Mar a shàbhail an Nighean Maol Dubh a h-athair.
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1958.80.B2
Original Tape ID
Summary
How the Nighean Maol Dubh saved her father's life.
A crofter had a daughter called Nighean Maol Dubh. The laird asked the crofter what walks first on four legs, then on two and finally on three. He asked what the poorest thing in the world was and the richest thing. He said he'd have his head unless he had the answers next time he called.
He told Nighean Maol Dubh what had happened and she gave him the answers: humans first crawl on hands and feet and finally use a stick. The sea is the richest thing in the world. It can be baled day and night and will be as full as ever. Fire is the poorest thing in the world. Fuel can be added to it constantly and it is as poor as ever.
When the crofter gave the laird the answers he wanted to know where he had heard them and asked to see Nighean Maol Dubh. He said he would have married her if she had been from landed folk, but granted her one wish.
She asked him to give her father his croft for nothing. He did this and now that she came from landed folk they married, but he said if anything went wrong she would have to leave. She agreed, provided she could take three things with her.
They had a son, but something went wrong and she had to leave. The three things she chose to take with her were her son, the title deeds to the estate and her husband. Once she got them, she took them all back into the house.
Recording Location
County - Argyllshire
Language
Gaelic
Genre
Collection
Classification
Transcription
"A bheil fhios agad," ars esan, "gu dè," ars esan, "an neach a choisicheas," ars esan, "air a cheithir chasan an toiseach," ars esan, "agus bidh an sin," ars esan, "dithis aige, agus bidh an sin a trì aige?"
"Chan eil," ars an duine.
An cuala sibh reimhid mar a tha an rud?
"Agus a bheil fhios agad," ars an laird, "dè an nì as bochdainne a th' air an t-saoghal?"
"Chan eil," ars an duine.
"Bheil fhios agad," ars esan, "dè an nì as beairtiche a th' air an t-saoghal?"
"Chan eil," ars an duine.
"Uill," ars esan, "bidh do cheann agam mura bi na trì cheistean sin agad nuair a thèid mise an rathad."
Agus ghabh an duine cho truagh e agus gun deach e dhan leabaidh. Bha am bàs a' dol a bhith aige. Ach co-dhiù, thàinig an nighean mhaol dubh dhachaigh an latha siud, agus dh'fhaighneachd i:
"Dè," ars ise, "a th' air m' athair?"
"Ò, gu dè math dhòmhsa e," ars a màthair, "a dhol ga innse sin dhut, a ghalathad."
Hod, ghabh i sin suas far an robh a h-athair.
"Dè th' oirbh, athair?" ars ise.
"Ò, gu dè math dhomh, a chreutair," ars esan, "a dhol ga innse dhutsa. Chan innis thu dhomh..."
"Nach fhaod thu innse dhomh, co-dhiù," ars ise.
"Bha," ars esan, "an laird an seo," ars esan, "'s dh'fhaighneachd e dhìom," ars esan, "an robh fhios agam gu dè an neach a choisicheadh," ars esan, "air a cheithir chasan an toiseach, agus bhiodh an sin," ars esan, "bhiodh an sin," ars esan, "dithis aige, agus mu dheireadh bhiodh trì aige."
"Hod," ars an nighean, "tha sin furasta gu leòr."
"Dè th' ann?" ars esan.
"Nach robh sibh fhèin," ars ise, "nuair a bha sibh a' coiseachd air ur dà làimh 's ur dà chois, agus," ars esan, "tha sibh an-diugh a' coiseachd," ars esan, "feumaidh sibh a-nist bata."
Agus dh'èirich am bodach.
"Bheil fhios agad a-nist," ars esan, "gu dè an neach... an rud as beairtiche a th' air an t-saoghal?"
"Tha," ars ise. "Bheil fhios agaibh fhèin idir air?"
"Chan eil," ars esan.
"Tha a' mhuir," ars ise. "Ged a bhiodh tu ga thaomadh a latha 's a dh'oidhche," ars ise, "bidh e cho làn 's a bha e reimhid nuair a bhios tu ullamh dheth."
"'S dè an nì," ars esan, "as bochdainne a th' air an t-saoghal?"
"Ha," ars ise. "Tha an teine," ars esan. "Na bhios tu a' cur air fad an latha, nuair a leigeas tu às e, tha e a' dol... tha e cho bochd 's a bha e roimhe."
Dh'èirich an duine air uilinn. Agus thàinig an seo an laird.
"Bheil fhios agad," ars esan, "air na ceistean a chuir mi ort?"
"Tha," ars an duine.
Agus:
"Innis dhomh iad, ma-tà."
Dh'innis e iad.
Agus:
"Chan e do cheann fhèin a th' ort?" ars esan. "Feumaidh tu innse dhomh cò dh'innis dhut e?"
Agus bha an t-eagal air innse, eagal gum marbhadh e an nighean.
"Hod," ars esan, "innis dhomh e."
"Bha an nighean mhaol dubh agam fhìn," ars esan.
"Cà bheil i?" ars esan.
"Tha i a-staigh," ars... ars esan.
"Uill, iarr oirre tighinn a-mach an seo," ars esan.
Thàinig i.
"An tusa a dh'innis siud dha d' athair?"
"'S mi," ars ise.
"Uill," ars esan, "nam b' e nighean fhir-fearainn shaoir a bh' annad, phòs mi thu," ars esan. "Ach," ars esan, "gheibh thu do chiad iarrtas."
"Uill," ars ise, "an iarrtas a dh'innis... a tha mise ag iarraidh oirbh, ma-tà," ars esan, "a' chroit bheag a th' aig m' athair a thoirt dha an-asgaidh."
"Gheibh e sin," ars esan.
"Nighean fir-fearainn shaoir a th' annam a-nist," ars ise.
"Uill," ars esan, "cha tèid mi an cois m' fhacal. Pòsaidh mi thu," ars esan. "Ach ma thig rud sam bith san rathad," ars esan, "feumaidh tu," ars esan, "falbh."
"Nì mi sin," ars ise, "ach bidh agam ri trì eallaich a thoirt leam."
"Gheibh thu sin," ars esan.
Agus co-dhiù, phòs iad, agus cha robh... bha seo mac aca, agus ge air bith dè thàinig san rathad, bha aice ri falbh.
"Tha mo thrì eallaich a dhìth orm," ars ise.
"Gheibh thu sin."
Dh'fhalbh i 's chuir i am balach air a druim 's chuir i a-mach e. Agus thill i sin agus thug i leatha còraichean an fhearainn, na leabhraichean 's a h-uile nì, agus chuir i air a druim e agus dh'fhalbh i a-mach leis.
"Seas thusa a-nist ann a shiud," ars ise.
Agus sheas an duine, agus chuir i air a druim an laird, agus dh'fhàg i a-mach e agus thug i a-staigh am balach, agus:
"Tha thusa nist a-mach às d' fhearann," ars ise, "'s tha mise a-staigh ann."
Calum MacIllEathain (CM): Glè mhath. Glè mhath. Tha i sin math a-nist.
PM: An cuala sibh reimhid sin?
CM: Ò cha chuala.
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Fair