[Murchadh:] Ceart, a rèir plana Gàidhlig an Ionaid, gheall sinn “Oidhche nan Seanchaidh” a thoirt air ais. Tha Luc air iarraidh ormsa beagan ullachaidh a dhèanamh agus, uill, tha mi feumach air beagan cuideachaidh!

Right, according to the Centre’s Gaelic plan, we promised to bring back “The Night of the Storytellers”. Luke has asked me to do a bit of preparation and, well, I need a little help!

[Marsaili:] O bha mo sheanair math air seanchas. B’ e sgeulachdan mu bhòcain is mu thaibhsean a bu mhotha a bhiodh aige. Bhithinn fhìn ’s mo bhràithrean air ar clisgeadh leis an eagal mun àm a bhiodh againn ri dhol a chadal.

Oh my grandfather was good at storytelling. It was mostly stories about ghosts and ghouls he would tell [lit he had]. Both I and my brothers would be rigid with fright by the time we would have to go to sleep.

[Seonag:] Bha cuid a sheanchaidhean a bha ainmeil sna làithean a dh’aom agus bha spèis aig daoine dhaibh—sin an fheadhainn a b’ fheàrr. Bha beul-aithris na sgìre aca air an teanga.

There were some storytellers who were famous in days gone by and people had respect for them—those were the best ones. They had the folklore of the area at their fingertips [lit. on their tongue].

[Marsaili:] An robh cead aig clann èisteachd ris an t-seanchaidh sna bliadhnaichean a dh’aom?

Were children allowed to listen to the storytellers in the days of old?

[Seonag:] Bha! ’S e oidhche mhòr a bhiodh ann san dachaigh againne nuair a thigeadh Dòmhnall a’ Ghobha air chèilidh—sin an seanchaidh a b’ fheàrr leamsa. Lìonadh an taigh le nàbaidhean.

Yes! It was a great night in our house when Donald of the Blacksmith would come to visit—he was the storyteller I liked the most. The house would fill with neighbours.

[Murchadh:] Dè seòrsa seanchais a bh’ aig Dòmhnall a’ Ghobha?

What sort of folktales did Donald of the Blacksmith have?

[Seonag:] Bha a’ chuid a bu mhotha mun dà-shealladh ’s mu mhanaidhean—rudan a bhiodh daoine a’ faicinn mus tachradh iad.

Most of them were about the second sight and about omens—things people would [fore]see before they happened.

[Murchadh:] Cha robh guth air seanchaidh nuair a bha mise na b’ òige.

There was no word of a storyteller when I was younger.

[Seonag:] Dh‘ionnsaich mise tòrr mun sgìre agam fhìn bhon t-seanchas, gu h-àraid mu ainmean-àite; cò às a thàinig ainmean leithid Rubha nam Marbh, agus Creag a’ Ghille Chuagaich. Bha stòiridh aig a h-uile cùil is cnoc.

I learnt a lot about my own area from folktales, especially about placenames; where names like Peninsula of the Dead, and Cliff of the Lame Boy came from. Each hill and dale had its story.

[Marsaili:] Aon oidhche, aig an taigh, chaidh mise a chèilidh air dithis pheathraichean a bha cho aosta ri na bruthaichean. Bha iad làn stòiridhean mu shìthichean is tàchairain agus air an dòigh gan innse.

One night, at home, I went to visit two sisters who were as old as the hills. They were full of stories about fairies and changelings and were happy to be telling them.

[Murchadh:] Aon den fheadhainn a b’ fheàrr leamsa ’s e seanchas muinntir nan ròn. ’S e fear à Uibhist a chuala mi ga innse.

One of the ones I most liked was the folklore of the seal-folk. It was a man from Uist I heard tell it.

[Seonag:] Bha i sin againne cuideachd—mar a bhiodh an ròn a’ dol ann an riochd boireannaich ’s mar a ghoid an creutair a seiche.

We had that too—how the seal would assume the form of a woman and how the person would steal her hide.

[Marsaili:] Siuthad, cùm ort!

Go on, keep going!

[Seonag:] Chan innis mi an còrr. Chan e seanchaidh a th’ annamsa ann!

I won’t tell any more. I am not a storyteller!

[Marsaili:] Cò a dh'aithnicheas sinn a bhiodh math airson “Oidhche nan Seanchaidh”, cò a bu choltaiche?

Who do we know that would be good for the “Night of the Storytellers”, who is most likely?

[Murchadh:] Tha fear Calum Dòmhnallach às an Rubha air an t-sràid agamsa. Bidh mi a’ dol a chèilidh air. Faighnichidh mi dhasan.

There is a Calum Macdonald from Point on my street. I go to visit him. I will ask him.

[Seonag:] Agus ’s aithne dhòmhsa tè à Port nan Long. Tha i eirmseach agus làn seanchais.

And I know a woman from Portnalong. She is witty and full of folklore.

[Marsaili:] Dh’fhaodadh gum biodh iad math còmhla. Feumaidh sinn cathraiche.

They may well be good together. We need a chairperson.

[Seonag:] Dè mu dheidhinn Alfie? Tha esan math le sean agus òg.

What about Alfie? He’s good with old and young.

[Murchadh:] Agus tha e math air bruidhinn!

And he’s good at speaking!

[Seonag:] Tha e sin!

He is that!