Farpais #13: Fuarain agus Cait Dhraoidheil!

Sin sibh, a chàirdean! 🙂 Tha sinn an dòchas gu bheil sibh uile gu math, ge b’ e càite a bheil sibh.

Nise…seo an cuspair a thagh sinn airson farpais #sgrìobhi a’ Ghiblein:

Sgrìobh suas ri 200 facal mu phìos eachdraidh no cultar na Gàidhlig, ’s ceangal cudromach ann ri do bheatha fhèin.

A-nochd, bu toil leinn dà phìos a shealltainn dhuibh a ràinig An Lòchran tron mhìos sa chaidh. ’S ann le Steffi, agus le Andy fhèin, a tha iad. Tòisicheamaid leis an ro-ràdh a sgrìobh Steffi mun phìos aicese:

“Chan eil pìos eachdraidh no cultar na Gàidhlig, ’s ceangal cudromach ann ri mo bheatha fhìn, ach an cànan fhèin. Mar sin, sgrìobh mi mu dheidhinn àite sònraichte ann an Geesthacht, am baile far a bheil mi a’ fuireach. Tha ceangal cudromach ann ri mo bheatha.”

San t-seagh seo, seo “Fuaran na Càisge” (Gearmailtis: die Osterquelle) le Steffi - sgeulachd gu math iomchaidh, leis gur ann sa Ghiblean fhèin a bha àm na Càisge!

[Gàidhlig]

Tha fuaran ann an Geesthacht air a bheil Fuaran na Càisge mar ainm. Tha uisge sònraichte, draoidheil anns an fhuaran seo. Tha e gu math buan. Cha bhi e a’ fàs grod fad ùine mhòr. Bheir an t-uisge piseach air do shlàinte cuideachd. Tha e glè fheumail nuair a bhios tu tinn.

Air madainn na Càisge ro èirigh na grèine, bidh thu a’ dol chun an fhuarain agus cuiridh tu uisge ann am botal. Ach, bi faiceallach. Bi sàmhach. Bi nad aonar. Mura bi thu sàmhach no ma bhios cuideigin eile ann, cha bhi ach dìreach uisge àbhaisteach anns a’ bhotal agad…

[English]

There is a spring in Geesthacht known as the Easter spring (German: die Osterquelle). This spring produces special, magical water. It lasts a long time; it won’t lose its taste in a hurry. The water is good for your health too. It’s very useful for when you are ill.

On Easter morning before sunrise, go to the spring and fill a bottle with the water. But, be careful. Be quiet. Be alone. If you don’t keep quiet, or if someone else is there with you, your bottle will contain nothing but ordinary water…

Mòran taing, Steffi, airson am pìos cultair sin a sgaoileadh nar measg! 💧 Feumaidh mise a dhol ann aon latha brèagha gus am fuaran sin fhaicinn.

Seo a-nis am pìos bhuam fhìn. Tha e stèidhichte air caractar ann an geama-bhideo a chluichinn còmhla ri mo bhràthair, ’s sinn a’ fàs suas ann an Sasainn a Deas.

Seo “An Cat-Sìth”.

[Gàidhlig]

’S e creutair sìthiche bho bheul-aithris Cheilteach a th’ anns a’ chat-sìth (air neo: cat-sìthe). Thathar ag ràdh gu bheil e coltach ri cat mòr dubh, ’s spot geal air a bhroilleach.

Tha seann sgeulachdan mun chat taibhseach seo cumanta ann am beul-aithris na h-Alba. Thathar a’ cumail a-mach gu bheil an cat-sìth a’ tathaich na Gàidhealtachd. Ann an cuid a sgeulachdan, ge-tà, chan e sìthiche a th’ ann idir, ach bana-bhuidseach a dh’fhaodas a cruth atharrachadh suas ri naoi tursan gu bhith na cat. Tha cuid a dhaoine eile a’ creidsinn gur e deamhan a th’ ann.

Co-dhiù, dh’fhaodte gur e an cat-fiadhaich Albannach fhèin a thug cruthachadh a’ chait-shìth gu buil. Thathar ga mheas cho mòr ri cù, ’s e ga thaisbeanadh fhèin le a dhruim air a bhoghachadh.

’S ann air sgàth ceangail ri m’ òige a tha mi a’ sgrìobhadh mun chat-sìth. Nuair a bha mi nam dheugaire, chluicheadh mo bhràthair Simon geamannan bhideo bhon t-sreath ainmeil Final Fantasy còmhla rium. Anns an t-seachdamh gheama, Final Fantasy VII, tha caractar ann air a bheil Cait Sith. Ann am Beurla, thèid an t-ainm fhuaimneachadh mar Kate, an t-ainm boireannach, agus sith coltach ri myth. ’S e seòrsa de robotair a th’ ann an Cait Sith, ’s e a’ marcachadh air muin creutair mhòir, ghil, bhuig ris an canar mog. Is tric a nì e fàisneachd air iomadach rud agus iomadach duine – fàisneachd anns nach gabh tòrr earbsa a chur 😁

Co-dhiù, thathar ag ràdh gur ann bhon chat-sìth fhèin a thàinig ainm a’ charactair. Eisimpleir ainneamh de bhuaidh na Gàidhlig air mòr-chultar nan 90an!

[English]

The cat-sìth, or fairy cat, is a mythical creature from Celtic folklore. It is said to resemble a large black cat, with a white spot on its chest.

Old tales of this spectral cat are common in Scottish folklore. The fairy cat is said to haunt the Highlands. In some stories, however, it is not a fairy at all, but a witch who can turn into a cat up to nine times. Others believe the cat-sìth is a demon.

In any case, the creation of the cat-sìth may have been inspired by the Scottish wildcat itself. It is estimated to be the size of a dog, showing itself with its back arched.

I’m writing about the cat-sìth because of a connection to my childhood. When I was in my teens, my brother Simon would play video games from the famous Final Fantasy series with me. In the seventh instalment, Final Fantasy VII, we meet a character named Cait Sith. In English, I believe the name is pronounced Kate, like the female name, and sith like myth. Cait Sith is a sort of robot, riding around on a large, white, soft creature called a mog. His hobby is fortune-telling about many things and many people - only his fortunes are pretty unreliable 😁

In any case, it’s said that the character's name came from the cat-sìth itself! A rare example of Gaelic influencing popular culture from the 1990s.