Eachtraí Eilíse i dTír na nIontas

Caibidil IX: Scéal an Turtair Bhréige
The Story of the Mock Turtle

Turtar	turtle	genitive here. Lenition blocked by –n
Bréige	false

• “Ní féidir leat a shamhlú a[however much] shásta is atáim thusa a fheiceáil arís, a sheanchara[vocative] dhil!” arsa an Bandiúc, agus í ag sacadh a láimhe[g following vn] go ceanúil faoi ascaill Eilíse agus iad ag siúl ar aghaidh le chéile.
  Ba chúis áthais le hEilís í a fháil agus giúmar grianmhar mar sin uirthi, agus dúirt sí léi féin go mb’fhéidir gurb [direct rel clause] é an piobar a rinne chomh fíochmhar sin í nuair a casadh[past aut] ar a chéile sa chistin iad.

  “You can’t imagine how happy I am to see you again, dear old friend!” said the Duchess, and she affectionately thrust her hand under Alice’s arm as they walked forward together.
  Alice was delighted to find her in a cheerful mood like that and she said to herself that it might have been the pepper that made her so fierce when they met each other in the kitchen.

  dil	Dear, beloved
  sacadh	thrust, shove	m
  ceanúil	Loving, affectionate
  ascaill	armpit	f
  giúmar	humor, mood	m
  grianmhar	Sunny; bright, cheerful, pleasant.
  piobar	pepper	m
  fíochmhar	Furious, ferocious

  
  

• “Nuair a bheidh mise i mo Bhandiúc [copula cannot indicate future],” a dúirt Eilís léi féin, (gan mórán dóchais, áfach), “féachaidh [féachfaidh] mé chuige nach mbeidh piobar ar bith i mo chinstinse. Bíonn anraith sách maith dá [?] uireasa—B’fhéidir gurb é an piobar a chuireann confadh ar dhaoine i gcónaí,” a dúirt sí ag leanúint uirthi, agus í an-sásta léi féin gur aimsigh sí cineál de riail nua, “agus is é an fínéagar a dhéanann géar iad—agus fíogadán a dhéanann searbh iad—agus—agus eornóg agus a leithéid a chuireann giúmar milis séimh ar pháistí. Faraor nach bhfuil sé sin ar eolas ag na daoine: dá mbeadh a fhios, ní bheidís chomh gortach leis, tá a fhios agat—”

  “When I am a Duchess,” Alice said to herself, (without much hope, however) “I will see to it that there is no pepper at all in my kitchen. Soup is good without it—Perhaps pepper makes people angry all the time,” she said to herself continuing, and she was very pleased with herself for finding a new kind of rule, and it is vinegar that makes them sour—and camomile makes them bitter—and—and barley sugar and the like give children a sweet gentle mood. Alas, people do not know that, they would not be so stingy about it, you know.

  dóchas	Hope; expectation, trust	m
  anraith	soup	m
  sách	Full, sated, satisfied
  uireasa	Lack, want, absence, deficiency.	f
  confadh	mad eagerness; anger
  aimsigh	aim, find
  géar	sharp; sour
  fíogadán	camomile	m
  searbh	Bitter, sour, acid
  eornóg	(stick of) barley sugar	f
  leithéid	Like, counterpart, equal; such	f
  séimh	Thin, slender; fine, smooth; tenuous, subtle; gentle; subtle
  giúmar	humor, mood	m
  Faraor	alas
  gortach	hungry

  
  

• [p 94]Bhí an Bandiúc dearmadtha [va] glan aici faoin am sin, agus baineadh iarracht de gheit aisti nuair a d’airigh sí a glór ina cluas, “Is ag smaoineamh ar rud éigin atá tú, a stór, agus fágann sé sin go ndéanann tú dearmad ar a bheith ag caint. Ní féidir liom a rá leat i láthair na huaire cén teagasc atá le baint as sin, ach cuimhneoidh mé ar ball air.”
  “B’fhéidir nach bhfuil teagasc ar bith le baint as,” a dúirt Eilís go hamhrasach.
  “Seo, seo, a linbh!” arsa an Bandiúc. “Tá teagasc le baint as gach uile rud ach é a aimsiú.” Agus d’fháisc sí í féin ní [?] ba ghaire do thaobh Eilís le linn na cainte sin.

  The Duchess had been clean forgotten about that time, and was she startled when she heard a voice in her ear, “You are thinking of something, dear, and it causes you to forget to talk. I cannot tell you right now what lesson to take from that, but I will remember it after a while.”
  “Perhaps there is no lesson to be taken from it,” said Alice doubtfully,
  “There, there, child!” said the Duchess. “There is a lesson to be taken from everything if only you find it.” And she pressed herself closer to Alice’s side while saying that.

  geit	jump, start	v & f
  airigh	Perceive, sense; feel; hear
  iarracht	attempt, effort	f
  i láthair na huaire	at the present moment
  teagasc	teaching, instruction	m
  amhrasach	Doubtful; suspicious
  fáisc	Squeeze, compress; wring, press; tighten
  gaire	Nearness, proximity	f

  
  

• [p 95]Is beag a thaitin sé le hEilís coinneáil chomh cóngarach sin di: ar an gcéad dul síos, is urghránna amach is amach a bhí an Bandiúc; ar an dara dul síos, bhí sí go baileach den airde cheart chun a smig a leagan ar ghualainn Eilíse, agus ba mhíchompordach géar an smig a bhí ann. Ach ó [since] nár theastaigh ó Eilís a bheith drochmhúinte, d’fhulaing sí é chomh maith agus a bhí sí in ann.
  “Is fearr atá an cluiche ag dul ar aghaidh anois,” a dúirt sí chun an comhrá a choinneáil suas beagán.

  Alice did not like to stay so close to her: First, the Duchess was out and out hideous, next, she was exactly the right height to lean her chin on Alice’s shoulder, and the chin was uncomfortably sharp. But Alice did not want to be rude, she endured it as well as she could.

  coinneáil	keeping, maintenance	f
  cóngarach	near, convenient
  urghránna	Frightfully ugly, hideous, ghastly
  baileach	exact
  smig	chin	f
  leagan	knocking down, felling; leaning	m
  gualainn	shoulder	f
  géar	sharp
  drochmhúinte	Unmannerly, rude
  fulaing	Bear, endure, suffer, tolerate

  
  

• “Is fearr atá an cluiche ag dul ar aghaidh anois,” a dúirt sí chun an comhrá a choinneáil suas beagán.
  “Is fíor duit [??] é,” arsa an Bandiúc, “agus is é an teagasc atá le baint as sin—‘Ó, is é an grá, is é an grá a chuireann an domhan timpeall!’”
  “Dúirt duine éigin,” arsa Eilís de chogar, “gurbh é gach uile dhuine ag tabhairt aire dá ghnó féin a dhéanfadh é sin.”
  “Muise, is é an dá mhar a chéile é,” arsa an Bandiúc agus sháigh sí a smig bheag ghéar isteach i ngualainn Eilíse fad is a dúirt sí freisin, “agus is é a theagasc sin, ‘I ndiaidh a chéile a theanntar na coscáin.’”
  “Nach maith a thaitníonn leat teagasc a bhaint as rudaí!” a dúirt Eilís léi féin.

  “The game is going better now,” she said to keep the conversation up a little. “Right you are,” said the Duchess, “and it is the lesson to be learned from that— ‘O, it is the love, it is the love that makes the world go around!'”
  “Someone said,” Alice said in a whisper, “that it is done by everyone taking care of their own business.”
  “Well, it is the same thing,” said the Duchess and she thrust her small sharp chin into Alice’s shoulder as she also said, “That is the lesson, ‘After the brakes are tightened together.'”
  “Don’t you like getting lessons from things!” Alice said to herself.

  teagasc	teaching, instruction	m
  aire	Care, attention	f
  Is é an dá mhar a chéile é	it is the same thing.
  sáigh	Thrust; stab; push, press
  smig	chin	f
  gualainn	shoulder	f
  géar	sharp
  teann	tighten, fasten
  coscán	brake	m

  
  

• “Is dócha gur ag fiafraí díot féin atá tú cén fáth nár chuir mé mo lámh i do thimpeall,” arsa an Bandiúc tar éis scaithimh, “Is é an fáth atá leis [?] go bhfuil amhras orm faoi mheon an lasairéin sin agatsa. An dtriailfidh mé é?”
  “B’fhéidir go bpiocfadh sé thú,” a dúirt Eilís go hairdeallach, mar ní raibh fonn ar bith uirthi go dtriailfí[cond aut] an rud.

  “You are probably asking yourself why I didn’t put my arm around you,” said the Duchess after a while, the reason is that I doubted the the temper of your flamingo. Shall I test it?”
  “Perhaps it would peck you,” Alice said watchfully, as she had no desire to test the thing.

  fiafra	Inquiry, question	m
  scaitheamh	Space of time, while, spell	m
  amhras	doubt	m
  meaon	Mind, disposition; character, temperament	m
  triail	try, test
  pioc	pick, peck	v
  airdeallach	alert, watchful
  fonn	Desire, wish, inclination, urge	m

  
  

• “Is fíor duit é go deimhin,” arsa an Bandiúc. “Piocann lasairéin agus mustard araon. Agus is é an teagasc atá ansin—‘Aithníonn ciaróg ciaróg eile.’”
  “Ach ní feithid lasairéan ná mustard,” a dúirt Eilís.
  “Is fíor duit é, mar is iondúil,” arsa an Bandiúc: “Nach soiléir mar a chuireann tú thú féin in iúl!”
  “Is mianra atá ann, is dóigh liom,” arsa Eilís.

  “Your are certainly right,” said the Duchess, “flamingoes and mustard both pick. The lesson is then ‘One beetle knows another/Birds of a feather flock together.'”
  “But a flamingo and mustard are not insects,” Alice said.
  “You are right, as usual,” the Duchess said: “Isn’t it clear how you express yourself.”
  “It’s a mineral, I think,” Alice said.

  araon	both
  teagasc	teaching, instruction	m
  ciaróg	beetle	f
  feithid	insect	f
  iondúil	usual, customary
  soiléir	Clear, distinct; plain, obvious
  iúl	knowledge
  mianra	mineral	m

  
  

• [p 96]“Is ea go deimhin,” arsa an Bandiúc, a bhí sásta de réir cosúlacht aontú le gach dá ndéarfadh Eilís; “tá mianach mór mustaird gar don áit seo. Agus is é an teagasc atá ansin, ‘Níl aon mhian ach do mhiansa agam.’”
  “Ó, tá a fhios agam anois!” a ghlaoigh Eilís, nár thug aird ar bith ar an rud deireanach a dúirt an Bandiúc, “is glasra atá ann, bíodh nach é sin an chuma atá air.”

  “Yes indeed,” said the Duchess, who seemed to be happy to agree with everything Alice would say: “There is a lot of mustard ore near this place. And the lesson is then ‘I have no desire but your desire.'”
  “O, I know now!” Alice called, who did not pay any attention to the last thing the Duchess said. “It is a green, even though that is not what it looks like.”

  cosúlacht	Likeness; appearance, resemblance	f
  aontú	agreeing
  mianach	ore
  gar	near
  mian	desire	f
  aird	direction; attention	f
  glasra	greeen, vegetable	m

  
  

• “Táim ar aon fhocal leat go díreach,” arsa an Bandiúc, “agus is é an teagasc atá le baint as sin—‘Bí mar ba mhaith leat cuma a bheith ort’—nó dá mba mhaith leat é a rá níos simplí—‘Ná samhlaigh thú féin go deo gan a bheith ar mhalairt chaoi lena bhfeicfí do dhaoine eile nárbh é an méid a bhí ionat nó a d’fhéadfadh a bheith ionat gan a bheith éagsúil lena samhlófaí dóibh a raibh ionat tráth a bheith ar mhalairt chaoi.’”

  “I agree with you completely,” said the Duchess, “and the lesson to be drawn from that is ‘Be what you want to look like’—or if you want to say it more simply ‘Never imagine yourself in a different way that you would see to others that what you were or could not be different from what you would have imagined you were at a different time.'”

  simplí	simple
  samlaigh	imagine
  go deo	forever
  malairt	destruction; change; exchange	f
  éagsúil	Unlike, dissimilar
  samhlófaí	would be imagined	cond aut
  tráth	Hour; time, occasion; day, period/td>	m

  
  

• “Is dóigh liom,” a dúirt Eilís go múinte, “gur fearr a thuigfinnse é sin dá bhfeicfinn scríofa síos é: ach ní rómhaith [?] an mheabhair a bhainim as agus tú á rá.”
  “Ní dada é sin le hais a bhféadfainn a rá, dá mba mhian liom,” a d’fhreagair an Bandiúc go sásta.
  “Ná bí do do bhuaireamh féin, le do thoil, é a rá níos faide ná é sin,” a dúirt Eilís.
  “Ná luaigh buaireamh liom!” a dúirt an Bandiúc. “Tabharfaidh mé duit mar bhronntanas gach dá bhfuil ráite agam go dtí seo.”

  “I think,” Alice said politely, “that I would understand it better if it were written down: but I do not too well get the meaning of what you are saying:
  “That is nothing compared to what I could say, if I wanted to” answered the Duchess happily.
  “Do not worry yourself about it, please, say nothing beyond it,” Alice said.
  “Don’t mention worry to me!” said the Duchess “I will give you as a gift everything I have said so far”.

  múinte	Well-taught, well-behaved, mannerly, polite
  meabhair	mind, memory	f
  ais	back, again
  mian	desire	f
  freagair	answer, respond
  féad	be able to
  buair	Grieve; vex, perturb
  luaigh	mention, cite

  
  

• “Is neamhchostasach an bronntanas é sin!” a smaoinigh Eilís, “Is deas liom nach dtugtar bronntanais lá breithe den chíneál sin!” Ach ní leomhfadh sí é a rá os ard.
  “An ag smaoineamh[fronting] atá tú arís?” a dúirt an Bandiúc, agus sháigh sí a smigín ghéar in Eilís arís.
  “Tá cead agam smaoineamh,” a dúirt Eilís go crosta, mar bhí imní ag teacht uirthi.
  “Tá an oiread de cheart agat agus atá ag na muca le bheith ag eitilt; agus an teag—”

  “That is a cheap gift!” Alice thought “I like it that birthday gifts like that are not given!” But she would not let herself say that out loud.
  “Are you thinking again?” the Duchess said, and pushed her sharp chin into Alice again.
  “I have permission to think,” Alice said crossly, because she was worried.
  “You have as much right as pigs have to fly’ and the lesson—

  leomh	allow
  sáigh	Thrust; stab; push, press
  crosta	cross; Fractious; troublesome, difficult
  teagasc	teaching, instruction	m

  
  

• [p 97] Agus ansin, rud ab iontach le hEilís, d’imigh glór an Bhandiúc i léig, i lár a rogha d’fhocal “teagasc” agus an lámh a bhí faoi ascaill Eilíse, thosaigh sí ar crith. D’fhéach Eilís suas, agus cé a bheadh ina seasamh ansin os a gcomhair ach an Bhanríon, a dhá lámh crosáilte aici agus místá mar a bheadh stoirm toirní uirthi.
  “An-lá, do Mhórgacht!” a dúirt an Bandiúc de ghlór lag íseal.

  And then, something surprising for Alice, the voice of the Duchess died out, in the middle of choosing the word “lesson” and the hand that was under Alice’s arm began trembling. Alice looked up, and who would be standing there in front of them but the Queen, her arms crossed and a frown like a thunderstorm on her [face].
  “A fine day, your Majesty!” said the Duchess in a low weak voice.

  iontach	Wonderful; surprising, strange
  rogha	Choice; Choosing, selection	f
  ascaill	armpit	f
  crith	Tremble, shiver; tremor, shudder; vibration, quiver
  místá	frown, disapproving look
  stoirm	storm	f
  toirneach	thunder	f gs toirní
  lag	weak

  
  

• “Tugaim rabhadh réasúnta duit,” a bhéic an Bhanríon agus í ag greadadh a coise ar an talamh; “caithfidh tusa nó do chloigeann imeacht, agus é sin chomh luath agus is féidir nó níos luaithe fós! Bíodh do rogha agat!”
  Bhí a rogha ag an mBandiúc agus d’imigh sí ar an bpointe.
  “Leanaimis leis an gcluiche,” arsa an Bhanríon le hEilís; agus bhí an iomarca faitís ar Eilís gan focal ar bith a rá, ach lean sí go malltriallach ar ais chuig an bpáirc cróice í.

  “I give you reasonable warning,” shouted the Queen while stamping her foot on the ground; “you or your head must go, and as soon as possible or sooner still! Have your choice!”
  The Duchess had her choice and left immediately.
  “Let us continue with the game,” said the Queem to Alice; and Alice was too scared to say a word, and she followed slowly back to the croquet park.

  rabhadh	Warning, forewarning	m
  réasúnta	reasonable
  béic	yell, shout
  greadadh	Beating, trouncing	m
  faitíos	fear	m gs npl faitís
  malltriallach	Slow-moving, sluggish

  
  

• Nuair a d’imigh an Bhanríon, chonaic na haíonna eile a seans, agus bhí siad ag ligean a scíthe sa scáth: a thúisce, áfach, is a chonaic siad í, dheifrigh siad ar ais chuig an gcluiche, agus ní dúirt an Bhanríon dada ach go gcaillfidís a mbeatha dá ndéanfaidís an mhoill ba lú.

  When the Queen left, the other guests saw their chance to take a rest in the shade: however, as soon as they saw her, they hurried back to the game, and the Queen only said they would lose their lives if there was the slightest delay.

  aoi	guest	m pl aíonna
  scíth	tiredness, fatigue	f gs scíthe
  scáth	(patch of) shade	m
  scith a ligean	take a rest
  túisce	Sooner, rather; first
  áfach	however
  moill	Delay; stop, hindrance

  
  

• Chomh fada is a bhíothas ag imirt níor éirigh an Bhanríon as aighneas leis na himreoirí eile agus bhíodh [past hab] sí de shíor ag béiceadh “Baintear an cloigeann de!” nó “Baintear an cloigeann di!” Nuair a dhaoradh sí duine mar sin, ghabhadh na saighdiúirí é, agus ar ndóigh bhíodh orthu sin éirí as feidhmiú mar áirsí. Faoi cheann leathuair a chloig nó mar sin, ní raibh áirse ar bith fágtha, agus bhí na himreoirí uile cé is moite den Bhanríon is den Rí i ngéibheann faoi bhreith bháis.

  As long as there was playing the Queen did not stop arguing with the other players and she was continually shouting “Off with his head!” or “Off with her head!” When she condemned a person like that, the soldiers would take him, and of course they had to give up functioning as arches. Within a half hour or so there were no arches left, and all the players except the Queen and the Kind were in fetters under a death sentence.

  aighneas	argument, discussion	m
  síor	Eternal, perpetual; continual
  daoradh	Conviction, condemnation	m
  feidhmiú	execution, enforcement, operation, function	m
  áirse	arch	f pl áirsí
  cé is moite (de)	except (for)
  géibheann	bond, fetter

  
  

• Stad an Bhanríon ansin agus í rite as anáil, agus d’fhiafraigh sí d’Eilís, “An bhfaca tú an Turtar Bréige fós?”
  “Ní fhaca,” a dúirt Eilís. “Níl a fhios agam cad is Turtar Bréige ann fiú.”

  The Queen stopped then and was out of breath, and she asked Alice, “Have you seen the Mock Turtle yet?”
  “I have not.” Alice said. “I don’t even know what a Mock Turtle is.”

  breathr

  rite	Taut, tense
  anáil
  rite as anáil	out of breath

  
  

• [p 98] “Is é an rud é a ndéantar Anraith Turtar Bréige de,” a dúirt an Bhanríon.
  “Ní fhaca mé ná níor chuala mé ceann riamh,” arsa Eilís.
  “Téanam ort, mar sin,” a dúirt an Bhanríon, “agus inseoidh sé a stair duit.”
  Nuair a bhí an bheirt acu ag siúl chun bealaigh, chuala Eilís an Rí de ghlór íseal ag rá leis an gcomhluadar i gcoitinne, “Tá pardún agaibh uile go léir.” “Féach, nach maith an rud é sin!” arsa sise léi féin, mar bhí imní uirthi i ngeall ar líon na mbásanna a bhí ordaithe ag an mBanríon.

  “It is what Mock Turtle Soup is made of,” the Queen said. “I’ve never seen or heard one,” Alice said.
  “Come along, then,” the Queen said, “and he will tell you his story.”
  When the two of them were walking on the way, Alice heard the King in a low voice to the company in general, “You all have a complete pardon.” “Look, isn’t that a good thing!” she said to himself, as she was worried because of the number of deaths ordered by the Queen.

  Anraith	soup	m
  téana	come, go	defective verb
  Téanam ort	come along	Téanam is a defective verb
  comhluadar	(social) company	m
  i gcoitinne	in general
  geall	pledge, security

  
  

• Níorbh fhada gur tháinig siad fad le Gríobh ina luí ina shámchodladh faoin ngrian. (Mura bhfuil a fhios agat cad is Gríobh ann, féach ar an bpictiúr.) “Suas leat, a leisceoir!” a dúirt an Bhanríon agus tabhair an cailín seo ar cuairt chuig an Turtar Bréige chun go gcloisfidh sí a scéal. “Caithfidh mise filleadh agus aire a thabhairt do roinnt básuithe a d’ordaigh mé;” agus shiúil sí léi gur fhág sí Eilís agus an Ghríobh ina n-aonair le chéile. Ní rómhaith a thaitin cuma an bheithígh léi, ach shíl sí go mbeadh sé chomh sábháilte tríd is tríd fanacht in éineacht leis agus a bheadh sé an [p 99] Bhanríon fhíochmhar sin a leanúint. Mar sin d’fhan sí mar a raibh sí.

  It was not long before they came as far as a Griffin lying in a peaceful sleep under the sun. (If you do not know what a Griffin is, look at the picture) “Up with you, idler!” said the Queen, and take this girl to visit the Mock Turtle to hear his story. “I have to return and look after some executions I have ordered;” and she went away leaving Alice and the Griffin alone together. She did not much like the look of the beast with her, but she thought it would be a lot safer to stay with it as to follow the ferocious Queen. So she stayed where [dependent rel clause] she was.

  Gríobh	Griffin	f
  leisceoir	lazy person, idler	m
  aire	care, attention	f
  bású	execution	m pl básuithe
  beithíoch	beast	m gs npl beithígh
  in éineacht le	together, along, with; simultaneously with
  fíochmhar	Furious, ferocious

  
  

• Shuigh an Ghríobh aniar gur chuimil a dhá shúil; ansin d’fhéach sé ar an mBanríon go raibh sí as amharc. Rinne sé maolgháire ansin agus dúirt, “Nach mór an spórt é!”
  “Céard é an spórt?” a d’fhiafraigh Eilís.
  “Ise, arú,” a dúirt an Ghríobh. “Is é a samhlaíocht sise go léir é: ní chuirtear duine ar bith chun báis in aon chor, tá a fhios agat. Siúil leat!”
  “‘Siúil leat!’ a deir gach uile dhuine anseo,” a smaoinigh Eilís, agus í á leanúint go mall, “Ní bhfuair mé an oiread céanna orduithe riamh i mo shaol!”

  The Griffin sat up and rubbed its eyes; then it looked at the Queen until she was out of sight. Then it chuckled and said, “Isn’t it great sport?”
  “What is the sport?” Alice asked.
  “She, indeed,” the Griffin said. “It’s all her imagination. Nobody is put to death at all, you know. Come along!”
  “‘Come along!’ everybody says here,” thought Alice and she followed slowly, “I have never gotten so many orders in my life!”

  cuimil	rub, stroke
  maolgháire	Suppressed laugh, chuckle	m
  samhlaíocht	imagination	f
  Siúil leat!	come along
  céanna	same
  ordú	order, command	m pl orduithe

  
  

• Is gairid a chuaigh siad nuair a chonaic siad tamall uathu ina shuí ar leac bheag chloiche an Turtar Bréige go brónach uaigneach. Nuair a tháinig siad fad leis, chuala Eilís go raibh gach aon osna as gur dhóigh léi go ndéanfadh dhá leath dá chroí. Bhí an-trua ag Eilís dó. D’fhiafraigh sí den Ghríobh cad a bhain don Turtar Bréige gur thit sé chomh mór sin i mbrón.

  Shortly on they went when they saw the Mock Turtle in the distance sitting on a small stone slab sorrowfully and lonely. When they came to it, Alice heard every sigh as though it would break its heart in two. Alice was very sorry for him. She asked the Griffin what had caused the Mock Turtle to fall into such great sorrow.

  gairid	shortly
  uathu	from them	←ó
  leac	Flat stone or rock; flagstone, slab	m
  cloch	stone	f gs cloiche
  brónach	sorrowful
  uaigneach	lonely; Solitary, unfrequented (place)
  osna	sigh	f
  dóigh	burn	v

  
  

• “Níl aon chúis bróin aige, ach is dóigh leis go bhfuil. Siúil leat!”
  Chuaigh siad suas go dtí an áit a raibh an Turtar Bréige, agus d’fhéach seisean orthu lena dhá shúil lán le deora ach ní dúirt sé dada.”
  “Teastaíonn ón gcailín beag seo,” a dúirt an Gríobh, “fios fátha do scéil a chloisteáil, teastaíonn sin[??].”

  “He has no cause for sorrow, but he thinks there is. Come along!”
  They went up to the place where the Mock Turtle was, and he looked at them with his eyes full of tears but did not say anything.
  “This little girl needs,” said the Griffin, “to know the cause/ins and outs/details of your story/history, [she] needs that.”

  Siúil leat!	come along
  fáth	cause, reason	m gs fátha

  
  

• “Suígí síos, an bheirt agaibh,” a dúirt an Turtar Bréige de ghlór toll domhain, “agus ná labhraíodh[pl imp] ceachtar agaibh aon fhocal go mbeidh deireadh le mo scéal.”
  Shuigh siad síos mar sin agus níor labhair aon duine ar feadh roinnt nóiméad. “Ní thuigim cén chaoi ar féidir leis deireadh a chur lena scéal, mura dtosóidh sé ar dtús é,” arsa Eilís léi féin. Ach d’fhan sí go foighneach.

  “Sit down, both of you,” said the Mock Turtle in a deep hollow voice, “and neither of you speak a word until my story ends.”
  They sat down like that and no one spoke at all for several minutes. “I don’t understand how he can finish his story, if he will not start it first,” said Alice to herself. But she waited patiently.

  ceachtar	either, [with neg] neither
  foighneach	patient

  
  

• [p 100] “Bhí tráth ann,” a dúirt an Turtar Bréige sa deireadh le hosna a tháinig ba dhóigh leat aníos as ordóga a chos, “nuair is Turtar ceart fíre a bhí ionam.”
  Tháinig ciúnas fada ina dhiaidh sin. Ní raibh fuaim ar bith le cloisteáil leis an gciúnas a bhriseadh ach “Hjcrrth!” a chuireadh an Ghríobh mar agall as ó am go ham agus síorshnagaíl [???] an Turtar Bréige. Is beag nach raibh rún ag Eilís éirí go ndéarfadh sí, “Táim fíorbhuíoch díot, a dhuine uasail, as do scéal inspéise!” ach shíl sí go gcaithfeadh sé go raibh tuilleadh le teacht. D’fhan sí ina suí mar sin ag fanacht go foighneach.

  “There was a time,” the Mock Turtle said finally with a sigh that you would think came from his big toe, “when I was a right true Turtle.”
  A long silence came after that. There was no sound to be heard to break the silence except “Hjcrrth!” the Griffin would make as an exclamation while the Mock Turtle was sobbing [???]. Alice almost got up to say, “I am truly grateful to you, sir, for your interesting story!” but she thought there must be more to come. So she stayed sitting and waiting patiently.

  hour, time, occasion	m
  osna	sigh	f
  fíre	true, genuine
  fuaim	sound	f
  agall	Exclamation, cry; Talk, argument	f
  snagadaíl = snagaireacht	sobbing, gasping; stuttering, stammering

  
  

• “Nuair a bhíomar beag,” a dúirt an Turtar Bréige sa deireadh, “théimis[past hab] ar scoil san fharraige.” Ba shuaimhní an Turtar Bréige faoin am sin, ach bhí meacan an chaointe ina ghlór i gcónaí. “Seanturtar a bhí sa mháistir—Toirtís a thugaimisne air—”
  “Cén fáth a dtugadh sibh Toirtís air,” a d’fhiafraigh Eilís, “murar thoirtís é dáiríre?”
  “Toirtís a thugaimis air,” a dúirt an Turtar Bréige go colgach, “toisc go raibh toirtéis ag roinnt leis. Is an-dall an cailín beag thú!”

  “When we were little,” the Mock Turtle said finally, “we used to go to school in the sea.” The Mock Turtle was calm by then, but there was always a note of sorrow in his voice. “An old turtle was the master—we called him a Tortoise.”
  “Why did you call him a tortoise,” Alice asked, “if he was not really a tortoise?”
  “We called him a Tortoise,” said the Mock Turtle angrily, “because he had some haughtiness/[orig. “because he taught us”]. You are a very blind little girl!”

  meacan	root; whimper
  colgach	Bearded; bristling, angry
  toirtéis	Haughtiness, self-importance; Pride, elation
  dall	blind

  
  

• “Ba chóir náire a bheith ort,” arsa an Ghríobh léi, “a leithéid de cheist shimplí a chur.” D’fhan an bheirt acu ina dtost agus iad ag féachaint ar Eilís bhocht, ar theastaigh uaithi go slogfadh an talamh í. Sa deireadh thiar is amhlaidh a dúirt an Ghríobh leis an Turtar Bréige, “Tiomáin leat, a mhic! Ná caith an lá ar fad ag gabháil dó!” Is mar seo a lean an Turtar Bréige lena scéal:—

  “You should be ashamed,” the Griffin said to her, “to ask such a simple question.” Both of them remained silent while watching poor Alice, who wanted the ground to swallow her. At long last thus the Griffin said to the Mock Turtle, “Carry on, son! Don’t spend the whole day taking it!” With this the Mock Turtle continued with his story:—

  tost	silence	m
  amhlaidh	thus, so
  Tiomáin leat	carry on, proceed

  
  

• “Is ea, is san fharraige a théimis [past hab] ar scoil, cé go ndéarfá nach gcreideann tú é—”
  “Ní dúirt mé riamh nár chreid mé,” a dúirt Eilís ag briseadh isteach air.
  “Dúirt tú anois é,” a dúirt an Turtar Bréige.
  “Éist do bhéal!” arsa an Ghríobh sula raibh uain ag Eilís labhairt arís. Lean an Turtar Bréige leis[??]: “Scoth an oideachais [p 101] a fuaireamar—leis[??] an bhfírinne a dhéanamh, théimis ar scoil gach aon lá beo—”

  “Yes, we used to go to school in the sea, although you might say you do not believe it—”
  “I never said I didn’t believe [it],” Alice said interrupting him.
  “You said it now,” the Mock Turtle said.
  “Shut your mouth!” the Griffin said before Alice had an opportunity to speak again. The Mock Turtle continued: “We got the best education—to tell the truth, we used to go to school every day that dawned—”

  uain	Opportune time, free time; occasion; opportunity	f
  scoth	Flower, blossom; flower, pick, choice, best, first quality	f
  An fhírinne a dhéanamh	to tell the truth, be truthful
  Gach uile lá beo	every day that dawns

  
  

• “Bhí mise ar scoil lae freisin,” a dúirt Eilís. “Ní gá duit mórtas a bheith ort.”
  “An ndéantá rudaí breise?” a d’fhiafraigh an Turtar Bréige, agus iarracht den imní air.
  “Dhéanainn[past hab],” arsa Eilís, “D’fhoghlaimímis[past hab] Fraincis agus ceol.”
  “Agus níochán?” a d’fhiafraigh an Turtar Bréige.
  “Ní fhoghlaimímis cinnte!” a dúirt Eilís go míshásta.

  “I was at day school as well,” Alice said. “Don’t be so boastful.”
  “Did you make extra things?” the Mock Turtle asked, with a trace of worry.
  “I did,” said Alice, “We learned French and music.”
  “And washing?” asked the Mock Turtle.
  “Cetainly not!” Alice said unhappily.

  mórtas	Pride, haughtiness; boastfulness	m
  breis	Increase, addition	f gs breise

  
  

• [p 102] “Ní[copula] scoil fhíormhaith a bhí i do scoilse mar sin,” a dúirt an Turtar Bréige agus bhí an faoiseamh a bhí air le brath ar a ghlór. “Anois, sa scoil seo againne, bhíodh scríofa ag deireadh an bhille, ‘Táillí breise: Fraincis, ceol agus níochán.’”
  “Is ar éigean a theastaíodh níochán uait agus tú i do chónaí thíos faoin bhfarraige,” arsa Eilís.
  “Níorbh acmhainn dom é a fhoghlaim,” a dúirt an Turtar Bréige agus lig sé osna. “An gnáthchúrsa amháin a rinne mise.”

  “Your school was not a really good school,” the Mock Turtle said with a feeling of relief in his voice. “Now, in the school we had/in our school, it was written at the end of the bill, ‘Additional fees: French, music and washing.'”
  “You hardly would need washing when you are always under the sea,” Alice said.
  “I could not afford to learn it, the Mock Turtle said with a sigh, “I only did the usual course.”

  faoiseamh	Relief; alleviation, ease	m
  brath	Perception, feeling	m
  táille	ally, score, charge; Reckoning, number, tally	f gs táilli
  ar éigean	hardly, barely
  acmhainn	Capacity, endurance	f

  
  

• “Cad a bhí ansin?” a d’fhiafraigh Eilís.
  “Léim agus Sníomh mar thús, ar ndóigh,” a d’fhreagair an Turtar Bréige, “agus ansin brainsí éagsúla na hUimhríochta—Imiú, Bealú, Folrú agus Fuint.”
  “Níor chuala mé trácht riamh cheana ar ‘Imiú’,” arsa Eilís, “Cad atá ann?”
  D’ardaigh an Ghríobh a dhá lapa tosaigh le teann iontais. “Níor chuala tú trácht ar imiú riamh!” a dúirt sé de bhéic. “Tá a fhios agat, is dóigh liom, cad is brí le bealú?”

  “What was that?” Alice asked.
  “Jumping and spinning [orig. ‘Reeling and writhing’] as a start, of course,” answered the Mock Turtle, “and then various branches of arithmetic— buttering, subtraction/greasing, bleeding and roasting [orig. ‘Ambition, Distraction, Uglification, and Derision’ ].”
  “I have never before heard a mention of ‘leaving/buttering’,” Alice said, “What is it?”
  The Griffin lifted its claws with surprising force. “You have never heard a mention of leaving/disappearing/buttering!” it said with a shout. “You know, I think, what lubrication means?”
  

  brainse	branch	m pl brainsí
  éagsúla	unlike, dissimilar; Different, various, diverse
  uimhríocht	arithmetic	f gs uimhríochta
  suimiú	addition	m
  cheana	before, already
  lapa	paw	m
  teann	strength, force	m
  iontas	Wonder, surprise	m
  Cad is brí X?	What does X mean?

  
  

• “Tá a fhios,” a dúirt Eilís go hamhrasach, “is éard is brí leis—ola—a chur ar rud.”
  “Agus im a chur ar rud is brí le himiú,” a dúirt an Ghríobh. “Mura dtuigeann tú é sin, is óinseach cheart thú.”
  Níor[??] spreag an méid sin Eilís chun ceist eile a chur ina thaobh: chas sí mar sin ar an Turtar Bréige go ndúirt “Cad eile a bhí le foghlaim agat?”

  “I know,” Alice said doubtfully, “It means to put—oil—on something.”
  “And to put butter on something is the meaning of buttering, the Griffin said. “If you do not understand that, “you are certainly a fool.”
  Thre wasn’t much inspiration Alice to ask another question on her side. She turned to the Mock Turtle and said “What else did you learn?

  amhrasach	doubtful, suspicious
  spreag	urge, incite, inspire
  méid	amount, quantity	m

  
  

• “Bhuel, bhí an Spairn ann,” a d’fhreagair an Turtar Bréige, agus é ag comhaireamh na n-ábhar ar a lapaí, “Sean- Spairn agus Nua-Spairn, agus Sní-eolaíocht: ansin bhíodh Arraing againn—seaneascann a bhí sa mháistir sin; thagadh sé uair amháin in aghaidh na seachtaine chun Bréitseáil, Féinteáil, agus Ealaíon na hArrainge a mhúineadh dúinn.
  “Cén sórt ruda a bhí ansin?” a d’fhiafraigh Eilís.

  “Well, it was a struggle,” answered the Mock Turtle, counting the subjects on its paws. “Old-struggle and New-struggle, and flow-science: then we would have a pain in the side [orig. ‘drawling’]— that master was an old eel; he used to come once a week to teach us beach, painting and arts of stabbing pain [orig. ‘Drawling, Stretching, and Fainting in Coils’].”
  “What kind of a thing was that?” asked Alice.

  spairn	fight, contention, struggle	f
  comhaireamh	counting, reckoning
  eolaíocht	science
  sní	Flow; pouring, downpour	f
  Arraing	pain in side
  eascann	eel	f
  bréitseáil	breach, break; vomit
  péinteáil	painting	f
  ealaín	art	f gpl ealaíon

  
  

• [p 103] “Ní féidir liomsa é a thaispeáint duit,” a dúirt an Turtar Bréige: “Is ró-dholúbtha atáim; agus níor fhoghlaim an Ghríobh riamh é.”
  “Ní bhíodh an t-am agam,” a dúirt an Ghríobh. “Théinnse [past hab emph of téigh] chuig máistir na gClasaicí, áfach. Seanphortán a bhí sa mháistir sin.”
  “Ní dheachaigh mé riamh chuige,” a dúirt an Turtar Bréige agus lig sé osna. “Leaba agus Gléasadh a mhúineadh [Laidin agus Gréigis] seisean, a deirtí [past hab aut].”

  “I can’t show it to you,” said the Mock Turtle: “I am too stiff; amd the Griffin never learned it.”
  “I didn’t have the time,” the Griffin said. “I went to the master of Classics, however. That master was an old crab.”
  “I never went to him,” the Mock Turtle said with a sigh. “He taught bed and getting-up [orig. ‘Laughing and Grief’ -Latin and Greek], it was said.”

  dolúbtha	Inflexible, rigid; unyielding, stubborn
  gléasadh	Adjustment, equipment, preparation; Get-up, attire	m

  
  

• “Is ea, go deimhin,” arsa an Ghríobh, ag ligean osna ar a sheal: agus chas an bheirt uaithi agus d’fholaigh siad a n-aghaidh lena lapaí.
  “Agus cé mhéad uair an chloig a bhíodh ranganna agaibh,” a d’fhiafraigh Eilís, mar bhí deifir uirthi ábhar an chomhrá a athrú.
  “Deich n-uaire an chloig an chéad lá,” a dúirt an Turtar Bréige, “naoi n-uaire an lá ina dhiaidh sin, agus mar sin de.”
  “Nach aisteach an sceideal ranganna a bhíodh agaibh!” a dúirt Eilís le hiontas.

  “Yes, indeed,” said the Griffin, and sighed in turn: and the two turned away from her and their faces with their paws.
  “And for how many hours did you have classes,” Alice asked, because she was in a hurry to change the subject.
  “Ten hours the first day,” said the Mock Turtle, “nine hours the next day, and so on”
  “What a strange schedule of classes you had!” Alice said with surprise.

  seal	turn	m
  folaigh	hide, cover, conceal
  deifir	hurry

  
  

• “Sin an fáth a ndeirtear ‘sceideal ranganna’,” arsa an Ghríobh, “Bíonn sceideal ar na ranganna laghdú ó lá go lá.”
  Chuir leagan amach aisteach na ranganna an-iontas ar Eilís. D’fhan sí tamall sula ndúirt sí go smaointeach “Is dócha go mbíodh lá saoire agaibh an t-aonú lá déag.”
  “Bhíodh, cinnte,” a dúirt an Turtar Bréige.
  “Agus cad a dhéanadh sibh an dara lá déag,” a d’fhiafraigh Eilís go fiosrach.
  “Is leor é sin faoi ranganna,” a dúirt an Ghríobh go daingean. “Inis di rud éigin faoi na cluichí anois.”

  “That is why [it] is called a ‘schedule of classes,'” said the Griffin, “classes are scheduled to decrease from day to day.” [lesson-lessen]
  The strange arrangement of classes greatly surprised Alice. She waited a while before saying thoughtfully “You probably had a holiday on the eleventh day.”
  “Yes, definitely,” said the Mock Turtle.
  “And what would you do on the twelfth day, Alice asked inquisitively. [hinting at negative numbers–Gardner
  “That’s enough about classes,” the Griffin said firmly. “Tell her something about the games now.”

  laghdú	Decrease, diminution; reduction	m
  leagan amach	layout, arrangement
  smaointeach	Thoughtful, reflective, pensive
  aonú	first
  daingean	strong, firm
  uimhreacha diúltacha	negative numbers
  Is leid é faoi uimhreacha diúltacha	It is a hint about negative numbers

  
  

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