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Mar a shàbhail saighdear pàiste aig Murt Ghleann Comhan.

Contributors
Date 1959
Track ID 34419
Part 1

Track Information

Original Track ID

SA1959.059.A3

Original Tape ID

SA1959.059

Summary

A soldier's act of mercy during the Massacre of Glencoe.

Captain Campbell of Glenlyon led the soldiers who carried out the Massacre of Glencoe. He gave the order that no male was to be left alive, not even a child. However, one soldier came upon a mother nursing a baby boy. He took pity on them and killed a puppy that was at their feet instead. Many years later, the soldier was travelling through Appin when he stopped at an inn. He told the tale of what he had done during the massacre, and it turned out that the innkeeper was the child whose life he had saved.

Recording Location

County - Argyllshire

Parish - Lismore and Appin

Village/Place - Glencoe

Item Location

County - Argyllshire

Parish - Lismore and Appin

Village/Place - Glencoe

Language

Gaelic

Genre

Story

Collection

SoSS

Transcription

Calum MacIllEathain (CM): Bha sibh ag ràdh gun cuala sibh naidheachd mu dheidhinn an leanabh a bha...?

Ginger Wilson (GW): Chualaidh. Bha naidheachd eile a dh'innis am boireannach seo. Tha treis mhath bhon a dh'fhàg i, bhon a chaochail i. Dh'innis i dhuinn timcheall òrdugh a chuir Gleann Lìomhann a-mach nach robh aca ri duine fhàgail beò. Tha sin, mar a theireadh tu, nam biodh pàiste ann, agus mar a theireadh tu, gur e... gun cumadh e... mar a theireadh tu, suas a dh'ionnsaigh a bhith na dhuine uaireigin, gun robh e ri bhith air a mharbhadh. Agus bha na saighdearan, dh'fhalbh iad a-mach, agus bha iad a' dol a-staigh don a h-uile uamh 's gnothaichean feuch gum faigheadh iad duine a' gabhail fasgadh an sin. Agus bha am fear seo, Druimeineach a' bh' ann - 's e... bha e na sub-lieutenant no rudeigin - agus thuirt e ri saighdear a bha sin, thuirt e:

"Shin agad ach glaodh pàiste thall an sin," thuirt esan. "Tha mi a' smaoineachdainn gur e pàiste a th' ann," thuirt esan, "agus nach e caileag a th' ann idir, ach gur e balach a th' ann. Rach an-àird 's marbh e."

'S chaidh an saighdear an-àird 's fhuair e boireannach, ban-Dhòmhnallach, a-staigh an sin 's am pàiste aice ri broilleach, agus 's e giullan beag a bh' ann. Agus bha cù beag, abhag a bh' ann, bha e aig a casan, 's dh'innis e dhi dè thuirt an Druimeineach. Agus thuirt i:

"Sàbhail mo phàiste," thuirt ise, thuirt i. "Smaoinich ort fhèin dar a bha thu 'ad ghiullan."

Agus thionndaidh e mun cuairt 's thug e a-mach a chlaidheamh agus chuir e a-staigh e anns a' chù a bha na laighe aig a casan. Agus thug e mar sin e, an claidheamh aige, a dh'ionnsaigh an Druimeineach, agus shàbhail e beatha a' phàiste.

Bliadhnachan an dèidh sin, bha an saighdear sin an dèidh an t-arm fhàgail, agus thàinig e air turas, 's thàinig e a-staigh do Srath na h-Apann, agus bha taigh-òsta an sin, 's thàinig e a-staigh ann. Agus bha iad ag ràdhainn ris:

"'S e saighdear a bh' annad."

"'S e," thuirt e. "Shiùbhail mi meall den t-saoghal, 's chunna mi meall," thuirt esan.

"Agus dè an rud a b' iongantaiche a chunna tu riamh, no dè an rud bu mhuladaiche," thuirt e, "a thàinig thu tarsaing air?"

"Uill," thuirt e, "an rud a bu mhuladaiche a thàinig mise tarsaing air a-riamh, 's e Murt Ghleanna Comhan."

Thuirt fear an taigh-òsta:

"An robh thu ann?" thuirt e.

"Bha," thuirt e, "mi ann."

Agus aig an àm a bha e a' bruidhinn, bha dà dhuine, dh'fhàg iad am bòrd agus chaidh iad a-mach taobh a-mach an taighe.

"An robh nithean sam bith a thachair," thuirt esan, "dar a bha thu an sin?"

"Bha," thuirt e, "rinn mi rud," thuirt e, "agus tha e daonnan a' tighinn nam inntinn," thuirt e. "Shàbhail mi beatha pàiste," thuirt esan.

'S dh'innis e an naidheachd timcheall mar a shàbhail e am pàiste aig a' bhoireannach sin, 's mar a mharbh e an abhag. Agus sa mhionaid, leum an duine thar a' bhòrd agus chuir e a-mach a làmh. Thuirt e:

"'S mise," thuirt esan, "am pàiste a bha sin," thuirt esan, "agus," thuirt e, "cho fad 's a bhios tu beò," thuirt e, "faodaidh tu," thuirt esan, "fanachd leam."

Shin agad ach mar a dh'innis am boireannach an sgeul dhomh.

CM: 'S ann aig Kirstin a bha sin cuideachd?

GW: 'S ann.

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good