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An cuala sibh riamh an sgeulachd ‘MacMhuirich Ratharsair’? Bha MacMhuirich beò o chionn fhada ann an Ratharsair far an robh e ainmeil mar shealgair. Latha a bha seo, bha e a’ sealg faisg air Dùn Cana, a’ bheinn as àirde anns an eilean. Mharbh e fiadh, ghreallaich e e agus chuir e air a dhruim e. Bha e a’ coiseachd ri taobh Loch na Mèilich nuair a chuala e fuaim – mèilich, gu dearbh.

            Bha e a’ tighinn às an fhraoch, ach bha fios aig MacMhuirich nach e caora no gobhar a bha ga dhèanamh. Chuir e am fiadh far a ghuailne agus rannsaich e anns an fhraoch. Lorg e creutair annasach. Bha e molach, bha spògan mòr’ aige agus bha a shùilean mòra a’ sealltainn gun robh eagal a bheatha air ron t-sealgair. Gu follaiseach, bha e gu math òg.

            Chuir MacMhuirich an creutair am broinn a chòta airson a chumail blàth, thog e am fiadh agus chaidh e dhachaigh. Bha a dhinnear a’ feitheamh ris nuair a ràinig e an taigh, agus shuidh e aig a’ bhòrd, ga gabhail. Bha e a’ meòrachadh air a’ chreutair annasach a lorg e nuair a dh’fhàs an seòmar dorch. Choimhead MacMhuirich suas agus chunnaic e ceann mòr grànda aig an uinneig. B’ e sin a bha a’ dorchachadh an t-seòmair.

            Bha fios aig MacMhuirich dè bh’ ann – Uilebheist Ratharsair. ‘Thoir dhomh mo leanabh air ais,’ thuirt an t-Uilebheist. ‘Tha fios agam gun do thog thu e às an fhraoch.’

            ‘Tha e a’ tighinn air èirig,’ fhreagair MacMhuirich. ʼS e duine cruaidh a bh’ ann am MacMhuirich.

            ‘Thoir air ais e gun chron sam bith air a dhèanamh air, no millidh mi an taigh agad agus gach rud a tha na bhroinn,’ fhreagair an t-Uilebheist.

            ‘Tha an leanabh agad na bhroinn,’ arsa MacMhuirich. Lean e air a ghabhail a dhinneir mar nach robh càil a’ cur dragh air.

            ‘Dè an èirig?’ dh’fhaighnich an t-Uilebheist.

            ‘Feumaidh tu cabhsair a thogail tarsainn Loch Storab,’ thuirt MacMhuirich. ‘Feumaidh e a bhith math gu leòr gus an toir mi mo chuid mònach dhachaigh air agus gun gabh e mo chuid cruidh, each is ghobhar.’ Tha Loch Storab anns a’ mhonadh letheach-slighe eadar Loch na Mèilich agus an Clachan, air cladach an iar Ratharsair.

            ‘ʼS e obair dhoirbh a tha sin,’ thuirt an t-Uilebheist. ‘Ach ma thogas mi an cabhsair, an toir thu gealltanas dhomh gum faigh mi an leanabh agam air ais gun chron sam bith air a dhèanamh air?’

            ‘Bheir,’ arsa MacMhuirich agus lean e air le a dhinnear mar nach robh dragh sam bith air.

            Dh’fhalbh an t-Uilebheist. Thill e mu mheadhan-oidhche. ‘Rinn mi an obair,’ thuirt e. ‘Tha an cabhsair dèante.’

            ‘Tha e air èirig fhathast,’ arsa MacMhuirich. Nach tuirt mi gur e duine cruaidh a bh’ ann?!

            ‘Phàigh mi an èirig!’ Bha an t-Uilebheist a’ fàs feargach.

            ‘Uh-uh,’ thuirt MacMhuirich. ‘Feumaidh tu gach fàd mònach a th’ agam aig a’ pholl-mhònach a thoirt dhachaigh, agus cruach a dhèanamh dhiubh aig ceann an taigh agam.’

            Dh’èigh an t-Uilebheist gur e bleigeard gun chogais a bh’ ann am MacMhuirich, ach dh’fhalbh e airson a’ mhòine a thoirt dhachaigh. Nuair a bha an obair dèante, thill e gu taigh MhicMhuirich. ‘Tha a’ chruach-mhònach togte,’ thuirt e. ‘Nise, thoir dhomh mo leanabh.’ Agus innsidh mi dhuibh dè thachair an-ath-sheachdain.

Faclan na Litreach: MacMhuirich Ratharsair: MacVurich of Raasay; ghreallaich: gralloched (gutted); ³¾Ã¨¾±±ô¾±³¦³ó: bleating; creutair annasach: an unusual creature; molach: hairy, shaggy; gu follaiseach: obviously; a’ meòrachadh: contemplating; Uilebheist Ratharsair: the monster of Raasay; letheach-slighe: halfway.

Abairtean na Litreach: far an robh e ainmeil mar shealgair: where he was famous as a hunter; a’ bheinn as àirde anns an eilean: the highest hill on the island; nach e caora no gobhar a bha ga dhèanamh: that it wasn’t a sheep or goat that was making it; chuir e am fiadh far a ghuailne: he took the deer off his shoulder; rannsaich e anns an fhraoch: he searched in the heather; bha spògan mòr’ aige agus bha a shùilean mòra a’ sealltainn gun robh eagal a bheatha air ron t-sealgair: it had big paws and its large eyes were showing that it was petrified of the hunter; bha a dhinnear a’ feitheamh ris: his dinner was awaiting him; ceann mòr grànda aig an uinneig: a large ugly head appeared at the window; b’ e sin a bha a’ dorchachadh an t-seòmair: that was what was darkening the room ; duine cruaidh: a hard man; tha an leanabh agad na bhroinn: your baby is inside it; feumaidh tu cabhsair a thogail tarsainn X: you have to build a causeway across X; math gu leòr gus an toir mi mo chuid mònach dhachaigh air: good enough for me to take my peats home on it; gun gabh e mo chuid cruidh, each is ghobhar: that it will take my cattle, horses and goats; an toir thu gealltanas dhomh gum faigh mi an leanabh agam air ais: will you promise me that I’ll get my baby back?; gun chron sam bith air a dhèanamh air: without him suffering in any way; phàigh mi an èirig: I paid the ransom; feumaidh tu gach fàd mònach a th’ agam aig a’ pholl-mhònach a thoirt dhachaigh, agus cruach a dhèanamh dhiubh: you must bring home all the cut peats I have at my peat-bank, and make a stack of them.

Abairtean na Litreach: far an robh e ainmeil mar shealgair: where he was famous as a hunter; a’ bheinn as àirde anns an eilean: the highest hill on the island; nach e caora no gobhar a bha ga dhèanamh: that it wasn’t a sheep or goat that was making it; chuir e am fiadh far a ghuailne: he took the deer off his shoulder; rannsaich e anns an fhraoch: he searched in the heather; bha spògan mòr’ aige agus bha a shùilean mòra a’ sealltainn gun robh eagal a bheatha air ron t-sealgair: it had big paws and its large eyes were showing that it was petrified of the hunter; bha a dhinnear a’ feitheamh ris: his dinner was awaiting him; ceann mòr grànda aig an uinneig: a large ugly head appeared at the window; b’ e sin a bha a’ dorchachadh an t-seòmair: that was what was darkening the room ; duine cruaidh: a hard man; tha an leanabh agad na bhroinn: your baby is inside it; feumaidh tu cabhsair a thogail tarsainn X: you have to build a causeway across X; math gu leòr gus an toir mi mo chuid mònach dhachaigh air: good enough for me to take my peats home on it; gun gabh e mo chuid cruidh, each is ghobhar: that it will take my cattle, horses and goats; an toir thu gealltanas dhomh gum faigh mi an leanabh agam air ais: will you promise me that I’ll get my baby back?; gun chron sam bith air a dhèanamh air: without him suffering in any way; phàigh mi an èirig: I paid the ransom; feumaidh tu gach fàd mònach a th’ agam aig a’ pholl-mhònach a thoirt dhachaigh, agus cruach a dhèanamh dhiubh: you must bring home all the cut peats I have at my peat-bank, and make a stack of them.

Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: Tha e a’ tighinn air èirig: it comes with a ransom.