Mar a fhuair greusaiche cuidhteas sìthiche a bha an àite lea...

Sandaidh Stiùbhart (SS): Bha bean ann an sin, bean òg, agus bha leanabh aice. A' chiad leanabh a bh' aca. Agus 's e a' chiad leanabh a bh' aice, 's dar a dhùisg a' bhean, bha an leanabh aice ceart gu leòr. Ach nuair a thàinig e gu beagan tìde ann an sin, bha e a' caoineadh 's a' caoineadh 's a' caoineadh, 's cha b' urrainn dhi a chur sàmhach. 'S cha robh a' bhean a' dèanamh a-mach gu dè a bh' air an leanabh.

Och bha i a' dol mar sin a-nis airson lathachan.

"Och," thuirt ise, "tha rudeigin dochair leis an leanabh seo. Cha ghabh e cur sàmhach."

Ach latha dhe na lathachan, agus thàinig greusaiche a-staigh. 'S dar a thàinig an greusaiche a-staigh:

"Dè th' air an leanabh?" thuirt esan.

"Ò chan eil fhios agamsa," thuirt a' bhean. "Tha mi a' toir gu leòr biadh dha, 's cha ghabh e dèanamh buidheach. Agus rud eile deth," thuirt i, "cha ghabh e... cha ghabh a sgur-sa dhe chaoineadh. [?Chan eil fhios a'm] on t-saoghal dè."

"Ò tha mi a' creidsinn," thuirt an greusaiche, "ach chan eil an t-seòrsa sin duilich. Chan eil iad furasta dhut."

"Ò chan eil," thuirt a' bhean.

Char a' bhean co-dhiù suas don cheann eile 's bha an leanabh anns a' chreathail. Agus dar a char i suas don cheann eile, dè bha i... bha i a' dèanamh ann, bha i treis mus tàinig i a-nuas. Thuirt an leanabh ris a' ghreusaiche:

"'S e greusaiche a th' annadsa."

"'S e, mo leanabh," thuirt esan, "greusaiche a th' annam."

"B' fheàrr leam gun dèanadh tu paidhir bhrògan domh."

"Uill nì," ars an greusaiche. "Dè an cumadh a tha thu ag iarraidh orra?"

"Air eireachd-... air cumadh bròg leanabh, 's air eireachdas bròg rìgh, 's nach fhaiceadh am bonn an t-uachdar 's nach fhaiceadh an t-ua-... nach fhaiceadh am bonn an t-adhar. Sin agad an seòrsa brògan a tha mise ag iarraidh."

"Ò nì mise sin dhut, mo leanabh," thuirt esan. "Èirich," thuirt esan, "'s thoir dhomh port às a' chlobha."

Ò fhuair e an clobha, 's och b' e sin am port. Cha chuala e riamh a leithid, am port. 'S thug e am port dha, 's b' e sin far an robh am port a bha math.

Ach dh'aithnich an greusaiche dè bh' aige. Bha teine mòr air a chur air, agus ò bha e dìreach cha mhòr a' losgadh an t-simileir. Gu dè sam bith an rann a bh' aig a' ghreusaiche, bhiodh e air a' chreathail 's thilg e a' chreathail... thilg e a' chreathail agus an leanabh anns an teine, 's char an leanabh a-mach na lasair teine air an t-similear.

An ceann treiseag bheag a bha sin, thàinig an leanabh aig a' bhean a-staigh, a-bhàn tron t-similear. Bheir an duine air, bheir an greusaiche air. 'S thàinig a' bhean a-nuas.

"Seo," thuirt esan, "sin agad an leanabh agad."

Ach thàinig an sin guth gus an doras.

"Nam biodh fios fithich agamsa," thuirt e, "'s cridhe ròcais, thug mise sgoilleag... rachainn air mo mhaoim," thuirt e, "agus thug mi sgoilleag dhan ghreusaiche."

'S dh'fhalbh e ann an sin, agus chan eil fhios agamsa nach eil iad mar sin fhathast.


That's the story now. Well, it's no a story, it's an old saying.

Hamish Henderson (HH): Aye. And did you... did you hear anything else about fairies being left as children, amongst other human beings?

SS: No I didn't. I didn't see... I didn't hear anything about a fairy.

HH: Tell us, who told that story when you first heard it?

SS: Och I heard it wi many's a one, olden people. They'd be telling stories in the winter nights, and I was keeping my ears open.

HH: But tell us, Sandy, you kept your ears open to great advantage now, telling the stories that you got well, did you ever hear any reason given by the old folk why you would do that to the fairy child? Why you would burn it, or do that to it?

SS: No, no. I never heard anything.

HH: That was just what they would do to it?

SS: Yon's what they would do to them. Of course, you see, he didna hurt the fairy. The fairy was as good as ever. [???]. He came to the door and yon's what he said, when he was going out. Nam biodh fios fithich agamsa, 's cridhe ròcais, rachainn air mo mhaoim 's bheirinn sgoilleag dhan ghreusaiche. That's that he would strike the shoemaker.

HH: Aye. Very good, Sandy.