Transcript

Bhí triúr deartháir ann fadó. A n-ainm Pádraic, Seán agus Éamonn. Phós Éamonn. Agus nuair a bhí sé scathamh póstaí dúirt Pádraic agus Seán lena chéilí go rabh sé ag déanamh thar cionn agus go mb'fhearr dhófa féin rud eicíneacht a dhéanamh. Agus dúirt Pádraic le Seán, "Is tusa an fear is sine anois agus tá sé chomh maith dhuit féin ceann a fháil, agus déanfaidh mise rud eicíneacht eilí ina dhiaidh sin."

Phós Seán an uair seo. Agus ina dhiaidh sin phós Pádraic. Ach bhí na triúr deartháir póstaí ag triúr deirfiúr. Agus nuair a bhí Pádraic póstaí ag bordáil trí seachtainí, dúirt sé leis féin gur gearr go mbeadh sé in am acu a ghoil ar a gcuairt mhíosa agus go labhródh sé lena bhean. Bhí tóir ar an mbraon aige. Agus labhair. Agus dúirt an bhean leis go mb'fhearr dhó é féin a réiteach agus go ngabhfadh siad san oíche Dé Sathairne le cúnamh Dé agus go mb'fhéidir go mbeadh oíche mhaith acu. Ach fuaigh.

Agus nuair a bhí siad rí-ghar dhon teach bhí beirt mhná rompu amuigh ag cur céad míle fáilte rompu. Agus ina dhiaidh seo chruinnigh siad i gceann a chéile, na triúr mná, agus rinne siad suas a n-intinn cé acu is fhearr a chuirfeadh an chóir mhagaidh ar a gcuid fir as sin go ceann seachtaine.

Agus, i nDomhnach, bhí go maith agus ní rabh go holc. Bhí oíche mhór ag Pádraic an oíche seo. Agus ar maidin le fochraí lae ar maidin Dé Domhnaigh dúirt an bhean le Pádraic, "Tá sé chomh maith dhúinn anois, a Phádraic," a deir sí, "gluaise linn agus a ghoil abhailí, nó mur mbí muid sa mbailí in am beidh na daoiní a bheas ag goil ag an aifreann ag magadh fúinn mar tá tú ar do ghlasmheisce."

Agus dúirt Pádraic, "Beidh mise leat," a deir sé, "ar an toirt."

Ach d'éirigh Pádraic suas le n-imeacht. Agus ba mhaith an mhaise sin dh'fhear an tí. D'éirigh sé agus thug sé gloine mór fuisce dhó. Agus d'ól Pádraic é go geanúil. Agus fuaigh siad amach ar an mbóthar. Agus nuair a fuaigh, is beag nár thit Pádraic as a sheasamh le teann óil. Agus dúirt an bhean... D'fhéach sí fúiti agus thairti[1] go bhfeiceadh sí an bhfeicfeadh sí aon duine. Agus bhí sé go díreach ag breacadh lae agus ní fhaca sí duine. Ach tharraing sí isteach Pádraic i leithrigh an bhóthair. Agus nuair a bhí sé leagthaí ansin, mín marbh, chonaic sí fear ag éirí ó bhun choca féir - fear siúil - agus mála ina láimh agus tin can sa láimh eilí.

Bhí go maith agus ní rabh go holc. Tharraing sé amach go díreach glan san áit a rabh sí ina seasamh. Agus d'iarr sí... d'iarr sé déirce. Agus dúirt sise, "Níl aon cheo agam," a deir sí, "le tabhairt duit. Ach," a deir sí, "cé bith chaoi a ngabhfaidh sé, is olc an chulaith éadaigh atá ort. Caith dhaot amach," a deir sí, "agus buail... buail éa-... éadach Phádraic suas ort."

"Ó," a deir sé seo, "ná bí ag magadh fúm."

"Cé bith chaoi a ngabhfaidh sé," a deir sí, "déan an rud atá mé a rá."

Ach rinní.

Translation

Long ago there were three brothers. Their names were Patrick, John and Edmund. Edmund got married. And when he was a while married Patrick and John said to each other that he was doing very well and that they ought to do something themselves. And Patrick said to John, "You are the eldest man now and you might as well get one, and I will do something else after that."

John married this time. And after that Patrick got married. But the three brothers were married to three sisters. And when Patrick had been nearly three weeks married, he said to himself that it would soon be time for them to go on their monthly visit and that he would speak to his wife. He was seeking the drop. And he spoke. And the wife said to him that he had better get himself ready and that they would go on Saturday night with the help of God and that they might have a good night. But they went.

And when they were very close to the house there were two women ahead of them outside bidding them a hundred thousand welcomes. And after this they assembled together, the three women, and they made up their minds as to which one of them would best make fun of their husband for a week after that.

And, indeed, all was well and good. Patrick had a great night this night. And in the morning at the approach of dawn on Sunday the wife said to Patrick, "We had better now, Patrick," she says, "move along and go home, because if we are not at home in time the people who will be going to mass will be laughing at us because you are roaring drunk."

And Patrick said, "I will be with you," he says, "immediately."

And Patrick got up to leave. And the man of the house acted in a becoming manner. He got up and gave him a big glass of whiskey. And Patrick drank it happily. And they went out on the road. And when they did, Patrick nearly fell down with the effects of drinking. And the woman said..... She looked here and there so that she would see if she could see anyone. And it was exactly daybreak and she saw no-one. But she pulled Patrick into the side of the road. And when he was laid down there, dead to the world, she saw a man rising from the bottom of a cock of hay - a traveller - with a bag in his hand and a tin can in the other hand.

All was well and good. He pulled out exactly in the place where she was standing. And she asked... he asked for charity. And she said, "I have nothing," she says, "to give you. But," she says, "whatever way it may go, that is a bad suit of clothing you are wearing. Throw it off," she says, "and put... Patrick's clothes on."

"Oh," says this one, "don't be laughing at me."

"Whatever way it may go," she says, "do what I am saying."

And he did.

Footnotes

Commentary

This story is clearly incomplete, but is likely to be a version of an international folktale, ATU 1406 The three clever wives wager. It concerns an arrangement between three wives as to who can best fool her husband. The story was first documented in medieval Europe, and has since been recorded throughout Europe, across northern Asia and in northern Africa. See Hans Jorg Uther, The types of international folktales: a classification and bibliography (3 vols, Helsinki, 2004). The story is moderately popular in Ireland, having been recorded in Munster, western Connacht and county Donegal in Ulster. See Seán Ó Súilleabháin and Rieder Th. Christiansen, The types of the Irish folktale (Helsinki, 1968). Some international folk motifs found in the current narrative include K1545 Wives wager as to who can best fool her husband and T69.1.1 Three brothers married to three sisters. See Stith Thompson, Motif-index of folk literature (rev. and enlarged ed., 6 vols, Bloomington, Ind., 1955-8).