The Little Letter for Gaelic Learners

Amulree is a village in Perthshire. Close by, there is Glen Quaich. In the glen there is Loch Freuchie. How did the loch get its name? Is it connected to the plant – heather? Well, no, according to oral tradition. Accompanying text in both English and Gaelic can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/litirbheag

Black, white and red. Three colours. The old Gaels knew them. They were in some of the stories. Accompanying text in both English and Gaelic can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/litirbheag

On a recent visit to Sámi in northern Sweden, Ruairidh learnt a little about the country's native language. Accompanying text in both English and Gaelic can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/litirbheag

Ruaraidh visited Kebnekaise, the highest mountain in Sweden recently. It's in the north, in the Arctic. Accompanying text in both English and Gaelic can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/litirbheag.

Conall and Cuchullin were related to each other. They were cousins. They learned together in the same university. They were close to each other. Accompanying text in both English and Gaelic can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/litirbheag.

I have a story for you – Bàs Chiuinlaoich. In English, The Death of Conlaoch. It’s from Scottish oral tradition. Accompanying text in both English and Gaelic can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/litirbheag.

Did the Romans use war-elephants in Britain? Find out in this week's podcast. Accompanying text in both English and Gaelic can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/litirbheag.

What’s the Gaelic for “elephant”? Ailbhean, isn’t it? Ailbhean. But in the old dictionaries there are many words. Here are examples: ailp, boir, oileabhan, oilleabhaint and albhan dubh. It’s amazing, isn’t it? Accompanying text in both English and Gaelic can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/litirbheag.

This week Ruairidh continues the tale of "The King and The Foal". Find out what happens in this week's podcast. Accompanying text in both English and Gaelic can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/litirbheag.

Ruairidh is continuing with the story “The King and the Foal”. The king said to the man, “Come here tomorrow. If you don’t tell me what is swiftest in the world, you’ll lose your head.” Accompanying text in both English and Gaelic can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/litirbheag.

Ruairidh tells an old story this week – "An Rìgh agus an Searrach / The King and the Foal". Searrach means "a young horse".

Ruairidh was looking at an old page in Mac-Talla. That’s an old newspaper. Mac-Talla was published in Nova Scotia. That was at the end of the 19th Century and beginning of the 20th Century. Find out what he discovered in this week's podcast. This week, Ruairidh ponders the extinction of the lynx - what was the main contributing factor? He also wonders what effect the lynx has in other countries. Learn more about the lynx in this week's letter. Accompanying text in both English and Gaelic can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/litirbheag.

This week, Ruairidh ponders the extinction of the lynx - what was the main contributing factor? He also wonders what effect the lynx has in other countries. Learn more about the lynx in this week's letter. Accompanying text in both English and Gaelic can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/litirbheag.

When was the lynx last alive in Scotland? It’s not known for certain. People were thinking that it became extinct thousands of years ago. It appears that is not correct. Learn more about the lynx in Scotland in this week's podcast. Accompanying text in both English and Gaelic can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/litirbheag.

Ruairidh visited an interesting place recently in the region of Braemar called Càrn na Cuimhne. In English people say Carnaqueen or The Cairn of Remembrance. Càrn na Cuimhne. It's beside the River Dee in the old Gaidhealtachd of Aberdeenshire.