Transcript

Bhí bean fadó ann. Agus bhí triúr mac aici. Agus aon lá amháin dúirt an mac ba sine go ngabhfadh sé ar aimsir. Agus dúirt sí leis (bodhrán) uisce a thabhairt isteach ón tobar. Agus thug sé... Agus chuaigh sé ag an tobar agus thum sé síos an (bodhrán) sa tobar. Dheamhan deoir a d'fhan ann. Thum sé síos aríst é. Dheamhan deoir a d'fhan ann. Tháinig an spideoigín ar an gclaí. Bhuail (deoir de) agus bhuail chuile shórt (é). Is b'fhéidir go bhfanfadh deoir eicínt ann. Thum sé síos ansin é is d'fhan braon beag (ar a bhogha). Thug sé... Rug sé isteach é. Agus rinne a mháthair cáca. Agus nuair a bhí an cáca bruite rinne sí dhá leith dhon cháca.

"Ar fearr leat an leath bheag is mo mhallacht anois," a deir sí, "nó an leath mhór is mo bheannacht?"

"B'fhearr liom an leath bheag is do mhallacht," a deir sé.

Thug sí an leath bheag dhó. Chuaigh sé... Chuaigh sí suas sa scioból. Chuir seacht míle mallacht leis nó gur (bhailigh) sé as a (sheasamh). Bhí an deireadh anois ag teacht. D'fhág an cat an tobairín leis (le) uachtar meala air agus íochtar fola.

"(...) (in am)," a deir sé. "Íosfaidh mé mo bhéilí."

Shuigh sé síos. Thosaigh sé ag ithe. Is gearr go dtáinig coileáinín beag dho ghadhar ar bhruach an tobair.

"An dtiúrfá (cuid) (...) (dom)?" a deir sé.

Níor thug sé aon bhit dhó. Agus tháinig uachtar fola ar an tobar agus íochtar meala. Agus d'imigh leis. Is gearr gur casadh i dteach é. Agus d'fhiafraigh sé dhon fhear an tí an gcoinneodh sé ar aimsir é. Dúirt sé go gcoinneodh. Agus ar maidin lá arna mháireach d'ith sé a bhricfeasta is chuaigh sé amach ag (...)ocraíocht le beithígh. Agus shuigh sé síos faoi bhun crann ann. Is gearr gur airigh sé íochtar na coille ag goil ina huachtar agus uachtar ag goil in íochtar. Agus tháinig fathach mór go dtí é. Chúig cheann, chúig (mheall), is seacht muin-... chúig mhuiníl. Agus d'fhiafraigh sé dhó cén fáth dhó ghoil ag cur sto-... beithígh ar a chuid talúna.

"Is beag liom dho ghreim thú," a deir sé. "Is mór liom dho dhá ghreim thú. Is sul mbeadh gráinne salainn ar do mhullach d'íosfainn dho aon ghreim amháin thú."

"(...) (carria ar leacracha cois claimhe) a chuid sceana mórfhada (...) chéile. Is fearr liom an (carria) ar leacracha glasa mar is iad is mó ariamh a chleacht mé. Budh 'iod an (carria). Is gearr go bhfuair sé an ceann ab fhearr ar an bhfathach. Chuir mé mo chaipín draíocht, is mo chlaimhe solais, agus m'aprún gabhann, (...) (Mhárta), is seacht míle (roinnte), (...) (Mhárta), is seacht míle ina diaidh uirthi. Is é bhéarfaidh mé ar faobhar do chlaimhe," a deir sé, "ar an (mbocán) is gráinne sin. Ní fheicimse bocán istigh ann is gráinne ná do bhocán féin."

Bhuail sé an cloigeann. Is thug sé (dhon) cholainn é. Is bhí míle cloigeann thart ar an gcolainn arís. Agus bhuail sé é. Agus rinne sé dhá leith dhó.

"Tá mé réidh anois," a deir an cloigeann.

"Tá sin," arsa (...).

Translation

Translation in hand. Aistriúchán go Béarla idir lámha.

Commentary

This story appears to borrow a number of motifs and plots from various other narratives. The incident regarding the giant appears to be similar to a folktale that was recorded in Jeremiah Curtin's Myths and folklore of Ireland (Boston, 1890), 56. Further versions can be found in Énrí Ó Muirgheasa, 'Síogaidhe Dhún Gheanainn', Béaloideas 2:4 (1930), 408-415: 414. These narratives are very similar to the current example, and involve a young man entering the service of a farmer. While looking after a herd, he is confronted by a gaint or ogre, who in many versions has multiple heads, which he defeats and decapitates. They are thematically related to a series of international folktales that involve slaying a dragon or giant. Examples include ATU 304 The dangerous night-watch, ATU 302B Life dependant on a sword and ATU 300 The dragon-slayer. These are extremely popular stories, appearing worldwide in great numbers. The beginning of the story may also be related to another folktale, namely ATU 480 The kind and the unkind girls. This story involves a girl who is stuck in a well and, after a series of events where she helps animals, enters the service of an old man. She must complete several arduous tasks, including carrying water in a sieve. She is to be given remuneration, and has to choose between a grand or modest reward. She chooses the lesser option, which ends up being extremely rewarding. See Hans Jorg Uther, The types of international folktales: a classification and bibliography (3 vols, Helsinki, 2004). Stories of dragon-slayers are one of the most popular types of folktale in Ireland, with many examples appearing all over the country. ATU 480 is moderately popular in Ireland, but is fairly evenly spread throughout the country. See Seán Ó Súilleabháin and Rieder Th. Christiansen, The types of the Irish folktale (Helsinki, 1968). Some of the international folk motifs found in the story include H1023.2 Carry water in a sieve, F531.1.2.2.3 Five-headed giant, D1067.1 Magic hat, D1081. Magic sword and J229.3 Choice: a big piece of cake with my curse or a small piece with my blessing. See Stith Thompson, Motif-index of folk literature (rev. and enlarged ed., 6 vols, Bloomington, Ind., 1955-8).

Other versions include 'The Shee an Gannon and the Gruagach Gaire' in David Nutt, Celtic fairy tales (London, 1892), 'The Cu-Beag of the Willow-Wood' in Seumas MacManus, The Donegal wonder book (New York, 1926) and 'Billy Beg and the Bull' in Seumas MacManus, In chimney corners (New York, 1918).