J. F. Campbell Collection > Popular tales of the West Highlands > Volume 2

2 5° M-EST niGIIL AND TALES.
MAC AN TUATHANAICH ALBANAICH, A GIIOID EACH,
AGUS NIGHEAN AN EASBUIG, AGUS AN T-EA8BUIG
FHEIN.
Bha triuir mhac aig tuathanach Albanach uair de na bli' anu. 'N
uair a thainig am fear a b' bice dhiubh gu aoise 'dhol ri ceuird, chuir
e tri cheud marg niu choinnimh gach aon dhiubh. Dh' iarram fear a
b' bige a chuid d'a fhe'in, gun robh e 'falbh a dheanamh an f liortain.
Tlmg e baile mbr Lunnuin air. Bha e greis ann an sin, 'us ciod e bha
e ag ionnsachadh acli a bhi "n a ghille duine uafaii ! Chuir e forthas
mu dlieireadh c' aite am faigheadh e maigliistir. Chuala e gun
robh gille a dhitli air Probliaist Lunnuin. R'ainig e e, chord iad, 'us
rinn e muinntiroas aige. Bha am Probbaist a dol na h-uile la 's an t-
seachduin a choinneachadh Ardeaspuig Lunnuin ann an aite sbn-
ruichte. Dh' fhalbh an gille le a mhaigbistir, oir bhitheadh e mach
leis daonnan. 'N uair a sgaoil iad a choinneamh a bh' aca aon la thill
iad, 'us thubhairt an gille r'a mhaigbistir air an rathad, " Is inaith,"
ars' esa, " an t-each donn ud a th' aig an Ea.sbuig, le 'ur cead, a
mhaigbistir." " Seadh, a laochain," ars' a mhaigbistir, " tha an
t-each is fhearr 'an Lunnun aige." " Saoil mi," ars' an gille, " ciod
e ghabhadh e air an each nan reiceadh e e." " Uh, amadain," ars' a
mhaigbistir, " shaoil learn gur balach ceart a bh' annad, is iomadh
fear a dh' fheuch ris an each ud a cheanuach 'us dh' fhairtlich orra
fhathasd." " Tillidh mise 'us feucliaidh mi ris," ars' esan. Thill a
mhaigbistir comhluadh ris a dh' fhaicinn. Is ann air Diardaoine a
thachair so. Thubhairt an gille ris an Easbuig, an reiceadh e an t-each.
Ghabh an t-Easbuig ardan 'us iniothlachd, 'us cha robh fiutbar aig gun
ceannaicheadh esan e. " Mata ciod e am beathach bhitheadh agadsa
noaigduineeilenachfhaodaracheannacb,' ars' an gille? " Bliuraidh
gun tiir," ars' an t-Easbuig, " tha thu amaideach, rach dhatbigh, cha
cheannaich thu m' eachsa." " Ciod e an geall a chuireas tu," ars' an
gille, " nach bi e agamsa an dar-sa maireach ?" " 'N e m' eachsa bhith-
eas agad," ars' an t-Easbuig. " Is e d' eachsa bhitheas agam," ars'
esan, "ciod e an geall a chuireas tu riuni nach goid mi e?" " Cuir-
idh mi coig ceud marg riut,'' ars' an t-Easbuig, '' nach dean thu sin."
" Mata," ars" an gille, " cha-n 'eil agamsa ach aon phunnd, ach cuiridh
mi sin, 'us mo cheann riut gun goid mi e." " Is bargan e," ars' an t-
F.asbuig. " Thoir an aire," ars' esan, " tha mi cur mo chinn agus am
punnd riut, agus mu ghoideas mise e, is e mo chuid fc'in a bhitheas
ann." " Bithidh e mar sin cinnteach," ars' am Probbaist. " Tha mi
ag aontachadh ri sin," ars' an t-Easbuig. Cbaidh iad dathigh an