217: Black-haired John of Lewis (1) 217: Iain Dubh Leòdhasach (1)
Litir shìmplidh sheachdaineach do luchd-ionnsachaidh le clàr-fuaime, tar-sgrìobhadh is eadar-theangachadh. A simple weekly letter to Gaelic learners with audio, transcription and translation.
Tha an litir bheag ag obrachadh leis an fhaclair. Tagh an taba ‘teacsa Gàidhlig’ agus tagh facal sam bith san teacsa agus fosglaidh am faclair ann an taba ùr agus bidh mìneachadh den fhacal ann. The little letter is integrated with the dictionary. Select the tab ‘Gaelic text’ and choose any word and the dictionary will open and you will see the English explanation of the Gaelic word.
Iain Dubh Leòdhasach (1)
Bu mhath leam stòiridh innse dhuibh. Stòiridh leis an ainm Iain Dubh Leòdhasach, an Seòladair.
B’ e mac iasgair a bh’ ann an Iain Dubh. Bha e a’ fuireach còmhla ri uncail. Bha sin faisg air Steòrnabhagh ann an Leòdhas. Feasgar a bha seo, chunnaic Iain long bhrèagha. Bha i a’ seòladh a-staigh don chala. Bha ùidh mhòr aig Iain ann am bàtaichean. Chaidh e a-mach don luing. Chaidh e air bòrd.
Dh’fhaighnich an sgiobair am bu toigh le Iain a bhith na sheòladair. Fhreagair Iain gum bu toil.
“Thalla dhachaigh,” ars’ an sgiobair. “Faigh cead airson seòladh leam.”
Thill Iain an ath latha. Dh’innis e don sgiobair gun d’ fhuair e cead o uncail. “Agus an tuirt e dad mu mhuinntireas?” ars’ an sgiobair. “O, thubhairt,” fhreagair Iain Dubh. “Bidh mi air bòrd fad còig bliadhna. Bidh mi ag ionnsachadh seòladaireachd.”
“Agus dè thuirt e mu thuarastal?” dh’fhaighnich an sgiobair.
“Thuirt gum faigh mi bonn-a-sia aig ceann a’ chiad mhìos. Bidh mi a’ faighinn dà bhonn-a-sia aig ceann an dara mìos. Agus bidh e a’ dùblachadh mar sin gach mìos gu deireadh nan còig bliadhna.”
Rinn an sgiobair gàire. Gun smaoineachadh, thuirt e, “Gheibh thu sin, a laochain.” Air an ath latha, sheòl an long air falbh, le Iain air bòrd. Chaidh i do dhùthchannan cèin. Aig ceann ceithir bliadhna thill i a Shasainn. Ràinig i am port aice fhèin.
Thàinig an fheadhainn leis an robh an long air bòrd. Dh’fhaighnich fear dhiubh cà’ d’ fhuair iad an seòladair òg. “Fhuair ann an Eilean Leòdhais,” fhreagair an sgiobair.
“A bheil thu a’ toirt tuarastal math dha?” thuirt a’ chiad fhear.
“Oir ’s e seòladair math a tha ann.”
“Uill,” ars’ an sgiobair, “cha tug mi tuarastal sam bith dha fhathast.”
Mhìnich an sgiobair am bargan.
“Dh’iarr e fhèin bonn-a-sia aig ceann a’ chiad mhìos,” thuirt e, “agus dà bhonn-a-sia aig ceann an dara mìos, a’ dùblachadh mar sin gach mìos.”
“Dè rinn thu?!” thuirt am fear leis an robh an long. “Gheall thu don ghille tuilleadh nas fhiach an long fhèin!”
Chunnaic an sgiobair gun robh sin fìor. Dè bha a’ dol a thachairt do dh’Iain Dubh? Tha an stòiridh a’ leantainn an ath-sheachdain.
Black-haired John of Lewis (1)
I’d like to tell you a story. A story with the name of Black-haired John of Lewis, the Sailor.
Black-haired John was the son of a fisherman. He lived with his uncle. That was near Stornoway in Lewis. This particular evening, John saw a beautiful ship. She was sailing into the harbour. John was greatly interested in boats. He went out to the ship. He went on board.
The captain asked if John would like to be a sailor. John replied that he would.
“Go home,” said the captain. “Get permission to sail with me.”
John returned the next day. He told the captain that he got permission from his uncle. “And did he say anythin gabout an engagement?” said the captain. “Oh, yes,” replied Black-haired John. “I’ll be on board for five years. I’ll learn seamanship.”
“And what did he say about wages?” the captain asked.
“He said that I’ll get a halfpenny at the end of the first month. I’ll get two halfpennies at the end of the second month. And it will double like that every month to the end of the five years.”
The captain smiled. Without thinking, he said, “You’ll get that, lad.” Next day, the ship sailed away with John on board. She went to foreign countries. At the end of four years she returned to England. She reached her own port.
The folk who owned the ship came on board. One of them asked where they got the young sailor. “On the Isle of Lewis,” the captain replied.
“Are you giving him good wages?” said the first man.
“Because he’s a good sailor.”
“Well,” said the captain, “I haven’t given him any wages yet.”
The captain explained the bargain.
“He himself asked for a halfpenny at the end of the first month,” he said, “and two halfpennies at the end of the second month, doubling like that every month.”
“What did you do?!” said the man who owned the ship. “You promised the lad more than the ship is worth!”
The captain saw that was true. What was going to happen to Black John? The story continues next week.
Iain Dubh Leòdhasach (1)
Bu mhath leam stòiridh innse dhuibh. Stòiridh leis an ainm Iain Dubh Leòdhasach, an Seòladair.
B’ e mac iasgair a bh’ ann an Iain Dubh. Bha e a’ fuireach còmhla ri uncail. Bha sin faisg air Steòrnabhagh ann an Leòdhas. Feasgar a bha seo, chunnaic Iain long bhrèagha. Bha i a’ seòladh a-staigh don chala. Bha ùidh mhòr aig Iain ann am bàtaichean. Chaidh e a-mach don luing. Chaidh e air bòrd.
Dh’fhaighnich an sgiobair am bu toigh le Iain a bhith na sheòladair. Fhreagair Iain gum bu toil.
“Thalla dhachaigh,” ars’ an sgiobair. “Faigh cead airson seòladh leam.”
Thill Iain an ath latha. Dh’innis e don sgiobair gun d’ fhuair e cead o uncail. “Agus an tuirt e dad mu mhuinntireas?” ars’ an sgiobair. “O, thubhairt,” fhreagair Iain Dubh. “Bidh mi air bòrd fad còig bliadhna. Bidh mi ag ionnsachadh seòladaireachd.”
“Agus dè thuirt e mu thuarastal?” dh’fhaighnich an sgiobair.
“Thuirt gum faigh mi bonn-a-sia aig ceann a’ chiad mhìos. Bidh mi a’ faighinn dà bhonn-a-sia aig ceann an dara mìos. Agus bidh e a’ dùblachadh mar sin gach mìos gu deireadh nan còig bliadhna.”
Rinn an sgiobair gàire. Gun smaoineachadh, thuirt e, “Gheibh thu sin, a laochain.” Air an ath latha, sheòl an long air falbh, le Iain air bòrd. Chaidh i do dhùthchannan cèin. Aig ceann ceithir bliadhna thill i a Shasainn. Ràinig i am port aice fhèin.
Thàinig an fheadhainn leis an robh an long air bòrd. Dh’fhaighnich fear dhiubh cà’ d’ fhuair iad an seòladair òg. “Fhuair ann an Eilean Leòdhais,” fhreagair an sgiobair.
“A bheil thu a’ toirt tuarastal math dha?” thuirt a’ chiad fhear.
“Oir ’s e seòladair math a tha ann.”
“Uill,” ars’ an sgiobair, “cha tug mi tuarastal sam bith dha fhathast.”
Mhìnich an sgiobair am bargan.
“Dh’iarr e fhèin bonn-a-sia aig ceann a’ chiad mhìos,” thuirt e, “agus dà bhonn-a-sia aig ceann an dara mìos, a’ dùblachadh mar sin gach mìos.”
“Dè rinn thu?!” thuirt am fear leis an robh an long. “Gheall thu don ghille tuilleadh nas fhiach an long fhèin!”
Chunnaic an sgiobair gun robh sin fìor. Dè bha a’ dol a thachairt do dh’Iain Dubh? Tha an stòiridh a’ leantainn an ath-sheachdain.
Download the text of this week's letter as a PDF:Thoir a-nuas Litir mar PDF:
PDF documents are especially suited for printing out. Most computers can open PDF files, but if you have problems viewing them you may need to install reader software such as Tha faidhleachan PDF gu sònraichte math airson clò-bhualadh. Tha e furasta gu leòr do chuid de choimpiutairean faidhleachan PDF fhosgladh, ach ma tha trioblaid agad ‘s dòcha gum biodh e feumail bathar-bog mar Adobe Acrobat Reader. fhaighinn.
Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
This letter corresponds to Tha an Litir seo a’ buntainn ri Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 521
Podcast
BBC offers this litir as a podcast: Visit the programme page for more info and to download or subscribe. Tha am BBC a’ tabhainn seo mar podcast. Tadhail air an duilleag-phrògraim airson barrachd fiosrachaidh no airson podcast fhaighinn