Page 26 - Joe MacNeil tells a Wonderful Story: Iain Mac An Iasgair Mhoir

ISSUE : Issue 16

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1977/6/1

bliadhna bho'n diugh feumaidh tu," ors' ise, **do mhac thoirt an seo neo mura toir," ors' ise, "cha'n ann dhuit a's fhearr." Ach CO-dhuibh dh'fhalbh an t-Iasgair Mor dhachaidh 's bha e a' faighinn an eisg mar a b'abhaist. Ach cha robh an uine fada a' dol seachad agus bha ceann nan ceithir bli? adhna gu bhi ann. Agus bha fios aig a bhean mar a dh'inns' e dhi mu dheidhinn mar a bha cuisean co-dhiubh, ach thug an gille an aire gu robh coltas car mi-thoilichte air 'athair • nach robh e idir cho toilichte's a b' abhaist dha a bhi • agus dh'fhoighneachd e dh'a athair gu de a nisd bha a' cur trio- blaid air. **0," ors' esan, "cha'n eil,** ors' esan, "sian a dh'inns inn dhuit s a.** "'S CO dha,** ors' esan, "a dh'innse as sibh e mur 'n innis sibh dhomhs' e?** **0,*' ors' esan, **coma leat dhe sin?** "An da,** ors esan, **tha mi'n duil'gu feum sinn fhaotainn amach bhuaibh gu de 'tha 'cur dragh oirbh.*' Agus co-dhiubh dh'inns e dha mar a bha a- gus rinn an gille gaire. **0,** ors' esan, **na cuireadh sin curam sam bith oirbh. Falbhaidh mis',** ors' esan, **agus theid mi cho fada air falbh bho'n chuan agus nach bi curam gu bean creutair sam bith a bhuineas dha'n chuan dhomh.** Agus co-dhiubh thug Iain--'se Iain a b' ainm do mhac an lasgair Mh5ir • leis biadh agus thog e rithe a' falbh air ceann an fhortain. Agus fada neo goirid gu'n deach- aidh e air a shiubhal, thainig e gu aite agus bha tri chreutairean ann a' sin, agus iad ri conas 'us ri cath mu dheidhinn biadh a bh'aca. Agus gu de bha an sin ach an Cu Ciar agus an Dbbhran Donn agus an t-Seabhag Chrom, Liath. Ghabh e suas far na robh iad agus dh'fhoighneachd e dhaibh gu de bha 'dol air 'n aghaidh ann a' seo, agus thug iad dha ri thuigsinn nach b'urrainn dhaibh- san biadh a ghabhail gus an riaraicheadh cuideiginn dhaibh e? Agus thoisich esan air riarachadh a' bhidh, agus thug e roinn dhe' n bhiadh a bha 'sin dha'n Dobhran Donn agus thuirt esan, **Gheobh thusa biadh air muir 's air tir agus fo'n uisge, a.gus bheir mi dhuit-sa an roinn a tha seo.** "0," said the Big Fisherman,"! did not remember to." **Well," she said, **I'll give you seven more years' time, but watch that you don't forget again.** Things went well for seven years, and at the end of those seven years the Big Fisherman went out. As usual he did not take his son with him. The sea-maiden came up beside the boat and greeted him. **0," she said, **you didn't bring your son here today either.** **No, I did not," he replied. **I did not remember to bring him here, though this is the day.** **Well,** she said, ??*you may return home now, but four years from today you must bring your son here or you will be no better for it.** In any case the Big Fisherman went home and continued catching fish as usual, but the time was not long in passing and soon the end of the four years was about to arrive. His wife knew how things stood already from what he had told her, but the lad noticed that his father was look? ing displeased • that he was not at all as happy as he used to be • and he asked his father what was troubling him now. **0," said his father, **It's nothing I'd teil you about.** **To whom would you tell it if not to me?** **0,** said his father, **don't concern yourself with that.** **tVell,** said the lad, **I expect we must find out from you what is bothering you.'* So the father told him how things were and the lad began to laugh. **0,** he said, **don't let .that worry you in any way*, I'll set out,** he said, **and I'll go so far away from the ocean that there will be no cause to fear that any ocean-creature will touch me.** So Iain • as the Big Fisherman's son was called • took along some food and set out BRIAND'S CAB Cape Breton TOURS Visit Fortress Louisbourg Graham Bell Museum Miners Museum Gaelic College see the beautiful CABOT TRAIL 564-6161 564-6162 Cape Breton's Hagazine/26 'nr CENTRAL& NOVA SCOTIA JUL TRUSTCOMMNY is now called CENTRAL&EASTERN; TRUST COMR

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