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Muiltean.

Date 10 September 1955
Track ID 1035
Part 1

Track Information

Original Track ID

SA1955.161.B2b & B2c

Original Tape ID

SA1955.161

Summary

Mills.

The contributor tells of the hardship in the old days. Food was scarce when the year's meal ran out. There were many meal mills in the area at one time, but the contributor remembers only one in working order when he was a young lad. He remembers going to the mill with his father, and seeing the miller - a man who was completely white, from top to bottom, from the flour he was working on. There was a saying, 'Am fear a bhios anns a' mhuilinn, bidh smod a' mhuilinn air', which meant that, bad manners spoil one's reputation.

Item Notes

Uncommon word: 'smod' meaning mill dust.

Language

Gaelic

Collection

SoSS

Transcription

Murdo John MacLean: Bha am biadh uaireigin gann ann an seo, tha fhios agaibh, nuair a theirigeadh a' mhin a bha iad fhèin a' dèanamh. Agus ged a bha mòran mhuillear anns an t-àite seo aig aon uair, 's e aon mhuileann a bha ri obair ann ri mo chuimhne-sa, agus sguir e a dh'obair mus robh mi ach na mo bhrogachan glè, glè bheag. Tha cuimhn' a'm air a dhol ann na mo bhrogach beag. Bhithinn naoi no deich a bhliadhnachan no rudeigin mar sin. M' athair, char e ann le sìol no a dh'iarraidh min, agus bha dà rud co-cheangailte ris nach do dhealaich riamh ris a' chuimhn' agam, agus 's e a' chiad rud staidhre chloich a bha dol a-mhàin dhen a' bhruthach gus làr ìochdrach a' mhuilinn, agus am muillear, duine mòr tlachdmhor, fear dhe na daoine bu tapaidh a bha san dùthaich a bha seo an uair sin. Dearbh, 's e athair Alasdair air an robh sinn a' bruidhinn a bh' ann. Agus bha feusag thiugh air, agus bha falt mòr air, agus bha a h-uile rud geal, 's bha am falt geal 's bha an fheusag geal 's bha e fhèin geal, 's ghabh mi iongantas uabhasach. Agus dar a fhuair mi cothrom air fhaighneachd dhe m' athair, thuirt mi:

"Ò," arsa mise, "nach e a bha geal," arsa mise, "an ann liath a tha e?"

"Ò chan ann," arsa m' athair, ars esan, "ach shiud agad," ars esan, "smod a' mhuilinn."

An cuala tu riamh rud ris an can iad smod a' mhuilinn? Ag obair air a' mhin, 's bha an duine sa a bha timcheall air bha e... bha e geal mar a' mhin.

Chuala sibh fhèin an seanfhacal, 'Am fear a bhios anns a' mhuileann bidh smod a' mhuilinn air'. Tha sin a' ciallachadh, tha fhios a'd, ma nì thu mì-mhodh, leanas e riut, no... 'S e.

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good