Page 51 - Archibald J. MacKenzie's Gaelic Story

ISSUE : Issue 36

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1984/6/1

Tha mi cinnteach, arsa mise, "gu'm faca sibh lathaichean a bha anabarrach fuar cui? deachd?" "Fuar. Oi 's mise chunnaic sin," arsa Tearlach. "Chunnaic mise latha cho fuar 's gu'n do reiodh Loch Mhor Bhra-Dor cho ealamh 's nach d'fhuair nan stuadhan laidhe sios. Bha stoirm mhor ann o'n Ear Thuath 's bha a'n fhairge anabarrach ard, ach ged bha sin mar sin, reoidh na stua? dhan na'n seasamh. Fhearaibh, fhearaibh, sid an latha bha ainmeil! 'S a mhaduinn an ath latha, dh'fhalbh mi null air gnothach do'n bhuth aig Niall Ruairidh Phearsainn 's a Phon Mhor. Thug mi leam an tuagh 's an t-sleighe. Cha deach mi fada mach air an deigh nuair a thachair trosg mor rium, reoidhte ann am barr na'n stuadh. Ghearr mi as an deigh e agus chuir mi air an t- sleighe e. Ach cha deach mi fad air agh- airt gus na thachair fear is fear eile rium, gus na lion me an t-sleighe leo, ag? us b'iad sin na truisg! Cha robh aon fo shia troidhean a dh'-fhad. Reic mi iad ri Niall Ruairi iad agus fhuair mi pris mhath orra. Air mo thurus dhachaidh chuir mi cru- ach eile do'n trosg air an t-sleighe, agus be sin iasgach bu mhotha a rinn aon duine riabh sa an duthaich so ann an aon latha, agus 's mise rinn e leis an tuagh. Sin a- gaibh a nisd smior na firinn oir 's mise Ceann-fheadhna Comunn na Firinn." "An robh buntata math agaibh 's a choille dhubh a chaidh na teine le teas na greine?" dh'fharraid mise. "Bha gle mhath," ars eas? an. "Rinn a h-uile torran leth buseil." "Cha chanainn-sa," arsa Seumas Mor, "bun? tata math ris a sin. 'S ann a bha am bun? tata math agamsa a cheud bhliadhna a chuir mi na Girlings, agus 's ann an coille waves did not get an opportunity to lie down. There was a big storm from the North- West and the seas were very high, but al? though that was the case, the waves froze standing. Men, men, that was the day that was noteworthy! Next morning, I went over on an errand to Niall Ruairidh Phear? sainn' s store in Big Pond. I took with me the axe and the sleigh. I had not gone far out on the ice when I met a large cod fro? zen on the top of the waves. I cut it free from the ice and put it on the sleigh. But I had not gone far before I met another, then another, until I filled the sleighr with them, and they were some cod! There was not one under six foot in length. I sold them to Niall Ruairi and got a good price for them. On my way home, I put an? other pile of the cod on the sleigh and that was the biggest fishing that one man ever made in one day in this district, and it was I who did it with the axe. That is now for you the essence of the truth, as I am the Chief of the Association of Truth." "Did you have good potatoes in the black forest which went on fire?" I asked. "We had, very good," he replied. "Every sheaf produced half a bushel." "I would not," said Seumas Mor, "call that big potatoes. It was I who had the big potatoes the first year I planted the Girlings, and it was in a black forest that I had them. When the time to lift them came, the boys and I went one day and we took with us the oxen, sleigh, and bags in which to bring the potatoes to the house. But, my friends, we put not one potato in a bag all day. They were so large that what we did was to put them all on the sleigh between the BON ANNIVERSAIRE Lorsque je presentais en 1981 I'amendement a la loi scolaire qui assurerait la population acadienne de droits en education fran??aise, j'affirmais que pour la premiere fois dans notre province la langue, la culture et le patrimoine des Acadiens seraient dotes de protection legale. L'annee 1984, oii nous celebrons le centenaire du drapeau et de rhymne acadiens, est pour nous un temps de rejouissance particuliere, decoulant de la certitude que les Acadiens sauront continuer leur contribution a tous les aspects du developpement de la Nouvelle-Ecosse, mais surtout en education. When I introduced the 1981 amendment to the Education Act ensuring Acadian education rights, I said that for the first time, Acadian language, culture and heritage enjoyed certain legal safeguards. In this, the centenary of the Acadian flag and anthem, we can rejoice in the certainty that the Acadians will continue to contribute to the growth of Nova Scotia in every aspect, particularly education. Department of Education Hon. Terence R.B. Donahoe, Q.C. Minister Gerald J. McCarthy Deputy Minister

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