Page 29 - Lauchie MacLellan Tells "Lauchie's Dream"

ISSUE : Issue 23

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1979/8/1

sgaladh uisge bha tuiteam ghabh am mult. 'Na dheidh ghabh an cu. Bha mise agus Corra Chriostag agus an fhaoileag an sin a' tearnadh sios air a' rathad bheag, chaol, cham cho luath 's a b'urrainn dhuinn. Bha an cu 'gar feitheamh aig bonn na creigeadh. Dh'inns' e dhuinn gun deachaidh am mult astaigh'tro'n uisge agus gu robh farsuingeachd mhor am broinn na creigeadh. Chaidh sinn astaigh tro'n uisge bha seo. Bha. Bha farsuingeachd mhor am'broinn na creigeadh agus bha an t-aite gle dhorcha. Chunna sinn am pon uisge'. Chuir Corra Chriostag a h-aon de na sil- eanan peasrach anns a' phon agus chaidh sinn am falach ann an oisinn dorcha. Air madainn air la'r-na-mhaireach chunna sinn am mult a' tighinn a dh'ol a dheoch. Dh'fheumadh e 'dheoch a ghabhail airson an lacha a chumail beo. Cho luath 's a ghabh e deoch chaidh e ann an trom-thuaineal ag? us thuit e 'na chlasach taobh a' phbin. Leum an Cu Seang a nunn far na robh e agus le ionga chaol, bhiorach riachd e 'm mult bho cheann gu ceann. Chaidh sinn uile mun cuairt air a' mhult agus leis an ionga bhiorach dh'fhosgail an cu air. Cho luath ris an t-sradaig, amach'a bha an lacha, agus cho luath rith' fhein bha an fhaoil? eag dhubh as a deidh. Ann an tiotadh bha iad air ais agus an lacha aic' air amh- aich. Thug an Cu Seang leis an lacha agus choisich sinn amach as an uamha. Nuair a fhuair sinn amach anns an t-soil- leireachd dh'fhuasgail an cu air a' lacha, fhuair e an t-ubh agus shin e e do Chorra Chriostag. Cho luath 's a rinn e seo, thbisich meall uamhasach de dh'uisge air tighinn amach as a' chreig. "Seo agaibh uisge a' phoin a' tighinn am? ach," thuirt an Cx Seang. Air a* cheart mhionaid, thbisich an t-uisge air f's sal- ach, dorcha agus fior dhroch-fhaileadh dheth. "Seo agaibh uisge P5in nam M??'an," thuirt an Cli Seang. "Cha'n urrainn Cailleach P6in nam Magan an cbrr buidseachd a dheanadh. 'S cha mhoth' a'thig aice air biadh a dheanadh dhi fhein agus bithidh i marbh ann an uine ghoirid." Agus aig a* cheart lun am meadhan an uisge shalaich, ghrod thanaig clasach a' mhuilt. Ann am priobadh na rosg thionndaidh e 'na dhuine mor, usunhasach le aon suil mhor ann man with a single large eye in the middle of his forehead. He was huge, and growing bigger every moment. He made a bounding leap so as to dash us against the ground, but I snatched the egg from Corra Chrios? tag 's hand and smashed it against the rock. As soon as I did that the big giant fell down dead among the boulders. No sooner had that monster fallen than the Lean Hound of the Green Wood was trans? formed into a youth as fine and handsome as any seen by human eyes, dressed in an army officer's uniform. I heard a voice behind me: "Ranald, Ranald, is it really you?" I turned around and Corra Chriostag had changed into a beautiful young girl with pretty golden-yellow curls down around her shoulders, just as she was on the day she took me on board the ship. They embraced and Ranald said, "On the day that I left you, promising that I would return the next day, I met the Old Hag of the Toad Pond. She threw a cup of water from the pond in my face and she said to me, 'You will be a Lean Hound alone in the Green Wood imtil someone comes who will make you speak, and I doubt that that will happen.'" Since the two of them were now freed from their spells, we decided that the time had come to depart. We went down, boarded the boat and rowed out to the ship. We went on board, the sails were raised and we were underway with a fair wind. The swift March wind could not keep up with us. Ranald spoke to Corra Chriostag, "The last day that I was talking with you, I had a wed? ding-ring in my pocket in order that we might marry on the following day when I returned from my journey. But there is no sign of it now, whatever happened to it. If we had it now, the captain of the ship could marry us right away." Corra Chriostag looked at him quietly and said, "What a pity that we do not have it now." Then I said to Corra Chriostag, "Didn't the Hag of the Hollow give you three peas?" "Yes," said Corra Chriostag. "You gave one to the Lean Hound of the Green Wood, and another went into the pond that the wether was drinking from. Where is the third pea?" Now 210 Years Old ROBIN, JONES & WHITMAN, LIMITED Cheticamp 224-2022 Inverness 224-3125 9 At CheticafflPy N* S* On tbe Scenic Gabot Trail Laurie's Motel al Units Dining Rooa for Lunches or Pull Meals 234-2400

Cape Breton's Magazine