Seanchas Eile ó Cheanada: Cos nó Cluas (1956)
Collected by Hazel Yake in Stouffville, Ontario
“[Duine nach maith leis a ainm bheith i gcló d'aithris an mhéid leanas.]
Bhí bean des na Moireasdanaich ann fadó thiar i nAlban Nua, agus ise pósta le fear de Shliocht Mhurchaidh Ruaidh. Níor mhaith léi a céile leapan ach beagán, go háirithe roinnt a bhéasa. Oíche amháin agus iad ag dul a chodladh: ‘Nígh do dhá chos anocht, a Iain, le do thoil,’ ar sise.
Mar ba ghnách leis, níor nígh.
Chuadar san leaba. Nuair a mheas an bhean a fear céile bheith i gcodladh dtrom d'éirigh sise go ciúin, rug sí ar scian coise duibhe a bhí aige-san, agus ghearr cluas dá chluasaibh amach ó a cheann.
‘Sé fáth nach maith le Sliocht Mhurchaidh Ruaidh an abairt úd ‘Cos nó cluas’ do chloisint go dtí an lá inniu.”
“[A person who didn’t want his name printed narrated the following piece]
There was a woman of the Morrisons long ago in Nova Scotia, and she was married to a man of the Red Murphys. She didn’t like her bed partner but a little bit, particularly some of his manners. One night and them going to sleep: ‘Wash your two feet tonight, Ian, please,’ she said.
As was usual with him, he didn’t wash.
They went into bed. When the woman thought her husband was in deep sleep she got up quietly, she got a small black knife that he had, and cut one of his two ears out of his head.
That’s the reason the descendants of Red Murphy don’t like to hear that phrase ‘a foot or an ear’ up to this day.”
Adapted from: Yake, Hazel. 1956. “Seanachas Eile Ó Cheanaide.” Teangadóir. 3.3. Cló Chluain Tairbh: Toronto.
For citation, please use: Yake, Hazel. 1956. “Seanchas Eile ó Cheanada: Cos nó Cluas.” Ó Dubhghaill, Dónall. 2024. Na Gaeil san Áit Ró-Fhuar. Gaeltacht an Oileáin Úir: www.gaeilge.ca
