Cape Breton's Magazine

An duine gu'n churann as told by Joe MacNeil So naidheachd mu'dhuine beartach a bh'ann uair de'n t-saoghal, agus bha e tinn 's bhitheadh e faighinn a chuile'lighiche a ghabhadh faotuinn, feuch gu de dheanamh iad ris, agus cha b'urrainn a h-aon aca sian a'dheanamh ris. Ach thainig lighich og do'n chearn air aimsir agus chiadh e ga d'ionnsuidh. Is 'nuair a bha _e reidh ga mhin-rannsachadh, thuirt ma bha e ri faotainn, Thuirt esan ma bha e ri faotainn gum bu mhath leis fhaighinn, is faighinn a moch d' bh'ann, Thuirt e ris, "Mata, ma tha thu airson sin fhaighinn a moch, 'se n'aon leigheas th'ann dhutsa lein' an'duine gun churara a chosg, 's tha mi'n duil gu'n leigheis sin thu," Chuir an duine beartach air falbh sear- bhaisich gun dail a'shuibheal an t-shao- ghail feuch cait am faigheadh iad duine gun churara, 'S ged a bhitheadh iad a scribheal gus am fasadh iad seachd sgith cha robh iad a'tighinn thairis air duine gun churara, Ach turns dhe na bha iad a' falbh, thaining iad gu tigh beag gle fhaisg air a'chladach 's bha duine 'na shuidhe a math taobh an toighe is chaidh iad suas a'sheannachas ris, i' thoiseach iad air a cheisneachadh mu dheidhinn a thighinn beo air an t-shaoghal, 'S bha an duine uamhasach aighearach, sunndach na h-sheannachas, Dh'fhaoighneachd fear dhuidh an robh curam sam bith air, 's rinn e gaire, agus thuirt e mach robh, nach ruigeadh e leas curam a bhis air idir. "'S tha sibh cinnteach," ars' esan, "nach ??eil curam oirbh?" "O, tha," ars' an duine, "tha mi' gle* chinnteach, Carson a bhitheadh curan ormsa," ars' e, "Nach fhaic sibh an rei- dhlean fearainn tha shuas ann a sin, 's an talabh breagh, aluinn, is fasaidh gach sian a' chuireas sinn, Bi blar ann, ann am pailteas, Gu leoir de bhiadh againn an comhaidh de na tha fks anns an talarah. Agus nach fhaic sibh a loch sin, a tha mu 'n coimhneadh shios taobh a rathaid ann a sin. Theid sinn a mach a dh'iasgach a sin latha sam bith a'bhitheas an t-side frea- garach is gheibh sinn de dh'iasg na bhi? theas a' dhith oirnn. De nis an curam a* bhitheadh orra • nach'eil a cluile nl agam a so a dh'fheumas mi." "0, tha e coltach,',' ars' a fear eile, "gu bheil sibh gun churara gun teagarah. 'S tha rai gle" thollllchte eolas fhaighinn oirbh. Tha mis, ars' e, "Rud a dhith orm bhuabh, agus gu b'e de bhitheas sibh ag iarraidh air a shon, bi rai deonach sin thoirt dhuibh. Tha an t*ordan sin agam." "0, chan 'eil sian agarasa," thubhairt Cape Breton's Magazine/lO esan, "a bheir mi do dhuine sam bith a thig mu'n cuairt, tha mi'n duil, ged a tha rai toillichte." "Tha idir," ars' a fear eile, "tha mis' ag iarraidh na lein' agaibh a'cheannach, airson a toirt do 'ra mhaighstir airson a cosg." Rinn an duine gaire. "'S duilich dhomhsa sin a'thoirt dhuibh an asgaidh, na airson paigheadh, 's gun leine agam. Cha robh lein' orma riamh." Thill na gillean air n'ais, is faoitidh sibh bhi cinnteach gu robh iad br'bnach, 's iad seachd sgith a suibhal. Is ged a fhuair iad an duine gun churara, bha iad na bu rahiosa, ma dh'fhaoidte, na bha iad roirahe, 's gun lein' idir aig an duine. Ach CO dhuidh, thill iad air ais a dh' ionnsaigh an duin' uaiseal a' chuir air falbh iad. Agus a'cheud rud a dh'fhaoighneachd e, an de thachair an duine gun churara ruithe. Threagair iad gu'n de thachair. "An d'thug sibh ugam a leine?" "Gur dubh dona," ars' iadsan, "cha d' thug. Bu duilich dhuinn sin a' dhea? namh, Ged a fhuair sinne an duine gun churara, cha robh lein* idir aige, a' bheireadh e dhuinn." "Ma 's ann mar sin a tha," ars' an duine beartach, "chan'eil feum agamsa air leine na's raptha. Cuirahnich thusa an duine gun churara 's e cho toillichte 's a tha sibh a canntainn. Agus *s ann mar sin a dh'fheumas raise bhi. Feumaidh mi," thuirt esan, "mo chuid heartais a'chuir bhuam, agus mo chuid curam, is bi mi cho toillichte 'sa tha esan." Agus sin mar a dh*inns' an duine coir dhamhsa. THE FUTURE OF GAELIC ON CAPE BRETON not die. It is still not too iate to fight. That's what the current movement tov/ards revival on Cape Breton is all about. 'Ihe efforts of organizations like the Gaelic College, The Gaelic Society of Cape Bre? ton, the School Board of Inverness County, cannot hope to succeed in keeping Gaelic alive as a spoken language, unless those of us who already speak Gaelic begin to speak it openly, and with pride. It is no longer sufficient to merely exchange greetings in Gaelic and then proceed with our conversation in English, or to talk about the beauties of our Gaelic heritage English. We must speak Gaelic at every op? portunity, so that our children and our friends can be exposed to its beautiful sounds. Otherwise, "Suas Leis a' Ghaidhlig" will be a slogan, and nothing more.