Cape Breton's Magazine

cailleach oillteil astaigh. Cha deachaidh i 'n comhar a' chruidh idir ach ghabh i far an robh e a throd ris agus thuirt i, "'S tus' am fear a mharbh mo thriuir mhac," ors' iseo "Cha robh mis' an seo riamh gus an diugh," ors' esan. Agus thoisich iad air cath 's b'e sin an cath a bha fiadhaich. Ach mu dheireadh fhu? air e a chothram agus thilg e ise air a druim air an talamh agus bhrisd e a druim agus bhrisd e a gairden os a cionuo ''Am bas os do chionn a nisd," ors' esan, "gu de t'eirig?" "Cha bheag sin," ors' ise. "Tha ciste de dh'or agus ciste de dh'airgiod agus ciste Ian de sheudan luachmhor fo'n starsach aig bonn a' bhothain." "Bidh sin agam," ors''esan, "agus do bhea? tha." Agus chuir e crioch air a' chaillich, agus thill e air n-ais. Co-dhiubh bha e 'falbh, air a bhi a' dol leis a' chrodh agus 'gam buachailleachd ach thainig e dhachaidh feasgar agus an aite an gnothach a bhi cho aighearach mar bu trie' leis a bhi 'nuair a thilleadh e, thachair a' bhanarach ris agus bha i 'silieadh nan deur. "Gu de," ors' Iain, "tha cearr air an fheasgar 'tha 'seo gu bheil a h-uile sian a' coimhead cho mi-shunndach, cho trom- inntinneach?" "0," ors' ise, "tha aig nighean a' righ ri dhol a dh'ionnsaidh an loch, agus beist a' tighinn as an loch," ors' ise. "A h-uile bliadhna tha a' bheist ud a' tighinn as an loch agus tha te dhe na h-igheannan a th' anns a' rioghachd aice ri fhaighinn gus a h-ithe. Agus 's e a' doigh a bh'aca mu dheireadh anns a' rioghachd a bhi a' til? geadh chrann • taghadh chrann • -feuch co te dhe na h-igheannan a dh'fheuraadh'falbh, agus 's ann air air nighean a' righ a thuit na cruinn air an turns seo? Feumaidh an nighean falbh," ors' ise, "agus suidhe shuas aig ceann ard an loch' air leac agus a bhi ann a' sin gus an tig a' bheisto" "Cha'n fhaoidte a bhi," ors' esan, "gu' bheil iad a''dol a leigeadh leis a' bheist nighean an righ a thoirt leis. A bheil idir," ors' esan, " aon ann a shabhaileas nighean an righ?" long when he heard an extraordinary noise and a horrible old hag appeared inside. She did not approach the cattle at all, but came in his direction meaning to con? tend with him and she said, *??You're the one who killed my thr'e sons." "I was never here before," he said, til today." 'un- And they began battling and that was in? deed a fierce struggle. But at last he got a chance and threw her on her back on the ground and broke her back and broke her arms above her. "Death is above you," he said. "VJhat is yovir ransom?" "No small thing," she said. "There is a chest of gold, and a chest of silver and one filled with precious jewels under the threshold at the foot of the hut." "I'll have that and your life too," said he. So he finished off the old hag and went back. He continued going off with the cattle and herding them, but he came home one night and instead of things being so cheerful as they usually were when he returned, the milkmaid met him and she was shedding tears. "What is so wrong this evening," said Iain, "that everything looks so cheerless and melancholy?" "0," she said, "the king's daughter must go to the loch where a monstrous beast will come out of the loch (to meet her.) Every year the monster emerges from the loch and gets one of the girls in the kingdom to eat. Finally it has become our custom in the kingdom to cast lots to see which one of the girls must go, and this time it fell to the king's daughter. She must go," she said, "and sit on a flat rock at the upper end of the loch and remain there until the monster comes." "It cannot be," said Iain,"that they'll let the monster take away the king*s daughter I Is there anyone at all who can save her?" Is there anyone who can save her> indeed? We'll all find out when Joe MacNeil tells us the extraordinary conclusion to the story of Iain the Big Fisherman's son • Continued in issue 17 (3ur thanks to John Shaw who recorded this story recited by Joe Neil MacNeil. and who provided us with both the Gaelic transcription and his own translation. vJe offer Septic Tank Pumping Service Ken-Mac Plumbing &HEATING; Phone 929-2214 and if no answer 929-2326 Englishtoivn Cape Breton's Magazine/32 If you're satisfied, tell others If not • • • tell us' Cottage Lunchette North Bast Margaree