The Little Letter for Gaelic Learners

Ruairidh continues his Welsh tale. March had horse ears. He kept them hidden with long hair. The youngest lad in the castle gave him a haircut. Afterwards, there was no sign of the lad. Find out what happened to him and how he got his revenge on March in this week’s letter. Accompanying text is available in both English and Gaelic at bbc.co.uk/litirbheag

Ruairidh likes North Wales. The country is beautiful. And, like the people of the Gaidhealtachd, the people are very keen on stories. Ruairidh is going to tell us a story from Wales this week. Accompanying text is available in both English and Gaelic at bbc.co.uk/litirbheag

William MacTaggart, the famous painter, often returned to Kintyre. Sometimes he went out in a boat, fishing. One time, in August 1889, he was in danger of losing his life. Find out more about this dramatic event in this week’s letter. Accompanying text is available in both English and Gaelic at bbc.co.uk/litirbheag

The work of the artist, the late William MacTaggart from Kintyre, reminds Ruairidh of when he was young in Applecross on holiday. Find out more in this week’s letter. Accompanying text is available in both English and Gaelic at bbc.co.uk/litirbheag

Ruairidh continues his tale about the death of a policeman at the end of the Nineteenth Century. It was near Abernethy in Strathspey. There were two officers – John MacNiven and Thomas King. They wanted to collect money from Allan Macallum. Find out more in this week’s letter. Accompanying text is available in both English and Gaelic at bbc.co.uk/litirbheag

At the end of the nineteenth century, a death in Strathspey was on the front pages of newspapers throughout the world. Constable Thomas King from Nethy Bridge was killed. Who killed him? Why did they kill him and why did this murder make the world’s press? Find out in this week’s letter. Accompanying text is available in both English and Gaelic at bbc.co.uk/litirbheag

Ruairidh continues with the tale about the time St Columba sharpened a stake from wood for the a beggar from Lochaber. The poor Lochaber man was using the stake to catch wild animals. The man’s wife said to him that she was worried about the consequences if the man used the stake in a harmful manner. Accompanying text is available in both English and Gaelic at bbc.co.uk/litirbheag

Amazingly, St Columba was able to open doors that were locked. Once upon a time, he was in Ireland. He went to visit monks in a monastery in the middle of the country. When he went there, the key to the chapel was missing. The monks were very unhappy about it. Accompanying text is available in both English and Gaelic at bbc.co.uk/litirbheag

Have you ever heard of Clann an Oistir? They were a small clan. They were living on Iona. Clann an Oistir. The name comes from Latin. They were ostuarii in Latin – the ones who kept watch at a door. The word ostium means ‘door’ or ‘opening’. Find out more about Clann an Oistir in this week’s letter. Accompanying text is available in both English and Gaelic at bbc.co.uk/litirbheag

Near Valtos, in Trotternish on the Isle of Skye, there is an old dun called the Dùn Dearg. There is a story connected to it – a story called ‘The Giants of Dùn Dearg’. Find out more about these giants and what happened to them in this week’s letter. Accompanying text is available in both English and Gaelic at bbc.co.uk/litirbheag

Ruairidh finishes telling us about ‘The Adder Man’ or ‘The King of Snakes’ this week. Norman Morrison led a remarkable life, as a teacher and a policeman. One of his achievements in life was setting up the Scottish Police Federation. Find out more about his amazing life in this week’s letter. Accompanying text is available in both English and Gaelic at bbc.co.uk/litirbheag

Ruairidh was telling us about ‘the adder man’, Tormod an t-Seòladair. He was also keen on eels. He found out that the eel rests in the winter. It’s rather like hibernation. Tormod also had his own opinion on the Loch Ness Monster. Find out more in this week’s letter. Accompanying text is available in both English and Gaelic at bbc.co.uk/litirbheag

Ruairidh continues to tell us about Norman Morrison, Tormod an t-Seòladair, ‘the adder man’. He was well-known as a snake expert. This week, Ruairidh has a couple of stories for us, one is what happened when one of Norman’s snakes escaped in a school when he was a teacher, another tells of how Norman dealt with a nasty snakebite. Find out more in this week’s letter. Accompanying text is available in both English and Gaelic at bbc.co.uk/litirbheag

Ruairidh continues to tell us about Norman Morrison, Tormod an t-Seòladair, ‘the adder man’ in this week’s letter. Norman thought that people were unreasonable about adders. They’re timid, he said. They’ll only bite somebody when they are scared. He was full of mischief and would play tricks on people, sometimes with his adders. Find out what he got up to in this week’s letter. Accompanying text is available in both English and Gaelic at bbc.co.uk/litirbheag

Ruairidh has been telling stories from the west side of Lewis. A local man left us accounts of those stories. This man was famous for various reasons. This week Ruairidh wants to tell us about the man itself. Find out more about Dr Norman Morrison in this week's letter. Accompanying text is available in both English and Gaelic at bbc.co.uk/litirbheag