An Comunn Gàidhealach Publications > Gaidheal > Volumes 44--45, January 1949--December 1950

n-aghaidh. Leag sinn an uair sin an se61 ’s
an crann a rithist, agus ihuair sinn a
h-iomaireadh a staigh do loch beag bha ann
an Gob Ruadh bha ann a shin. Agus bhiodh
an uair sin mu dheich uairean a dh’oidhche.
Agus bha sinn ’ga h-ioma readh air ais ’s air
aghaidh ann a shin gus an robh e trl uairean
' sa’ mhadainn, agus sinn bog fliuch fad na
h-iiine.
AN uair sin thuirt sinn ruinn fhin gu robh
sinn a’ smaointinn gu ruitheadh an sgoth
dhuinn gu kite ris an canadh iad Bkgh
Hartabhagh> agus thill sinn air ais agus mar
a bha an gnothach cho fkbharach dhuinn bha
gealach ann ’s bha i gu math soilleir. Ach
bha feodhainn ’gar n-iarraidh air a shon sin
fad na h-oidhche ’s gun fios aca gu faca
ckch idir sinn, a thaobh gun deach ckch dh’an
sgoth cbmhla ruinn; agus an fheodhainn a bha
’gar n-iarraidh bha iad an uair sin air cnoc
agus bha iad a’ smaointinn gu rachadh iad
gu kite eile suas pios mdr as a sin gun
fhios nach do thuit dhuinn gun deach sinn
ann; agus bha bag aca anns an robh aran,
agus iad cinnteach gu robh sinn feumach air
biadh nam faigheadh iad bed s^inn. Agus
thachair dhaibh gun do dh’fhkg iad am bag
anns a’ chnoc far an robh iad ’nan seasamh,
agus plos an d&dh dhaibh falbh o’n chnoc
chunnaic iad gun do dhiochainnich iad am
baga.
Thill dithist aca ’ga iarraidh, agus sheas
an dithist eile far an robh iad gus an tigeadh
iad ; agus an uair sin chunnaic fear aca an
sgoth a’ dol a staigh dh’an bhkgh bha ann a
sheo, agus dh’&bh iad a chkch gu robh iad
a’ faicinn na sgothadh. Agus thill iad an uair
sin ’nan ruith agus fios aca fh&n far am
fkgamaid an sgoth, fiach am biodh iad ann
romhainn; agus rkinig sinn an uair sin an
t-kite sin, an lamaraig a bha ann a shin;
agus thkinig asan (iadsan), agus bha iad ann
romhainn.
Chuala mi fhin agus mi gabhail mu
sgothaidh bruidhinn, ach cha robh fios agam
c6 bha bruidhinn o chionn chan fhaca mi duine
aca tighinn. Dh’fhoighneachd mi do
dh’Alasdair gu d6 bhruidhinn bha siod. Thuirt
Alasdair, gun fhios aige fh&n air, nach robh
fios aige fhein air. Bha ann aon uair gum
biodhte faicinn agus faireachdainn bbcain anns
an kite. “ Ged a bhiodh a h-uile bkcan a tha
anns an diithaich ann,” orsa mi fhin ri Alasdair,
“ th&d sinne gu tlr o’n a fhuair sinn ri seo.”
An uair sin chaidh mi an uair sin gu tlr,
choisich mise suas agus ’s e an fheodhainn a
bha ’gar n-iarraidh fhin a bha ann a shin.
Agus an uair sin thug iad a mach aran as
a’ bhaga, agus bha bainne aca cbmhla ris;
agus thuirt Peadar an uair sin, “ Gabhaidh
What is a “ Gaelic Text ” (from p. 91)
have appeared in twenty-four years, it can
hardly ne said to afford adequate space and
opportunity to the collectors of oral Gaelic
literature for publishing the material they
collect. This fact makes the decisions of the
Scottish Gaelic Texts Society and the
Governors of the Catherine McCaig’s Trust the
more regrettable.
Neither the Gaelic Texts Society nor the
McCaig Trust Governors rejected the volumes
submitted to them on the grounds that these
lacked merit. They were rejected solely
because of the narrow and arbitrary definition
of a ‘‘ text ” which both bodies seem to have
adopted. Nor did the McCaig Trust
Governors refuse a grant in aid of publication
on the ground that they have no money to
spare for such a purpose or that they receive
more applications than they can provide for.
Almost invariably for some years past the
Governors have not expended all of that portion
of each year’s income which could be used for
the purpose in question, and year after year
they have added to their already considerable
capital unexpended balances which might well
have been used in encouraging Gaelic publica¬
tions, of which there is a great dearth.
If the Governors of the Catherine McCaig’s
Trust are taking the line that they are em¬
powered to aid the publication of school and
college text-books only, then it must be pointed
out that they have already helped to publish
more than one book which by no stretch of
the imagination could be regarded as such.
Indeed, not long ago, the Governors gave
little encouragement to a scheme for publishing
some half-dozen “ texts ” of the kind they
seem to regard as alone eligible for help from
them (that is, school and college “ texts ’’).
The whole matter demands clarification. No
one who is at all concerned with the present
position of Gaelic and Gaelic literature can
rest content with the present situation.
iad an toiseach rud dheth seo,” agus thug e
mach as a phoca botul flona. Agus thug e
oirnn an uair sin deoch agus an uair sin nuair
a ghabh sinn sin dh’ith sinn an uair sin mu
dhk ghrbim no tri dh’an aran; agus bha sinn
an uair sin a cheart cho math, aotrom ’s a
bha sinn nuair a dh’fhalbh sinn as an taigh,
ged a bha sinn gun bhiadh fad an latha
roimhe sin, bha sin mu cheithir uairean sa’
mhadainn air Ikrna-mhaireach. Agus choisich
s:nn an uair sin dhachaidh tarsainn mbintich
suas ri cdig mile a dh’astar, agus bha sinn
toilichte gu lebr an uair sin mar a bha sinn
fhin ’s a h-uile slon skbhailte.
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