airson clò-bhualadh. Tha e furasta gu leòr do chuid de choimpiutairean faidhleachan PDF fhosgladh, ach ma tha trioblaid agad ‘s dòcha gum biodh e feumail bathar-bog mar Adobe Acrobat Reader. fhaighinn.
Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
This letter corresponds to Tha an Litir seo a’ buntainn ri An Litir Bheag 76
Podcast
BBC offers this litir as a podcast: Visit the programme page for more info and to download or subscribe. Tha am BBC a’ tabhainn seo mar podcast. Tadhail air an duilleag-phrògraim airson barrachd fiosrachaidh no airson podcast fhaighinn