937: Màiri Challaird (1)
Litir sheachdaineach do luchd-ionnsachaidh le clàr-fuaime, tar-sgrìobhadh is mìneachadh. A weekly letter to Gaelic learners with audio, transcription and explanation.
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Màiri Challaird (1)
Bha mi ag innse dhuibh mu Mhàiri Challaird, tè de Chamshronaich Challaird ann an Loch Abar. Cha robh tè anns an dùthaich a bha na bu shnoige ann an coltas no nàdar. Bha i gu math fialaidh. Bha gràdh aig a h-uile duine oirre. Uill, a h-uile duine ach a h-athair. Airson adhbhar air choreigin, bha esan gu math cruaidh oirre.
Latha a bha seo, chuir a h-athair a-mach às an taigh i. Cha robh fios aice dè dhèanadh i. Bha slighe-mhonaidh ann eadar Callaird, far an robh i a’ fuireach, agus Lunn Dà Bhrà far an robh a h-uncail a’ fuireach. Rinn i air taigh a h-uncail. Nuair a bha i gu h-àrd sa mhonadh, thachair i ri seann bhoireannach a bha air chrith leis an fhuachd. Thug Màiri leth a breacain don bhoireannach, ged a bha i fhèin fuar cuideachd.
Nuair a chunnaic muinntir na sgìre a breacan air a’ bhoireannach, dh’aithnich iad i. ‘Carson a tha breacan Màiri oirbh?’ dh’fhaighnich iad. Mhìnich am boireannach a’ chùis dhaibh. Bha tàmailt orra mun dòigh san do dhèilig an ceann-cinnidh ri a nighinn.
Goirid an dèidh sin, thàinig long. Bha iad a’ reic clò, agus stuth-dathaidh airson clò, agus cheannaich bean a’ chinn-chinnidh stuth bhuapa. Ge-tà, bha an clò air a thruailleadh leis a’ phlàigh agus dh’fhàs a h-uile duine ann an Taigh Challaird tinn. Thàinig Màiri dhachaigh airson cobhair a dhèanamh air càch. Ach chaochail iad uile. A h-uile duine ach Màiri fhèin.
A rèir beul-aithris na sgìre, b’ e a’ phlàigh am fiabhras ballach no, mar a chanas iad ann an Loch Abar fhèin, am fiabhras dubh. Ann am Beurla, ʼs e sin typhus.
B’ fheudar do Mhàiri an uair sin fuireach anns an taigh leatha fhèin. Cha tigeadh duine faisg oirre. Bha an t-eagal orra gum faigheadh iad am fiabhras bhuaipe. Cha leigeadh iad a-mach i agus cha leigeadh iad duine eile a-steach don taigh.
Ge-tà, bha leannan aig Màiri – fear Pàdraig Caimbeul à Inbhir Atha. Chanadh daoine ‘Oighre Mhic Dhonnchaidh Inbhir Atha’ ris. Nuair a chuala e mu Mhàiri chuir e roimhe a sàbhaladh. Chaidh e fhèin is feadhainn eile ann air an oidhche, ag iomradh bàta gu sàmhach. Thug iad a-mach i tron t-similear. Thug Pàdraig oirre a cuid aodaich gu lèir a thilgeil don mhuir agus i fhèin a bhogadh sa mhuir gus am biodh i glan bhon fhiabhras.
Thug e dhachaigh i agus thug e aodach dhi a bhuineadh do a pheathraichean. Phòs iad cha mhòr sa bhad agus thog esan taigh dhi anns a’ choille. Bha iad leotha fhèin airson trì mìosan airson a bhith cinnteach nach robh an tinneas oirre. Ach, gu mì-fhortanach, cha robh iad pòsta fada oir thuit Pàdraig aig Blàr Inbhir Lòchaidh an aghaidh Montròs. Bha sin ann an sia ceud deug, ceathrad ʼs a còig (1645).
Dh’fhuiling Màiri cridhe briste air sgàth bàs a cèile. Rinn i òran dha. Anns an òran tha i ag ràdh gun deach Pàdraig a thiodhlacadh air cùl an taighe aca. Thathar a’ smaoineachadh gun robh e air a leòn aig Inbhir Lòchaidh agus gun do rinn e a shlighe dhachaigh far an do chaochail e. An uair sin, tha eachdraidh Màiri a’ fàs nas tiamhaidhe buileach, mar a chluinneas sibh an-ath-sheachdain.
Faclan na Litreach: Màiri Challaird: Mary of Callert; Camshronaich:Camerons; Loch Abar: Lochaber; slighe-mhonaidh:hill route; Lunn Dà Bhrà: Lundavra; dh’aithnich: recognised; long: ship; chaochail: died; Inbhir Atha: Inverawe.
Abairtean na Litreach: na bu shnoige ann an coltas no nàdar: nicer in appearance or nature; bha gràdh aig a h-uile duine oirre: everybody loved her; a h-uile duine ach a h-athair: everybody except her father; airson adhbhar air choreigin bha esan cruaidh oirre: for some reason or other, he was hard on her; cha robh fios aice dè dhèanadh i: she didn’t know what she would do; rinn i air taigh a h-uncail: she made for her uncle’s house; air chrith leis an fhuachd: shivering with the cold; bha an clò air a thruailleadh leis a’ phlàigh: the cloth was polluted with the plague; airson cobhair a dhèanamh air càch: to help the others; b’ e a’ phlàigh am fiabhras ballach no, mar a chanas iad ann an Loch Abar fhèin, am fiabhras dubh: the plague was the spotted fever or, as they say in Lochaber itself, the black fever; cha leigeadh iad a-mach i: they wouldn’t let her out; cha leigeadh iad duine eile a-steach: they wouldn’t let anyone else in; chuir e roimhe a sàbhaladh: he decided to save her; ag iomradh bàta gu sàmhach: rowing a boat quietly; thug iad a-mach i tron t-similear: they took it out through the chimney; thug Pàdraig oirre a cuid aodaich gu lèir a thilgeil don mhuir: Patrick made her throw all her clothes in the sea; i fhèin a bhogadh: to immerse herself; phòs iad cha mhòr sa bhad:they married almost immediately; cha robh iad pòsta fada: they weren’t married long; thuit Pàdraig aig Blàr Inbhir Lòchaidh an aghaidh Montròs: Patrick fell at the Battle of Inverlochy against Montrose: dh’fhuiling Màiri cridhe briste air sgàth bàs a cèile: Mary suffered a broken heart on account of her spouse’s death; tha eachdraidh Màiri a’ fàs nas tiamhaidhe buileach: Mary’s story gets even more poignant.
Puing-chànain na Litreach: Bha tàmailt orra mun dòigh san do dhèilig an ceann-cinnidh ri a nighinn: they were indignant about the way in which the clan chief dealt with his daughter. Nighean is slenderised to nighinn because it is a feminine noun with the article in the dative singular case (following the preposition ri). The article is in the form of a possessive article ‘a ’ (meaning ‘his’) but it works grammatically like the definite article.
Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: Thug Màiri leth a breacain don bhoireannach: Mary gave half of her plaid to the woman.
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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
This letter corresponds to Tha an Litir seo a’ buntainn ri An Litir Bheag 633
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