Page 18 - Lauchie MacLellan Tells "Lauchie's Dream"

ISSUE : Issue 23

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1979/8/1

Lauchie MacLellan Tells "Lauchie's Dream" Aiseirigh Cadail Lachuinn Air feasgar ciuin samhraidh, 's a* ghrian a tearnadh gu blath, seimh, socrach dha'n iiird an iar, ghabh mi sgriob sios chun a' chladaich. Bha craobh mhor leamhain goirid do bheing a* chladaich. Shin mi mi-fhin fo bhonn na craoibh' agus a reir mo sgeula thanaig plothadh de chadal orm. Thug mi suil amach air a' chuan agus chun- naic mi long mhor, bhriagh air acaire a- mach piosan bho'n chladach agus bata a' tighinn gu tir le dithist sheoladairean air na raimh agus coltas'boireannach 'na suidhe 'n toiseach a' bhata. Thdnai' iad gu tir agus choisich nighean bg, bhoi- dheach, air leth maiseach, le cuailein br- bhuidhe sios m'a guaillean suas far na robh mi. Chuir i failte bhlath orm. Thug sinn tacan a' seanachas. Thuirt mise, "Nach ann agaibhse a tha an long bhriagh!" "Tha sin againn," thuirt ise. "A robh thu riamh air bord long mar a chi thu amach mu'd choinneamh?" "Cha robh," thuirt mise. "Ma tha, bheir mise amach thu air bord ag? us seallaidh mi dhut a h-uile sian a th'air bord." "Falbhaidh mise cbmhla ribh," (thuirt mi? se) agus chaidh sinn air bord. Bha ioghnadh mor agamsa dha'n h-uile sian a bha'mi a* f.aicinn air bord. Agus nuair a dh'fhas mi sgith a choimhead mun cuairt air a h-uile sian a bha cho luachmhor agus cho eireachdail ri coimhead air, smaoinich mi gu robh an t-am agam a bhith fagail Lauchie's Dream One peaceful summer afternoon, as the warm sun was quietly descending toward the west, I took a walk down to the shore. There was a large elm-tree close to the shore, so I stretched out at the foot of the tree and, as my story would have it, a sleepy drow? siness overcame me. I looked out over the ocean and I saw a fine, big ship at anchor a short distance out from the shore. A boat was coming to? ward land with two sailors at the oars and a figure of a woman seated at the prow. They landed and a young, pretty, striking? ly attractive girl with golden-yellow curls down around her shoulders walked up to where I was. She greeted me warmly and we talked for awhile. Said I, "Don't you have a fine ship there!" "We have indeed," said she. "Were you ever aboard a ship like the one you see out there before you?" "No, I said, "I was not." "Then I'll take you on board and show you everything that's aboard her." "I'll go with you," (I said), and we went aboard the ship. I was greatly astonished by everything that I saw on board. When I grew tired of looking around at all the things that were so valuable and so handsome to behold, I decided that it was time for me to take my leave of them all and to be on my way. But when I went up to the uppermost deck and looked around me, there was nothing to be seen but the blue sea. I glanced around, trying to catch sight of the girl who brought me aboard the ship, but there was no sign of her anywhere. I understood then that I had made a mistake and done the wrong thing in going aboard the ship with? out finding out who she was or where she came from; that very moment I understood that talking was useless for I was being held fast as an unwilling prisoner. Days passed, and the sailors were very kind to me. But one day I determined to visit the other end of the ship to see what there was to see. I went below and saw a door opening into a room. The door was not completely closed, so I knocked and heard a small, faint voice asking me to enter. I took my time entering; the room was not large and it was fairly dark. Inside I saw an old woman seated on a piece of whale's back-bone. Two sharp, black eyes were set into her face and she was especially ugly. She looked at me and said, "You have come at last." I was in a bad state from fear at her hor? rible appearance, but I replied that I had come.

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