Cù Giobach by Colas Gutman, Illustrated by Marc Boutvant.
Translated by Gillebrìde Mac ‘IlleMhaoil.
Review by Morag Ann MacNeil
’S e leabhar chloinne Frangach, sgrìobhte le Colas Gutman, a th’ ann an Chien Pourri agus tha e againn a-nis anns a’ Ghàidhlig air sàillibh an deagh obair aig Gillebrìde Mac ’IlleMhaoil. Tha Cù Giobach gar toirt gu ruige Paris, far a bheil an creutair bochd seo a’ fuireach, is gun mòran toileachais no cofhurtachd na bheatha ach mar a thèid aige fhèin air sgròbadh bho sgudal nan sràidean.
Mus bi sinn ach air ceithir duilleagan a leughadh, tha an stòiridh a’ brosnachadh truas annainn is sinn a’ faighinn a-mach: nach eil sgeul aige air a phàrantan; gu bheil e salach, robach is na chùis-ghràin le mialan; gu bheil e a’ sgreamhachadh dhaoine leis an fhàileadh a tha às; agus mur nach fòghnadh sin fhèin dha, gu bheil e “cho gòrach ris na h-uiseagan” cuideachd.
Chan eil caraid aige san t-saoghal ach Piseag Phiollach – truaghag riaslach eile aig a bheil a cuibhreann fhèin de thrioblaidean. Chaidh ise fo rothan làraidh nuair a bha i trì mìosan a dh’aois agus tha i a-nis “cho còmhnard ri duilleig phàipeir”. Abair paidhir! Cha robh iad a’ cuimhneachadh dhomh ach an dìol-dèirce mì-thoilichte a thuirt rium uaireigin: “mura b’ e an droch fhortan a th’ agam, cha bhiodh fortan de sheòrsa sam bith agam!”
Ach chan eil càil a dhìth air a’ chù ghiobach seo ach maighstir. Maighstir a bheir beagan gaoil dha is criomagan blasta ri ithe an-dràsta ’s a-rithist. Agus nuair a tha a’ Phiseag Phiollach ga bhrosnachadh a dhol a-mach dhan t-saoghal mhòr agus am maighstir seo a lorg, tha Gillebrìde gar toirt air dàna-thuras mìorbhaileach, agus sinn air bhioran ach dè an ath rud a thachras dhan amadan coin a tha seo.
Tha sinn a’ leantainn a’ choin ghiobaich tro chunnartan is ghàbhaidhean, ’s gun for aige nach eil a h-uile duine ris an coinnich e gu bhith coibhneil ris, agus gu bheil feadhainn ann a’ lùigeadh cron dha. Ach ge brith dè tha a’ tachairt dha, tha e fhathast neoichiontach, earbsach, agus chan eil e a’ call a mhisneachd. Ged nach eil e glic no glan, tha e dìleas agus còir, agus aig deireadh an sgeòil, chan eil teagamh nach e gaisgeach dha-rìribh a th’ ann. Agus a dh’aindeoin nan suidheachaidhean dùbhlanach anns a bheil na caractaran a’ tighinn beò, ’s e sgeulachd èibhinn a th’ innte cuideachd.
Tha mi air rud no dhà a leughadh mun leabhar thùsail, agus uallach air cuid gu bheil e a’ dèiligeadh ri cuspairean nach eil freagarrach do chluasan beaga. (Rudan borba, an-iochdmhor a’ tachairt do chreutairean neoichiontach, is daoine garg a’ gabhail brath orra.) Ach tha rudan mar seo a’ nochdadh gu tric is minig ann an litreachas chloinne, agus ged nach eil ann ach ficsean, saoilidh mi gu bheil clann comasach air dèiligeadh ri cuspairean dùbhlanach, agus gu bheil iad gan cuideachadh a bhith a’ mìneachadh an t-saoghail a tha mun cuairt orra. Nach eil iad cuideachd ag ionnsachadh mu ghaol is mu chàirdeas, mu choibhneas is mu cho-fhaireachadh, agus mu gu leòr eile a bharrachd aig a’ cheart àm?
Agus tha Gillebrìde a’ dèiligeadh ris na rudan seo uile gu sgileil is gu h-iomchaidh, agus a’ toirt dhuinn sgeulachd a tha blàth, drùidhteach is air a deagh eadar-theangachadh gu Gàidhlig bhrèagha Uibhist a Deas. Tha an cànan freagarrach gu leòr do chloinn a tha airson deagh stòiridh a leughadh leotha fhèin, agus tha na dealbhannan eireachdail aig Marc Boutavant a’ cur an snas fhèin oirre is sinn a’ faicinn nan caractaran tarraingeach a’ tighinn beò air na duilleagan.
Chòrd seo rium dìreach glan agus cuiridh mi geall gum bi fèill air an leabhar seo airson bliadhnaichean mòra ri thighinn. ’S e seo a’ chiad leabhar ann an sreath, agus tha mi an dòchas gum faigh sinn cothrom air tuilleadh dhiubh a leughadh sa Ghàidhlig.
English Translation of Review by Morag Ann MacNeil
Cù Giobach (Chien Pourri)
Chien Pourri is a French children’s book, written by Colas Gutman, and now we have it in Gaelic thanks to the excellent work of Gillebrìde Mac ’IlleMhaoil. Chien Pourri takes us to Paris, where this poor creature lives, with little joy or comfort in his life except for how he manages to scavenge from the garbage on the streets.
Before we have read even four pages, the story inspires pity in us as we discover: that he has no news of his parents; that he is dirty, filthy and infested with lice; that he scares people away with his foul smell; and if that were not enough for him, that he is also “as stupid as a lark”.
He has no friend in the world but Flat Cat – another wretched little thing who has her own share of troubles. She was run over by a truck when she was three months old and is now “as flat as a sheet of paper”. What a pair! They reminded me only of the unhappy beggar who once said to me: “If it weren’t for my bad luck, I wouldn’t have any luck at all!”
But this mischievous dog needs nothing more than a master. A master who will give him some love and tasty treats every now and then. And when the Flat Cat encourages him to go out into the big world and find this master, Gillebrìde takes us on a wonderful adventure, and we are excited to see what happens next for this silly dog.
We follow the hound dog through danger, then more danger, and he realizes that not everyone he meets will be kind to him, and that there are some who wish him harm. But no matter what happens to him, he remains innocent, trustworthy, and does not lose his courage. Although he is not smart or clean, he is loyal and kind, and by the end of the story, there is no doubt that he is a true hero. And despite the challenging circumstances in which the characters survive, it is also a funny story.
I’ve read a few things about the original book, and some have complained that it deals with themes that are not suitable for young ears. (Vicious, cruel things happening to innocent creatures, and cruel people taking advantage of them.) But things like this appear often in children’s literature, and even though it’s only fiction, I think children are able to deal with challenging themes, and that they help them interpret the world around them. Aren’t they also learning about love and friendship, about kindness and empathy, and about so much more at the same time?
And Gillebrìde deals with all of these things skillfully and appropriately, and gives us a story that is warm, touching and well translated into beautiful Gaelic. The language is suitable enough for children who want to read a good story on their own, and Marc Boutavant’s gorgeous illustrations add their own touch as we see the charming characters come to life on the pages.
I absolutely loved this, and I bet this book will be popular for many years to come. This is the first book in a series, and I hope we get the chance to read more of them in Gaelic.
