Naidheachd air Droch-Phìobaire

GF219i07 NAIDHEACHD AIR DROCH PHÌOBAIRE

Beulaiche: Eòs Nìll Bhig | Joe Neil MacNeil
Tar-Sgrìobhadh: Oighrig NicFhraing | Effie Rankin

Tha mi dol a dh'innse naidheachd bheag ait an seo—chan eil fhios 'am dè cho math 's a tha i dol a bhith. Bho chionn àireamh bhliadhnaichean air ais, bha e na chleachdadh aca an àiteachan gum biodh iad a' cluich na pìob-mhòr far am biodh dannsaichean aca. Agus tha e coltach a-réir na naidheachd a bha 'm pìobaire seo ag innse dhomh, gu robh iad aig àit' anns an robh dannsa dol air n-aghaidh agus bha còmhnard air a shuidheachadh sìos-no mar a their iad 'stage'. Is bhithte toirt greis ma seach air cluich na pìoba fiach cò, dè cho luath 's a gheibhte ruidhle cearnach—suidheachadh cearnach de dhannsa chur air a' clàr—air a' còmhnard.
Agus cò dhiù, thàinig pìobair' air choireigin mun cuairt, b'e cò as an d' thàinig e na b'e cò bh 'ann, cha do… cha dean sin deifir cò dhiù, ach se…tha cuimhn' agam air a' phìobaire bha 'g innse dhomh mu 'n naidheachd a bha seo. Agus nuair a thàinig am fear seo mun cuairt, tha e coltach gun robh e cluich rùidhle no port cruinn ma thogras sinn agus bha e faighinn…agus tha coltas gun robh e faighinn car de mhì-mhodh ris a' phort—gun robh e doirbh a chluich. Agus bha 'm pìobaire seo na sheasamh ga choimhead, a 'sealltainnn air anns an àm agus tha mi cinnteach gun robh e beachdnachadh air. Agus aig a' cheart àm, thàinig dithist de phìobairean òga nall agus bha e fhéin glé eòlach orra. Agus sheas iad ri thaobh agus iad fhèin a' gabhail beachd air a' phìobaire. Is dh'fhaighnich fear aca dheth gu dè bharail a bh' aig' air. Agus, o, thuirt e nach robh fios aige. "Ach," ars esan, "tha e faighinn tàireadh uamhasach," ars esan, "a' fiachainn ris am port ud a chluich," ars esan.
"Tha e a' cuir.—," ars esan, "toirt ormsa bhith smaointinn," ars esan, "gu bheil e faighinn uidhir de thàire is a gheobhadh bodach a' fiachainn ri muc a spoth le sgian mhaol. Agus rinn mi—rinn" ars esan, "feadhainn sgal mór gàire air mo chùlaibh 's air a thionndaidh mi mun cuairt," ars esan, "bha dithist de shagairt òg' nan seasaibh air mo chùlaibh. Agus iad—chual iad mi 's b'fheudar dhomh," ars esan—"chaidh iarraidh orm fhìn a dhol suas a chluich na pìoba 's trobhad ort," ars esan, "bha mi air mo nàrachadh is air mo mhaslachadh leis a' ghnothach a bh' ann agus cha do dh'amais mi air pìob a chluich ceart idir. B' fheàrr leam," ars esan, "a bhith air teicheadh." Sin an naidheachd a fhuair mis' aig an t-seann phìobaire.

Translation:

A STORY ABOUT A POOR PIPER

I am going to tell a funny little story here—I don't know how good it will be. Many years ago, it was the custom in some places for the bagpipes to be played when they had dances. And it seems, according to the story that this piper told me, that they were at a place where there was a dance in progress and a platform was set up, or, as they say, a stage, and pipers took turns to see how quickly a reel, a square set, could get going on the floor, on the stage. And anyhow, some piper came around, wherever he was from or whoever he was, that…that doesn't matter anyhow but…you remember the piper who was telling me this story? Well, when this fellow came around—it seems he was playing a reel or a round dance if you like, and he had… and it looked as if he was having some trouble with the tune—that it was difficult to play. And this piper was standing looking at him, watching him right then, and I am sure he was judging him. And at the same time, there came around two young pipers with whom he was well acquainted. And they stood by him and also took note of the piper. And one of them asked him what he thought of him. And, oh, he said he did not know. But, said he, "He is having a dreadful time trying to play that tune. It makes me," he said, "think that he is having as much trouble as an old fellow would if he were trying to castrate a pig with a blunt knife. And I…some people roared out laughing behind me," he said, "and when I turned around, two young priests were standing behind me and they….they heard me and I had to…I was asked to go up to play the pipes, and listen here," he said, "I was so ashamed and mortified by the go ahead that I could not play the pipes well at all. I would rather have fled!" That's the story I got from the old piper.