Heroes and Heroines
Gaisgich is bana-ghaisgich
Let's have a look at this discussion. By the end of this section, you will have learned some valuable phrases that you can use in lots of different conversations.
Bha iomadh seòrsa sgeulachd aig mo sheanmhair.
My granny [grandmother] had lots of different stories.
Dè seòrsa sgeulachdan a bh' aice?
What kinds of stories did she have?
'S e sgeulachdan dualchasach a bh' aice, sgeulachdan a bha a' tighinn bho bheul-aithris.
She had traditional stories, stories which came from oral tradition/folklore.
'S toigh leam seanchas is stòiridhean san t-seann nòs. An robh sgeulachdan rùnach aice?
I like storytelling and stories in the old tradition. Did she have any mysterious stories?
Bha gu dearbh. Agus bha na sàr-ghaisgich anns na stòiridhean sin a cheart cho iongantach ri 'superhero' a chì thu ann am film sam bith an-diugh.
She did indeed. And the great heroes in those stories were just as amazing as [any] superhero you'll see in any film today.
Cò b' iad?
Who were they?
Uill, fuirich gus am faic mi. Tha An Fhèinn … is Cù Chulainn … agus Fionn. Agus bha an uirsgeul mu Dhiarmad is Gràinne. Coma leat siabainn air an Tbh.
Well, wait till I see. There are the Fianna … and Cu Chulainn … and Finn. And there was a tale about Diarmad and Grainne. Never mind your soaps on TV!
Abair laoich is bana-ghaisgich! Ach 's cinnteach gun robh sgeulachdan òs-nàdarra aice, nach robh?
Such warriors/heroes and heroines! But I'm sure she had supernatural stories as well, didn't she?
Bha gu dearbh. Bhiodh seanchas aice mun dà shealladh agus an droch-shùil.
She did indeed. She had lore/tales of second sight and the evil eye.
Iargalta! Tha mi cinnteach gun robh sin gu math cumanta san dualchas anns na seann làithean.
Spooky! I am sure that was very common in the culture in the old days.
Bha gu dearbh. Agus 's dòcha gu bheil rud beag dhen t-saoghal os nàdarra mu thimcheall oirnn fhathast!
It was indeed. And perhaps there is some of the supernatural world around us still!
Dè tha thu a' ciallachadh?
What do you mean?
Cha bhi daoine a' bruidhinn gu tric air creutairean mar an t-ùraisg no fuamhairean no eich-uisge—seach na h-ìomhaighean meatailt. Ach bidh iad a' bruidhinn air manaidhean is taibhsean is sìthichean fhathast.
People don't talk much about creatures like the water sprite/diviner or giants or kelpies, except for the metal sculptures. But they do still talk about omens/apparitions and ghosts and fairies.
Nuair a thig e gu h-aon 's gu dhà, 's dòcha nach eil ar sinnsearan cho fada bhuainn.
When it comes to it, perhaps our ancestors are not so far from us.