Buill-chluiche m’òige / Toys of my childhood
Leis an t-Ollamh Dòmhnall E Meek
This story was commissioned as part of our Gaelic Development work. Hopefully, you will enjoy it and find it useful for learning – both about language and about toys!
An Strannachan
Nuair a bha mise nam bhalach beag, bu toigh leam rudan a bhiodh a’ gluasad gu luath agus a’ dèanamh fuaim no strann. B’ e an strannachan aon dhiubh sin.
Airson strannachan a chruthachadh, bhithinn a’ gearradh cearcall à pìos leathraich. Bhithinn a’ cur eagan no ‘fiaclan’ ann an oir a’ chearcaill.
An sin, bhithinn a’ cur dà tholl ann am meadhan a’ chearcaill, agus a’ cur pìosan streing tro na tuill, ‘s a’ ceangal nan streangannan aig gach ceann.
Chuirinn an strannachan mun cuairt ‘s mun cuairt gus an teannaicheadh na streangannan mun cuairt air a chèile.
Nuair a shlaodainn na streangannan air ais ‘s air adhart, bhiodh an strannachan a’ tionndadh gu luath, agus a’ dèanamh strann mhòr bhrèagha!
The Whirrer
When I was a little boy, I liked things which moved quickly and made a noise or a whirr. The ‘whirrer’ was one of these.
In order to create a whirrer, I used to cut a circle from a piece of leather. I would put notches or ‘teeth’ in the edge of the circle.
Then I would put two holes in the centre of the circle, and feed pieces of string through the holes, and tie the strings together at each end.
I would whirl the whirrer round and round until the strings would tighten round one another.
When I would pull the strings backwards and forwards, the whirrer would revolve fast, and make a fine big whirr!
