Tras-scríbhinn

Bhíos oíche áirithe ag dul ag iascach agus spiléar fé m'oscaill. Agus níorbh fhada ón dtigh a bhíos nuair a chuala glór na mbróg im dheabhaidh. D'fhéachainn im dhiaidh nuair a chloisinn mór ard an glór, agus ní fheicinn éinne nó gur chuas timpeall le ceathrú mhíle ón dtigh. Agus, em, do bhí an t-eagla ag teacht orm ana-mhór.

Cad a dheineas ná an spiléar a bhualadh isteach ar an gclaí. Dúrt leis an bhfear más aicsean a bhí uaidh nó mé féin teacht os mo choinne amach is más babhta bocsála a bhí uaidh go rabhas ábaltha ar é thabhairt dó. (...) duine éicint (...) marab é sin é (...) mise (...) an bhuachalla críonna. D'imigh sé uaim (is deabhadh air) agus níor chuala glór bróg ná stoc as san amach im dheabhaidh.

Síos liom go dtí an dtráigh lem spiléar is chuireas isteach i naomhóig é chomh neamheaglach is táim ar (an neoin) anso. Ach do bhí sé ann go siúrfírinneach, bhí. Ní fheaca as san amach é.

Aistriúchán

One night I was going fishing and was carrying a longline under my arm. And I wasn't far from the house when I heard the noise of shoes following me. I kept looking behind me when I heard the noise getting louder, and I couldn't see anyone until I had gone about a quarter of a mile from the house. And I was getting very frightened.

What did I do only put the longline inside on the wall. I told the man that if it was action or myself he wanted to come before me and that if he wanted a bout of boxing I was well able to give it to him. (...) somebody (...) if it wasn't that (...) I (...) of the old boy. He left me in a hurry (?) and I didn't hear the noise of a shoe or a beast behind me after that.

Off I went down to the beach with my longline and I put it into a canoe as fearless as I am here now. But he was surely and truthfully there I tell you. I didn't see him after that.

Tráchtaireacht

Sampla é seo de mheabhraíd, scéal á insint mar gheall ar thaithí phearsanta a gcreidtear gur eachtra osnádúrtha a bhí ann. Cumtar na scéalta seo nuair a tharlaíonn rud áirithe do dhuine agus go mbaineann sé ciall as de réir chreidiúintí áirithe, nó trí mhodhanna insinte traidisiúnta atá ar fáil go forleathan sa chultúr lena mbaineann sé. Féach Juha Pentikainen, 'Belief, memorate, and legend', Folklore Forum 6 (1973), 217-41. An eilimint osnádúrtha sa scéal seo ná an púca, cineál spride nó taibhse nó sióige. Sna finscéalta déantar cur síos ar an tslí ina gcuireann sé cuma ainmhí air féin de ghnáth, agus go gciapann sé daoine atá ag taisteal istoíche. Féach Deasún Breathnach, Chugat an púca (BÁC, 1993).