Eachtraí Eilíse i dTír na nIontas

Caibidil XI: Cé a ghoid na Cácaí?
Who stole the cakes?

• Nuair a shroich siad an áit bhí an Rí Hart is an Bhanríon Hart ina suí ar a gcathaoir ríoga agus comhthionól mór ina dtimpeall—scata mór de gach uile chineál éan beag agus beithíoch beag, chomh maith le paca iomlán cártaí: bhí an Cuileata ansiúd ina sheasamh os a gcomhair, é ceangailte le slabhraí agus saighdiúir ar garda ar gach aon taobh de; díreach taobh leis an Rí bhí an Coinín Bán, stoc i lámh leis agus scrolla meamraim sa lámh eile. Bhí bord i gceartlár na cúirte agus mias mhór cácaí ina luí air; bhí siad ag féachaint chomh deas sin nuair a bhreathnaigh Eilís orthu gur chuir siad uisce lena fiacla—“Faraor nach bhfuil an triail thart,” a dúirt sí léi féin, “agus an bia á chur timpeall!” Ach ba bheag an baol go dtarlódh sé sin; thosaigh sí mar sin ag féachaint ar gach rud thart uirthi chun an t-am a chur di.

  When they reached the place where the King of Hearts and the Queen of Hearts were sitting on their throne with a big gathering around them—a big crowd of all sorts of small birds and small beasts, as well as a full deck of cards: the Jack was standing there in front of them, bound with chains and a soldier on guard on each side of him; just next to the King was the White Rabbit, trumpet in one hand and a memo scroll in the other. There was a table in the exact center of the court and a large dish of cakes lying on it; they seemed so nice when Alice looked at them that she watered her teeth—”Alas, the trial is not over,” she said to herself, “and the food being passed around!” But there was little danger of that happening so she started looking at everything around her to pass the time.

  comhthionól	Assembly; gathering, group	m
  scata	Crowd; group, drove, pack	m
  iomlán	All, the whole; total, aggregate; full
  Cuileata = Cuireata	Knave, Jack	m
  meamram	Parchment; parchment writing; Memorandum
  mias	dish	f
  baol	danger	m

  
  
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