Clàidhmhearachd is Creachadh	Fencing and Foraying
Sa gheamhradh 1936-37, chaidh sreath de phrògraman goirid a chraoladh air an rèidio anns an tug duine pongail as gach eilean Gaidhealach sùil air ais gu àm an òige, nuair a chluinneadh iad sgeulachdan is beul-aithris aig na seann daoine. Tha na prògraman, "Am Measg nam Bodach", làn de ghnàthsan cainnte is briathrachas beartach - anns an iris seo agus anns an ath thè, tha an t--Urr Calum MacillEathain a' cur crìoch air sùil air an Sgarp, Na Hearadh agus Tarasaigh. (teacs tùsail)	In the winter of 1936-37, a series of short programmes were transmitted on the radio in which eloquent speakers from each of the Gaelic-speaking islands took a look back to the time of their youth, when they would hear tales and folklore from the old men and women. The programmes, "Am Measg nam Bodach", are full of idiom and rich vocabulary - in this issue and the next, the Rev Calum MacillEathain concludes his look at Scarp, Harris and Taransay. (translation)
Mas math mo bheachd, seo mar a bha na linntean san Sgarpa: Linn mo Sheanar, Linn nan Creach, Linn Oisein agus Linn Chailbhein. Is dòcha leam gur ann mu Linn nan Creach a b'fheàrr leibh beagan a chluinntinn. 'Sann an dèidh do MacDhòmhnaill nan Eilean a chòraichean a chall agus a dh'fhàgadh an tìr fada agus farsaing gun stòladh aig crùn no aig crannaig a bha Linn nan Creach ceart ann, agus mar a thuirt Dòmhnall mac Fhionnlaigh nan Dàn:	If I remember correctly, here's how the ages were reckoned in Scarp: the time of my grandfather, the time of the cattle raids, the time of Ossian and the time of Calvin. I suppose you would prefer to hear something about the time of the raids. This didn't really start until after MacDonald of the Isles lost his rights, and far and wide the land was left bereft of the calming influence of crown or pulpit, and as Dòmhnall mac Fhionnlaigh nan Dàn put it:
Bu lìonmhor cogadh is creachadh Bha an Loch Abar anns an uair sin	Plentiful was the fighting and raiding In Lochaber at that time
Agus bha gu leòr aca anns an Eilean Fhada, agus bha iad pailt feadh Leòdhais is na Hearadh, agus 'se Leòdhas bu mhiosa dheth na na Hearadh, oir thàinig cùisean an Leòdhas gu bhith buileach gruamach, fuilteach agus borb. Tha àiteachan an Leòdhas dlùth dhan Sgarpa mar a tha Baile na Cille is Mangurstadh, Mealasta is Tobhta Choinnich agus, mar a thuirt am fear eile, nam biodh còmhradh aca bhiodh sgeulachd aca! Ach is fheàrr dhòmhsa iomradh a dhèanamh air creachan Hearach.	And they had plenty in the Long Island, and an abundance throughout Lewis and Harris, and Lewis was worse for it than Harris, for things came to be quite dismal, bloody and barbaric in Lewis. There are places in Lewis close to Scarp like Baile na Cille and Mangurstadh, Mealasta and Tobhta Choinnich and, as someone once said, if they could speak they'd have a tale to tell! But I'd better mention the Harris raids.
Nuair a bha an t-Ollamh MacIain air a chuairt chuireadh ceist air nach do chòrd ris: An ann a Chlann MhicIain Ghlinne Comhann a bha dhaoine? Cha bhiodh a' chùis eadhon cho taitneach dha nan dearbhte air gur ann a Chlann MhicIain na Hearadh a bha dhaoine. 'Se dream sgriosail a bha annta, agus ged nach dèanadh iad a' chùis air MacLeòid na Hearadh, 's iomadh gnìomh bradach, brùideil a rinn iad. Cha leigear a leas innse orra ach gun do ghoil cailleach coire mòr uisge agus gun do dhoirt i air corp fear aca e agus e san uaigh le 'mallachd.	When Doctor Johnston was on his travels, he was asked a question he found offensive: Were his people descended from the MacIains [or "Johnstones"] of Glencoe? It would have been even less pleasing for him if he had been persuaded that his people came from the MacIains of Harris. They were an awful bunch, and though they could not get the better of MacLeod of Harris, they were the perpetrators of many a thieving and brutal deed. No more needs to be told of them other than that an old woman boiled a big kettle of water and poured it with a curse onto the body of one of them in his grave.
Bha an saighead agus an claidheamh siùbhlach an uair sin, agus bha fear anns na Hearadh, fìor Leòdach, agus bha e ainmeil feadh Alba air claidheamh. Ràinig Eadailteach agus cleasaiche claidhimh MacLeòid na Hearadh, agus e air son dùbhlan a thoirt a dh'Iain MacLeòid, ach ma ràinig cha do thill. 'Sann an Eilean Bheàrnaraigh a bha Iain MacLeòid a' fuireach, ach theirte gun do thilg e air MacLeòid na Hearadh gun tug e rogha claidhimh dhan Eadailteach air tùs, agus leis an tàmailt gun tug e tìr mòr air, agus chaidh a bhàthadh is e dèanamh na h-imrich.	The arrow and the sword were never at rest at that time, and there was one person in Harris, a real MacLeod, who was famed throughout Scotland for his swordsman-ship. An Italian who was a swordsman arrived at MacLeod of Harris, seeking to challenge Iain MacLeod, but though he came he didn't leave. Iain MacLeod lived on the island of Berneray, but it was said that he accused MacLeod of Harris of giving the Italian the first choice of weapons, and in high dudgeon he left for the mainland, and was drowned during the crossing.
Bha fear eile anns na Hearadh an dèidh sin air an robh Aonghas Beag MacLeòid, agus bha e fhèin iomraiteach air claidheamh. Chuir Fear Bhrèanais dùbhlan gu MacLeòid nan Hearadh agus dh'fhalbh Aonghas Beag gu ruige Brèanais agus chuir e fàilte air Fear Bhrèanais, agus sheas iad aig a chèile. Tha e coltach nach robh MacAmhlaigh e fhèin tais, ach mu dheireadh thall dhlùthaich Aonghas Beag air agus bhuail e gu h-aotrom am putan as a lèine fon amhaich aig Fear Bhrèanais, agus thuirt e ris, "An dèan siud an gnothaich?" "Nì," arsa MacAmhlaigh. "Tha dùil agad gur e MacLeòid a th' agad," ars Aonghas, "agus chan eil agad ach fear dha dhaoine." Thuirt an duine còir, fiosrach a dh'innis dhomh mu Aonghas Beag seo gur e fhaotainn marbh anns a' bheinn a rinneadh air Aonghas Beag, agus gur e am fear mu dheireadh a chuireadh an ciste cloiche an Eaglais Roghadail.	There was later someone in Harris called Aonghas Beag MacLeod, and he too was renowned for his swordplay. The Laird of Brenish sent MacLeod of Harris a challenge; Aonghas Beag went to Brenish and greeted the Laird of Brenish, and they stood facing up to each other. It appears that MacAulay was no weakling, but finally Aonghas Beag closed in and knocked lightly the button out of the shirt below the Laird of Brenish's neck, and said to him, "Will that suffice?" "Yes," said MacAulay. "You think you have MacLeod before you," said Aonghas, "but you only have one of his people." The decent, knowledgeable man who told me about Aonghas Beag told me that Aon- ghas Beag found dead in the hills, and that he was the last person to be placed in a stone coffin in Rodel Church.
Bha Dòmhnallach anns na Hearadh a rinn mèirle mairt ,agus chaidh an duine leis an robh a' bhò far an robh e feuch am fac' e a' bhò. Dè thàinig a-staigh air a' mhèirleach ach gu robh amharas air, agus thug e ionnsaigh air an duine agus mharbh e e, agus cheangail e suas e an seice na bà agus chuir e sa mhuir e. 'Sann am baile air a bheil Drinisiadar a rinneadh an t-olc; agus dè thachair ach gun d'fhuaradh an duine marbh san t-seice an Eilean Sgalpaigh. Ma fhuair, theich am murtair dhan Eilean Sgitheanach, gu MacDhòmhnaill Dhùn Tuilm. Coma leat, chaidh fir as na Hearadh air a thoir agus, gu naidheachd fhada dhèanamh goirid, thug MacLeòid na Hearadh a' chroich dha. Dh'fhàg-adh sa chroich e, agus air oidhche dhorcha agus fear a' gabhail an rothaid bhuail a' ghaoth na cnàmhan bochda air, agus seo an rud a thuirt am fear sin: "Tha chead agad; 'se luaths do làimhe fhèin a dh'fhàg a-sin thu."	There was a MacDonald in Harris who stole a cow, and the man to whom the beast belonged went to where he was to see if he had seen the cow. What did the thief think then but that the suspicion lay upon him, and he attacked the man and killed him, and tied him up in the cow's hide and put him into the sea. This evil deed was committed in a township known as Drinishader; and what happened then but that the dead man in the hide was found on the Island of Scalpay. With this discovery, the murderer fled to the Isle of Skye, to MacDonald of Duntulm. Nevertheless, the Harris men went in pursuit and, to cut a long story short, MacLeod of Harris hung him. He was left in the gallows, and on a dark night when someone was taking the road the wind rattled the poor bones within his hearing, and this is what that man said: "It serves you right; it was the deftness of your own hand that led to you being there."
Ri linn nam mì-rian, a thàinig ri Linn nan Creach, thàinig rud ana-cneasta air daoine bochda luchd nan creach fhèin. Nuair a bha daoine ris an droch obair air tìr mòr agus creachan gan togail eadar Peairt is Gallaibh, bu neònach gum biodh na h-eileanan as an aonais. Rud nach robh! Agus cuimhnicheamaid gun do leanadh air an obair gu Bliadhna Theàrlaich. Agus seo agaibh aon naidheachd a chuala mise air togail nan creach sna Hearadh.	Because of the disorder which came with the time of the raids, a rough time was experienced by the raiders own poor folk. When people were engaged in this vile trade on the mainland, with cattle between Perth and Caithness being lifted, it would be strange for the islands to be free of their like. Something they weren't! And let us remember that this trade continued to be plied until the 1745 Jacobite Rising. And here you have one anecdote that I heard about the reiving of cattle in Harris.
Latha bha siud thàinig culaidh mhòr ràmhach bho thuath agus chaidh i tro Chaolas an Sgarpa gu ruige Tùisinis, agus siud air tìr na fir agus thòisich am murt is am marbhadh is an creach an Tùisinis gus mu dheireadh nach robh duine beò aca ach aon fhear a bha shìos fo bhruthach agus e dèanamh eathair. Dh'fhalaich am fear seo e fhèin agus chuala e iad ag ràdh ri chèile, "Bidh sinn a-nochd an Tarasaigh, agus bidh sinn an ath oidhch' am Pabaigh," agus dè rinn am fear ud an Tùisinis ach an t-eathar a bh'aige chur a-mach agus teicheadh gu Tarasaigh. Nuair a ràinig e Tarasaigh fhuair e sluagh neo-chumanta cruinn, oir tha e coltach gu robh banais neo rudeigin mar sin aca, agus nuair a dh'innis e naidheachd an fhir mhaoil gun fhalt chaidh na fir fo armachd agus chuir iad iad fhèin an òrdugh catha.	One day a large galley came from the north and went through the Sound of Scarp up to Hushinish, and onto the shore went the men and the murder and killing and looting started in Hushinish until finally there was no-one left alive but one man who was down below a brae making a boat. This man hid himself, and he heard them saying to each other, "We will be in Taransay tonight, and tomorrow night we will be in Pabbay," so what did that man from Hushinish do but push out his boat and make his escape to Taransay. When he reached Taransay he found an unusually large gathering of people, because apparently they were due to have a wedding or some such, and when he told them the news of the hairless, bald man the men armed themselves and prepared themselves in battle array.
Thàinig na ceatharnaich eile, agus ma thàinig fhuair iad rud ris nach robh dùil aca, agus thòisich an cath agus abair cath. Mu dheireadh thall cha robh beò air clàraibh na h-iùbhraich ud ach aon fhear, agus ghabh e am muir agus snàmh e Caolas Tharasaigh, ach ma shnàmh cha b'ann air a shocair agus na Tarasaich a' tilgeil a' chuspair fhad 's a ruigeadh saighead e. Chaidh e air tìr air sgeir a leigeil 'anail agus 'se sin a dh'fhàg ainm air an sgeir. Coma leat co-dhiù, thug e mach tìr mòr agus thug e a' bheinn air, agus cha robh an còrr ma dheidhinn, agus chaidh na bliadhnaichean seachad gus a' bhliadhna bha seo agus muinntir Tharasaigh air a dhol gu ruige Gleann Mhiabhaig a thoirt na sprèidh gu baile geamhraidh.	The other combatants arrived, but did so not expecting the reception which they got, and the battle started, and what a battle. Eventually there was only left alive on the boards of that galley but one man, and he took to the water and swam the Sound of Taransay, but swam not at his leisure but with the folk of Taransay hitting the mark for as long as it was in bow-shot. He went ashore on a skerry to get back his breath and that's what gave the skerry its name. However, he made it to the Harris mainland and made for the hills, and nothing more was heard of him, and the years went past until this particular year when the Taransay folk had gone over to Glen Miavaig to take the cattle to winter pasture.
Dè tha agam air dhut, ach gu robh am beathach eich a b'fheàrr aca air chall. Cha robh air sin ach sin fhèin, ach suas eadar thu agus Nollaig nach ann a thàinig fios gu ruige Tarasaigh gu robhas a' faicinn each gun fhios cò leis e mu thuath an Leòdhas agus rinn iad a mach co-dhiù gur e each taobh Loch Mhiabhaig a bha san each, agus dh'fhalbh an Tarasach feuch am faigheadh e lorg air, agus cha do stad e gus na ràinig e Nis. Agus dìreach shìos eadar thu is ceann shìos Nis, dh'innis iad far an robh an t-each agus an duine aig na stad e, agus 'se an t-each a bha siud ceart gu leòr. Agus cha robh an còrr ma dheidhinn ach gum feumadh an coigreach fuireach far an robh e son oidhche, agus abair thusa gun d'fhuair e gabhail aige.	The point is that their best horse was lost. That was that, but as time went by did word not reach Taransay that a horse of unknown ownership was to be seen further north in Lewis and they con- cluded anyway that this horse was the one from Loch Miavaig-side, and someone from Taransay went off to see if he could find it, and he didn't stop until he reached Ness. And eventually they told him where the horse was and who the horse had stopped at, and it was the same horse right enough. And there was nothing else for it but that the stranger had to spend a night there, and he was very hospitably received.
Nuair a thàinig tràth cadail agus a chaidh an teaghlach mu thàmh, cha robh aig an teine ach am bodach mòr, fear an taighe e fhèin, agus dè rinn am bodach ach cùl nan cas a chur ris an teine, agus arsa esan ris an Tarasach, "Tha cleachdadh againne san dùthaich-sa, agus chan eil fhios agam a bheil e agaibh sna Hearadh, air a bheil garadh-cùl-chas againn." Sheall am fear eile air cùl nan cas agus a leithid sin a dh'uireasbhaidh is a lotan, is 'sann a ghabh an Tarasach a dh'iongnadh na bh'aige.	When the time for sleep came and the family retired to bed, no-one was left at the fire but the big, old man, the man of the house himself; and what did the old man do but put the back of his legs in front of the fire, and say to the Taransay man, "We have a custom in these parts, I don't know if you have it in Harris, which we call back-o'-legs warming." The other, Taransay man looked at the back of his legs with all of their maiming and wounds, and was filled with surprise at the extent of this.
"Tha iongnadh ort," arsa bodach, "ach sin agad e an rud a chaidh a dhèanamh ormsa an aon uair a bha mi a-riamh an Tarasaigh. Chaidh na h-ochd saighdean annam agus mi teicheadh le mo bheatha bhuaithe, agus is cinnteach gum bu luath do làmh-sa gan cur ann." Ma bha iongnadh roimhe ann, abair thusa eagal a-nis. Ach 'sann a bha an gaisgeach laghach [sa bh]odach mhòr e fhèin. "Tha eagal ort," ars esan, "ach is tu fhèin nach leig a leas, a bhalaich. Mura dèanadh sibhse oirnn' e, dhèanamaide oirbhs' e."	"You're surprised," said the old man, "but there you have what was done to me the one time I was ever in Taransay. All of eight arrows went into me as I escaped with my life from it, and no doubt your hand was swift in putting them there." If he had been filled by surprise before, he was now filled with fear. But the big, old man was a fine hero himself. "You're frightened," he said, "but you've no reason to be, my man. If you hadn't done it to us, we'd have done it to you."
A-nis, chan eil an-seo ach rud a thachair ceart gu leòr. Thàinig "Linn nam Bodach" is bha i gu math na b'fheàrr na Linn nan Creach, ach bha i fhèin làn cruais, agus anacothrom aig daoine bochda. Chan ann idir nas miosa tha cùisean a-nis. "Dh'fhalbh siud is thàinig seo!"	Now, this is only something that really happened. The "time of the old men" came and it was much better than the time of the raids, but it too was full of hardship, with tribulations for poor people. Things are certainly not worse today. "That went and this came!"

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