Tras-scríbhinn

Bhí mise anseo (in arm Fheilimidh Óig 'ig Aoidh). Tógadh in airde mé, buaileadh fá lár mé, (Mag Aoidh mé i mo dhéidh mé, Seán Óg ó inné mé).

Bhí trí caoirigh corránghlasa agam, mo thrí gabhair corránbhreaca, mo ghearrán beag (créata) agus a (ghealphúdar). Tháinig Liam Buí Mhac an tSacáin an rógaire agus ghoid sé uaim iad. Nuair a ba deise duid é, sin nuair ab fhaide uaid é, le goid, le bruín agus le síorghadaíocht. Tá mé ar an tsaol le seacht... Bhí sé ar an tsaol le seacht (leithbhlianacha fichead roimh a ghar-athair). D'imigh mé liom a chuartú Liam go dtáinig neoin bheag agus deireadh an lae orm. Casadh isteach ag trí buachaillí na mbó mé, trí tua cúlramhar, béaltana agus iad ag baint crainn cheabáiste.

"Nach breá na crainn cheabáiste iad sin?" a duirt mé féin.

"Ní crainn cheabáiste iad seo," arsa siadsan, "ach (miolar bairneach) a chuir an Rí Mór na Glóire 'ugainn le sé ár mbeathadh, ár gcothú agus má fhanann tú go maidin gheobhaidh tú féin do chuid acu."

Ba bhuí bocht liom iarraidh orm nó bhí an t-ocras orm. Ar maidin lá harna mhárach d'éirigh mé, shiúil liom go dtáinig neoin bheag agus deireadh an lae orm. Casadh isteach ag trí buachaillí na mbó mé, trí tua cúlramhar, trí spádaí béalramhar agus cúltana agus iad ag baint mileátais[1].

"Nach breá na mileátais iad sin?" arsa mé féin.

"Ní mileátais iad seo," ar siadsan, "ach ceirtlíneacha[2] an fhómhair a chuir an Rí Mór na Glóire 'ugainn le sé ár mbeathadh, ár gcothú, agus má fhanann tú go maidin gheobhaidh tú féin do chuid acu."

Ba bhuí bocht liom iarraidh orm nó bhí an t-ocras orm. Ach ar maidin lá harna mhárach d'éirigh mé, shiúil liom go dtí ' dtáinig mé go dtí bruach na farraige. Rinn mé long mhór de mo chasóg, cába de mo hata agus seol de mo bhata gur thóg mé liom an long mhór luchtmhar sin ag éisteacht le rattle phéistí móra agus le lúbar na heascann go rabh mé sa teach ab fhaide siar in Éirinn, toigh Mháire Ní Óráin. Bhí seanteach soipeach sopach ansin. An deor a ba cheart tuitim ag an doras ann bhí sí ag tuitim thuas i lár an toighe. Bhi seanstaighre briste bearnach ann. Amhancaim suas. Tchím an chailleach mhaol odhar ag teacht amach thuas, achan fhiacail aici (a dhéanamh) pionna brollaigh daoithe, agus céard eile a bhí aici, a fheara, níl mé ag goil a inse daoibh. Bhí an Béarla an t-am sin agam, faraor rud nach bhfuil anois.

"Fwhat you do there?" arsa an chailleach liom féin.

"Fwhat you do there?" arsa mé féin leis an chailligh. "Bhí mé tamall sa Spáinn ag foghlaim Béarla agus (ramaireadh)[3] ortsa, a chailligh."

Níl i bhfad go bhfaca mé Liam ag cur a chloiginn amach thuas ar a cúl. Bheir mé ar Liam. Tharraing mé anuas é. Bhuail mé ceathair nó cúig dhe dhoirn air go plucánta placánta isteach in lagán an toill air. Fuaigh mé siar i (gcróán) a bhí thiar i gcúl an toighe. Thug mé liom mo chuid caoirigh agus gabhar 'na[4] bhaile.

Bhuel, an gcuala sibh ariamh gur mharbh mé an slua beag, slua mór, slua meánach, an sean-nduine[5] is a chailleach, reithe bhun an fhásaigh, tarbh dubh an ghleanna, cat an cháir, agus pisín beag na luatha. Dúirt pisín na luatha liom, "Nach b'é sin mo mhuintir go huile. Beidh daor ort. Och, och."

Aistriúchán

I was here in (...). I was taken up, I was hit to the ground, (...).

I had three (...) sheep, my three (...) goats, my little (...) gelding and its (...). Liam Buí Mac an tSacáin the rogue came and stole them from me. When he was nearest to you, that's when he was furthest from you, thieving, fighting and constantly robbing. I am alive for seven... He was alive for seven years(?) (...) before (...). I went off looking for Liam until night fell upon me. I came upon three cowherds, [with] three thick-backed narrow-mouthed axes and they were cutting cabbages.

"Aren't they fine cabbages?" I said.

"These are not cabbages," they said, "but (...) of limpets(?) which God the great and glorious sent us with a blessing to feed us, and if you wait until morning you will get some of them yourself."

I was more than glad they asked me, for I was hungry. The following morning I got up and walked until night fell upon me. I came across three cowherds, [with] three thick-backed axes and three thick-mouthed and narrow-backed spades and they were harvesting potatoes.

"Aren't they fine potatoes?" I said.

"These are not potatoes," they said, "but autumn cabbages(?) which God the great and glorious sent us with a blessing to feed us, and if you wait until morning you will get your share of them."

I was more than glad they asked me, for I was hungry. The following day I got up and walked on until I came to the edge of the sea. I made a big ship of my coat, a cape of my hat and a sail of my stick, and I took that big well-laden ship and listened to the grunting(?) of whales and the twisting eels until I was in the westernmost house in Ireland, the house of Máire Ní Óráin. There was an old thatched house there. The rainwater which should fall at the door fell in the middle of the house. There was an old broken-down stairs in it. I looked up. I saw a bald dark hag coming out above, with every one of her teeth serving(?) as breastpins for her, and I am not even going to describe the rest of her. I spoke English at that time, something I cannot do now, alas.

"Fwhat you do there?" said the hag to me.

"Fwhat you do there?" said I to the hag. "I was a while in Spain learning English, and bad cess (?) to you, hag."

It wasn't long till I saw Liam sticking his head out above behind her. I caught Liam. I pulled him down. I hit him with four or five good punches in his backside. I went back into a shed(?) behind the house. I brought my sheep and goats home.

Well, did you ever hear that I killed the small crowd, a big crowd, a middling crowd, the old man and his hag, the ram of the back of beyond, the black bull of the glen, the cat of the grimace, and the little fireside kitten. The fireside kitten said to me, "Isn't that my whole family. You will pay dearly. Och! och!"

Fonótaí

Tráchtaireacht

Baineann an scéal seo le cinéal idirnáisiúnta béaloidis ar a dtugtar an 'Tall Tale' nó scéal mhadra na n-ocht gcos. Mar shiamsaíocht a d'insítí iad seo, agus bíonn siad lán d'aon ghnó de shonraí aisteacha. Tugtar giúrainn ar chabáiste agus tugtar croíthe cabáistí ar phrátaí sa scéal, rud a thugann le tuiscint go mb'fhéidir go bhfuil ceangal idir é agus an mhóitíf idirnáisiúnta béaloidis X1506 The extraordinary names. Féach Stith Thompson, Motif-index of folk literature (atheagrán méadaithe, 6 iml., Bloomington, Ind., 1955-8). Faightear an mhóitíf seo i scéal ó Shamhain go Bealtaine dar teideal ATU 1940 The extraordinary names, agus ina dtugtar ainmneacha neamhchoitianta ar nithe éagsúla. Féach Hans Jorg Uther, The types of international folktales: a classification and bibliography (3 iml., Helsinki, 2004). Ar chósta thiar na hÉireann is mó a fhaightear é, agus tá sampla amháin againn as Loch Garman. Féach Seán Ó Súilleabháin agus Rieder Th. Christiansen, The types of the Irish folktale (Helsinki, 1968).

Is díol suime é go bhfuil Máire Ní Óráin, a mhaireann sa teach is sia siar in Éirinn, sa scéal seo. D'fhéadfadh sé, b'fhéidir, go bhfuil ceangal idir í agus Mór, pearsa ón miotaseolaíocht a bhain le bandia talún in Éire na réamh-Chríostaíochta agus a mhair sa bhéaloideas ina dhiaidh sin. Is abhatáir den bhandia seo iad pearsana mar an Mhór-Ríoghan agus Mór Mumhan, agus deirtí gur mhair Mór Mumhan i dteach i bparóiste iartharach Dhún Chaoin i gcontae Chiarraí. D'fhéadfadh sé leis gur pearsa mar seo atá i Máire Ní Óráin. Féach Dáithí Ó hÓgáin, Myth, legend and romance (Nua-Eabhrac, 1991), 305-10.