Cape Breton's Magazine

Joe MacNeil tells a WDnderful Story lain Mac An lasgair Mhoir Bha fear ann ris an abradh iad an t-las? gair mor agus tha e coltach gu robh e uine ri iasgachadh 's gu robh e 'na las? gair matho Thainig an sin ceiltinn air an iasg agus cha robh iad ri'm faotainn idir. Bha a h-uile rud gu math gann. Ach lath' dha 'nuair a bha e amach ag iasgach thainig maighdean-mhara neo creutair mor anuas as a' chuan ri taobh a' bhata agus dh'fhoigh- neachd i dha an robh e a' faighinn iasg an diugh. 0, thuirt e nach robh. A nisd bha seorsa de dh'eagal aige ro chreutairean mar sin--gu robh droch-chumhachd aca • agus bha e gle choma dhi. Ach co-dhiubh, dh' fhoighneachd i dha gu de an duals a nisd a bheireadh e dhi-se'nan cuireadh i gu lebr de dh'iasg fo na lin aige. O, thuirt e nach robh duals aige-san a bheireadh e do dhuine sam bith airson sian. Agus dh' fhoighneachd i dha an robh sian aige 'na ainm fheino 0, thuirt e rithe nach robh sian aige-san ach seann-lair agus seann- ghalla agus seann-bhean: gura h-e sin a bh' ann a bh'aigesan ris an t-saoghal uile. "Mata," ors* ise, "nan tugadh tu dhomhsa gealltanas air do cheud mhac 'nuair a bhios e seachd bliadhna'a dh'aois, cuiridh mi iasg gu leor gu d?? lin a h-uile latha." "Bu duilich dhomhso," ors' esan, "sin a dheanamh. Mar a thuirt mi cheana," ors' esan, "tha mi fhin agus mo bheain sean le cheile agus cha'n eil duine idir theagh- laich againn." "Coma leat,". ors' ise, "ma bheir thu do ghealltanas dhomhsa." A nisd air tailleabh gu robh eagal aige roimpe, thuirt e rith' gu'n toireadh e a ghealltanas dhi. Agus chuir i graineannain de dh'fhudar neo de shiol air choireiginn 'na laimh anns an dealachadh agus thuirt i ris, "Seo," ors' ise, "gabh curam dhe sin. Agus 'nuair a theid'thu dhachaidh," ors' ise, "cuiridh tu tri ghraineannain dhe sin anns a bhiadh a bhios a' bhean a' gabhail. Agus cuiridh tu," ors' ise, "tri ghrainean? nain dhe anns an t-siol a bhios tu a' toirt dha'n lairidh. Agus cuiridh tu tri ghrai- neaoinain dhe anns a' bhiadh a bhios tu 'toirt dha'n ghallaidh. Agus theid mi'n ur- ras," ors' ise, "mun tig tri bliadhna a dh' uine gu'm bi atharrachadh air an dachaidh agad seach mar a th'oirre an diugh." Co-dhiubh, thainig esan dhachaidh agus fhu? air e iasg gu leor aig an fheasgair a bha 'sin. Ach ged a bha e a faighinn an eisg bha seorsa de dh'eagal air ro na cuisean a bh'ann. Ach co-djiiubh, mar a thuirt an te ris, Jhainig e fior gu le6r:mun '' thainig na tri bliadhna a dh'uine bha tri searraich mhora, bhriagha, 'hubh' aig an t-seann- lair, agus bha tri cuileinean briagha, CONTINUED on"NEXT PAGE Cape Breton's Magazin'/24 lain the Big Fisherman's Son There was once a man called the Big Fish? erman, and it seems that he had worked at fishing for some time and was a good fishermajio Fish became so scarce then tkx that none were to be found, Eind every? thing was scarce for him. But one day as he was out fishing a sea-maiden or some other creature came up out of the ocean beside the boat and enquired if he were catching fish that day. He replied that he was not. Now the fisherman was afraid in a way of creatures of that kind • per? haps that they had evil powers • and was very indifferent toward her. But she asked him what reward he would give her if she were to drive a good share of fish into his nets, and he answered that he did not have a reward to give to anyone for anything. She asked him then if he had anything to his name and he told her that all he possessed in the entire world was an old mare, and old she-dog and an old wife. "Well," she said, "if you promise me your first son when he is seven years of age, - I'll put plenty of fish in your nets every day." "That would be difficult for me to do," he said. "As I told you already, my wife and I are both old and we have had no off-spring at all." "Don't be concerned with that," she said, "if you give me your promise." Now because he was afraid of her, the Big CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE