Nach ann ort a thàinig an dà latha!  / Changed Days!

Sgeulachd Jan is Griet

 

Nuair a chuala mi an abairt sin a’ chiad turas, smaoinich mi mu dheidhinn seann sgeulachd a dh’innis caraid à Chologne dhomh air an ionad-margaidh anns a’ phairt as sine den bhaile, nuair a thug mi sùil air ìomhaigh de sheanailear. ’S e an fhìrinn a th’ anns an sgeulachd seo, ged a tha i nas coltaiche ri fionnsgeul.

Bha duine òg bochd aig àm a’ Chogaidh Deich Bliadhna air Fhichead a’ fuireach ann an Köln.  B’ e Jan von Werth an t-ainm a bha air agus ged a bha e bochd, bha e miannaich air adhartas. Ghabh e gaol air Griet, caileag bhòidheach a bha na searbhanta ann an taigh ceannaiche bheartaich. Thathar ag ràdh gum faca e i a’ chiad turas nuair a bha e a’ coimhead às dèidh nan each anns a’ mhargadh far am biodh ise a’ ceannach am biadh gach latha.  Bha esan ag iarraidh a pòsadh, ach b’ e an ceannaiche ris an robh dùil aicese pòsadh na àite, agus chuir i air falbh e.

Às dèidh dhi a dhiùltadh, ghabh e san arm agus shiubhail e tron Roinn-Eòrpa, cho fad air falbh bho Chologne agus bho Ghriet ’s a b’ urrainn dha a bhith. B’ e saighdear tàlantach calma a bh’ ann agus ri tìde dh’ fhàs e gu math ainmeil. Thòisich e mar shaighdear-coise cumanta ach aig deireadh a’ chogaidh b’ e seanailear-eachraidh a bh’ ann. Fhuair e buaidh mhòr air na Fraingich aig Caisteal Ehrenbreitstein air an Rhine faisg air Koblenz, rud a dh’fhosgail an Rhine airson malairt a-rithist. Bha seo  cudromach dha-rìribh do Chologne agus agus às an adhbhar sin thill e mar ghaisgeach dhan bhaile.

 Bha a h-uile duine air chois gus an gaisgeach fhaicinn, bha geataichean a’ bhaile fosgailte, agus esan a’ marcachd gu moiteil air each àrd tron bhaile thaingeil. Nuair a ràinig e an dearbh ionad-margaidh air an robh cuimhne aige à làithean òige, mhothaich e dha cailleach-mhargaidh ìosal a’ reic meas ri taobh an rathaid. BU ghann gun chreideadh e a dhà shùil – b’ e Griet a bh’ ann.

 Choimhead e sìos rithe agus thuirt e, ann an cànan ionadail Chologne,

‘ Jriet, wä et hätt jedon!’  -‘Griet, nam biodh tu air a dhèanamh!’ (=Nam biodh tu air mo phòsadh.)

Ars ise, ‘ Jan, wä et hätt jewoss!’  – Jan, nam biodh direach fios air a bhith agam!

Agus cha robh dùnadh sona aig an sgeul – thathar ag ràdh gun do mharcaich e na b’ fhaide is dh’fhàg e i às dèidh sin agus nach fhaca i a-rithist e. 

 Seadh, nach ann orra a thàinig an dà latha!

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 Changed Days – the story of Jan and Griet

 When I first heard the Gaelic expression for ‘Changed days!’ (‘Didn’t both days come to you!’),  I was reminded of an old story told to me by a friend showing me round Cologne when I noticed a statue of a general in the marketplace in the oldest part of the town. It’s a true story, even though it sounds more like a legend.

 At the time  of the Thirty Years War a penniless young man lived in Cologne. His name was Jan von Werth and though he was poor, he was ambitious. He fell in love with Griet, a pretty girl working as a maid to a rich merchant. It’s said that he first set eyes on her when he was minding horses in the market where she did her shopping every day.  He wanted to marry her but it was the merchant she had set her sights on, not him, and she sent him packing.

 

 After she refused him, he enlisted in the army and travelled around Europe, getting as far away from Cologne and Griet as he could. He was a talented, brave soldier and in the course of time he acquired quite a reputation. He began as a common foot-soldier but by the end of the war he was a cavalry general. He won a great victory over the French at Ehrenbreitstein Castle on the Rhine near Koblenz, which opened up the Rhine to trade again. This was extremely important for Cologne and so it came that he returned home as a hero.

 

 Everyone had turned out to see the hero, the city gates were opened, and he came riding  proudly on a tall horse through the grateful town. When he reached the same marketplace that he remembered from his young days, he noticed a lowly old market-woman selling fruit by the side of the road. He couldn’t believe his eyes – it was Griet.

 

Looking down at her , he said, in the local Cologne dialect:

‘ Jriet, wä et hätt jedon!’ – Griet, if only you’d done it! (i.e. married me)

And she replied: ‘ Jan, wä et hätt jewoss!’  – Jan, if only I’d known!

 

 But the story doesn’t have a happy ending. It’s said that he just rode off and left her then, and that she never saw him again.

 Yes, changed days indeed, for both of them!