Eachtraí Ghiolla an Amaráin Nua: III (1956)

Áralt Ó Tnúthail, composed in Toronto, Ontario

“Is iomaí eachtraí a tharla i saol an duine. Eachtraí grinn go mór mór arae is deacair iad go léir do choimhéad id cheann, agus is fiú iad a theacht i machnamh agus scéal éigin uait.

Ceann amháin a smaoineamh, a thit amach an samhradh seo thart.

Lá éigin agus mise ag obair sa ngaráiste thóg mé coiscéim aniar. Mo bhrón. Do bhí ráca féir in a luí an aghaidh an bhfalla. Sheas mé air agus fuaireas buille ar mo chloigeann. Nach mise an duine bocht a chonaic na réaltaí áille. Scuab mé an t-urlár agus amach sa ngáirdín leis an ráca féir agus an rámhainn.

Bhíos ag obair uair nó mar sin agus ní raibh an ráca i m’aigne. Ach sheasas arís air agus fuaireas buille eile fén shúil. Do bhí súil mhór ghorm agam ar feadh seachtaine in a dhiaidh.

Fadó m’óige. Do bhí maidrín dubh beag agam agus gan amhras ‘Bran’ an ainm a tugadh air. Ní raibh sé ró-mhisneach in aon chor agus is minic a rith cois in áirde ó mhadra eile – nó cat mór freisin.

Lá amháin bhíomar amach fán spéir ag siúl go suaimhneach suas an mbóithrín ag éisteacht le cantain na n-éan, agus blas an fhéir agus na bláth’ fia im shrón. Istigh i bpáirc éigin leis an ngadhar mbeag agus sealbhán bó do scaipeadh. Bhí sé ag glaoch go meidhreach – ach fán nóiméad cad atá ag teacht? Madadh mar chaora bhí ag teacht agus fearg Fearghais air.

Do chuir Bran béic as le scanradh agus tháinig sé chugam ar séideadh na gaoithe nó eiteog na fáinleoige. Scaoil sé chomh tapaidh sin nach raibh sé ach ina liathróid bhig roimh an ghaoth.

Shrois an madra beag mé féin agus an madadh eile in a dhiaidh. Ritheadar im’ thimpeall agus tháinig an t-eagla orm nach mbeidh aon éadaigh agam. Ach, a charaid, tháinig an feirmeoir agus ghlaoigh sé ar an madadh mór agus d’imigh sé. Rith Bran ina dhiaidh ag glaoch na ndroch-ainmneacha air. Níor chuir an madadh mór aon tsuim san droch-chaint as an madra beag agus i gceann tamaill bhíodar ag siúl go sona suaimhneas arís.”

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“It is many adventures that happen in a person’s life. Funny adventures for the greatest part but it is difficult to keep them all in your head, and they are worth reflecting on and telling about in some stories.

One I think of happened this past summer.

One day and I was working in the garage, I took a step backwards. Alas. A hay rake was lying against the wall. I stood on it and I got a knock on my skull. Wasn’t I the poor person who saw the pretty stars. I swept the floor and out into the garden I went with the hay rake and spade.

I was working for an hour or so and the rake wasn’t in my mind. But I stood on it again and I got another knock below the eye. I had a big black eye for a week after that.

Long ago in my youth. I had a little black dog and without a doubt ‘Bran’ was the name he was called. He wasn’t too brave at all and it’s often he would run away full pelt from another dog - or even a big cat.

One day we were out under the sky walking peacefully up the little road listening to the birdsongs, and the smell of grass and the wild flowers in my nose. Into some field the little dog went to scatter a herd of cows. He was calling merrily - but wait a minute, what is coming? A dog as big as a sheep coming and him as angry as Fergus [mac Róich].

Bran let a yelp out of him with fright and he came towards me like he was on a blast of wind or the wing of a swallow. He fled so fast that he wasn’t but a small ball ahead of the wind.

The little dog reached me and the other dog following him. They ran around me and I became afraid I wouldn’t have any clothing left. But, friend, the farmer came and he called the big dog and it left. Bran ran after it calling it bad names. The big dog didn’t pay attention to the swearing of the little dog and after a while they were walking peacefully again.”

Adapted from: Ó Tnúthail, Áralt. 1956. “Eachtraí Ghiolla an Amaráin Nua.” Teangadóir. 3.8. Cló Chluain Tairbh: Toronto.

For citation, please use: Ó Tnúthail, Áralt. 1956. “Eachtraí Ghiolla an Amaráin Nua: III.” Ó Dubhghaill, Dónall. 2024. Na Gaeil san Áit Ró-Fhuar. Gaeltacht an Oileáin Úir: www.gaeilge.ca