Transcript

Tháinig an sagart chuig Aindrias agus dúirt sé leis, "Tuige nach dtáinig tú chugamsa ar ball nuair a bhí mé ag glaoch ort?"

"Ní rabh tú ag glaoch ormsa," arsa Aindrias, "shíl mé."

"Bhuel, cén t-ainm atá ort?" ar (seisean).

Tá Aindrias Ó Lócháin as (Cruchan)," ar seisean.

"Bhuel, a Aindrias, an bhfuil Teagasc Críostaí agad?"

"Tá cuide dhó," arsa Aindrias.

"Abair na seacht sacraiméad dom," a dúirt an sagart.

"Baisteadh, ghoil faoi láimh easpaig, sacraiméad na haithrí, sacraiméad chorp Chríosta, sagart, ola dhéanach agus pósadh."

"Maith an buachaill thú, a Aindrias. Anois, abair na deich n-aithne dhom. Cé mhéad aithne a d'fhág Dia ar an talamh?" a dúirt sé.

"Deich n-aithne."

"Abair iad."

Creidim, a mhic, Dia go glan. Ná tabhair ainm Dé gan fáth. Coiméad an tsaoire mar is cóir. Tabhair dho t'athair agus do do mháthair onóir. Ná déan peaca marbh, goid ná drúis, ná fianaisí bhréige in aon chúis. Ná santaigh bean nach leat féin, clann duine eile ná a airnéis. Em... clann duine eile ná a airnéis."

"Anois, a Aindrias," ar (seisean), "cén trí ní is mó námhaid ag a... ag an anam?"

"An saol, an Deabhal agus an cholainn," a dúirt Aindrias.

"Anois, tig leat a ghoil abhaile, a Aindrias," ar (seisean).

"Ní rachaidh mise abhaile," arsa Aindrias, "go n-inseoidh tú dhomsa cén trí ní is mó námhaid ag an gcolainn."

"Gan bhréag, níl a fhios agam, a Aindrias," a dúirt sé. "Ach tá a fhios a'm gurb (olc) an rud (furast)."

"Ó, inis dhomsa ceart é," arsa Aindrias.

"Dhá bhfaghfá (...) chomh minic agus fuair mise, bheadh a fhios agad go maith é," a dúirt sé.

"Nach bhfuil a fhios agad," ar (seisean), "go bhfuil fearthainn anuas, súí[1] (sileáin) agus dreancaidí."

Translation

The priest came to Aindrias and he said to him, "Why didn't you come to me a while ago when I was calling you?"

"You weren't calling me," said Aindrias, "I thought."

"Well, what's your name?" he said.

Aindrias Ó Lócháin from Cruchan(?)," he said.

"Well, Aindrias, do you know your Catechism?"

"Some of it," said Aindrias.

"Name for me the seven sacraments," said the priest.

"Baptism, confirmation, the sacrament of penance, the sacrament of communion, ordination, the last rites and marriage."

"Good boy, Aindrias. Now, name for me the ten commandments. How many commandments did God give to the world?" he said.

"Ten commandments."

"Name them."

I truly believe, son, in God. Do not say God's name in vain. Keep the Sabbath as is proper. Honour your father and your mother. Do not commit mortal sin, steal or commit adultery, or bear false witness in any case. Do not covet a woman who is not yours, another person's progeny or his goods. Em... another person's progeny or his goods."

"Now, Aindrias," he said, "which three things are the greatest enemy of the... of the soul?"

"The world, the Devil and the body," said Aindrias.

"Now, you may go home, Aindrias," he said.

"I won't go home," said Aindrias, "until you tell me which three things are the body's greatest enemy."

"To tell you the truth, I don't know, Aindrias," he said. "But I know that what is easy(?) is bad(?)."

"Oh, tell me about it," said Aindrias.

"If you got (...) as often as I have, you would know it well," he said.

"Don't you know," he said, "that it's rain from above, soot and fleas."

Footnotes

Commentary

This appears to be a version of an international folktale, AT 1810 Anecdotes about catechism. It could also be considered a variant of another folktale, 1832 The boy answers the clergyman, which usually ends with a quick-witted answer that is meant to send up the priest. See Hans Jorg Uther, The types of international folktales: a classification and bibliography (3 vols, Helsinki, 2004). The former tale is well known all over Ireland, with examples from the four provinces. See Seán Ó Súilleabháin and Rieder Th. Christiansen, The types of the Irish folktale (Helsinki, 1968). It is related to another story in the Doegen collection, under the title 'Sagart Ghleanna Beithe', told by Seán Ó Conaill of county Kerry.