Rang Gaeilge, 13 lá Mí na Lúnasa 2026

Mearbhall
Bewilderment

• Bhí adhart brocamais ar gach uile rud dá raibh sa siopa tábhairne idir troscán agus mangarae. Bhí an seanchuntar adhmaid brataithe le ramallaí pórtair. Bhí an t-urlár tollta. Is ar éigin a bhí solas an lae i ndon briseadh isteach tríd an scamall a chlúdaigh gloine na fuinneoige. Bhí rírá ag na mílte cuileog ar fuaid na háite. Chuirfeadh bréanadas an aeir úis ar mhuic.

  There was a heap of refuse on everything in the pub’s shop, from furniture to junk. The old wooden counter was covered with slimy porter. The floor was pocked. The daylight barely broke in through the cloud that covered the window glass. The buzzing of thousands of flies was all through the place. The stench of the air would interest a pig.

  adhart = adhairt	bolster, pillow
  brocamas	refuse	m gs i>brocamais
  troscán	furniture	m
  mangarae	Huckster’s wares; assorted collection; welter, junk	m
  ramallach	slimy
  toll	Bore, pierce, perforate	v
  rírá	Hubbub, uproar	m
  cuileog	fly [insect]	f
  bréanadas = bréantas	Rottenness, stench; Filth
  ús	Interest (on money)	m gs úis

• 
  A! A Thiarna ! Ba cosúil le áit é a chum an tAthair Maitiú agus é ag déanamh seanmóine in aghaidh an óil.

  “Dia sa teach,” adeir mé.

  Ni bhfuair mé aon fhreagra. Cé an chaoi gheobhainn? Ní raibh beo san áit ach na cuileoga agus na ruáin fhalla bhí ag iarraidh breith orthu ina gcuid lionta thuas imeasc na rataí.
  

  Oh! Oh Lord! It was like a place that Father Matthiú had invented while giving a sermon against drinking.

  God is in the house,” I said.

  I did not get any answer. How would I get one? Nothing was alive in the place but the flies and the spiders that were trying to catch them in their webs up among the rafters.

  com	form, shape, invent	v
  seanmóir	sermon	f
  rachta	rafter; beam	m

• 
  “Bhfuil aon duine anseo?” d’fhógair mé i gceann tamall eile.

  “Tá,“ a deir an glór.

  Bhreathnaigh mé taobh mo láimhe clé agus chonaic mé éadan fir idir an dá ghiall de dhoras oscailte na cistine. Bhuail scanradh mé. Níor léar dom ar dtús, mar gheall ar an lagar solais, go raibh aon chorp [d.l. 52] greamaithe den éadan; ceannaghaidh bhui crochta gan fostú ar an aer dorcha.
  

  “Is anyone here?” I called after a while.

  “Yes,” said the voice.

  I looked to my left and saw a man’s face between the two jambs of the open kitchen door. Fright hit me. It was not clear to me at first, because of the lack of light, that there was any body attached to the face. A yellow face hung without attachment in the dark air.

  fógair	Call out, proclaim; Declare, announce, make known
  giall	jaw; (door) jamb
  greamaigh	attach, fix, fasten; make fast, secure	v
  ceannaghaidh	feature (of face)	f
  fostú	Catching, entanglement	m

• 
  “Ó! A Dhiabhail Álainn !” adeir mé liom féin agus creathnú beag faiteach ag rith síos le clár mo dhroma. “Teach tábhairne na marbh!”

  Ansin, rinne an t-éadan casacht beag macánta agus bhuail fear caol ard chugam anall taobh thiar den chuntar, a cheann faoi agus é ag cimilt a lámha ar a chéile os comhair a imleacáin. Chuaigh sé tharm gan breathnú orm, ag éaló leis ar bharr coise gan torann dá laghad. Anois agus arís bhain sé searradh beag as a ghuaille caola titithe, ar nós seanmheisceoir.
  

  “Oh! Beautiful Devil!” I said to myself while a small fearful shiver ran down my back. “The tavern of the dead!”

  Then, the face made a small cough and a tall, thin man approached me from behind the counter, his head down as he was rubbing his hands together in front of his navel. He went past me without looking at me, escaping on tiptoe without the least noise. Every now and then he took a small stretch of his slender [titithe] sloping shoulders, like an old drunk.

  creathnaigh	Tremble (with fear), quake; take fright, flinch
  faiteach	Fearful, apprehensive; timid, shy
  casacht	cough	f
  macánta	Childlike; gentle, meek, mild; honest
  chugam	to/towards me	←chun
  anall	Hither, from the far side
  cimilt = cuimilt	Rubbing; stroking, fondling, wiping; friction	f
  imleacán	navel; Central point, centre, hub	imleacáin
  éaló = éalú	Escape; evasion; elopement	m
  searradh	Stretching of limbs	m

• 
  “Buíochas le Dia,” adeir sé, tar éis seasamh dhó os comhair na fuinneoige, “tá an lá go ribhreá.”

  “Moladh le Dia,” adúirt mé féin, “ba deacair é lochtú.”

  “B’fhéidir go dtiúrfadh sé scathamh den aimsir seo uaidh,” adeir an fear, “d’fheilfeadh scathamh de.”

  “D’fheilfeadh muis,” adúirt mé féin. “D’fheilfeadh cuimse de.”

  “Ó! d’fheilfeadh,” adeir seisean. “Níl baol ar bith nach bhfeilfeadh tréimhse mhaith de, in ainm Dé.”
  

  “Thank God,” he said, after standing in front of the window, “the day is very fine.”

  “Praise God,” I said to myself, “it would be hard to fault.”

  “Maybe it would take[??] this weather away from us for a while,” the man said, “it would be fitting for a while.”

  ”Would be fitting indeed,” I said to myself. “Would be fitting in moderation.“

  “Oh! it would be fitting,” he said. “There is no danger that it would not be fitting for a period, in God’s name.”

  lochtú	Fault-finding; blame, censure	m
  scathamh = scaitheamh	Space of time, while, spell	m
  feil	Suit; fit, become
  cuimse	Due proportion, moderation; Good amount, goodly number….	f
  tréimhse	Period, term	f

• 
  Ansin chuir sé a lámha taobh thiar dá dhroim agus leag sé chugam anall leath uachtarach a choirp ; mar bheadh fear ar bhord loinge ag ligean a mheáchain in aghaidh gluaiseacht mhíchothrom na farraige.

  “Cá raibh do dheifir ad thabhairt?” adeir sé.

  “Isteach i gcoinne buidéil a tháinig mé,”’ arsa mise.

  “Dúil i mbuidéal a thug isteach thú?” adeir sé.

  ”Sea,” adeir mé féin. “Buidéal pórtair.” [d.l. 53]
  

  Then he put his hands behind his back and set the upper half of his body towards me; like a man on board a ship setting his weight against the uneven motion of the sea.

  “Where was the hurry to get it?” he said.

  “I came in against a bottle,” I said.

  “Desire in a bottle that brought you in?” he said.

  “Yes,” I said. “A bottle of porter.”

  chugam	to/towards me	←chun
  anall	Hither, from the far side
  uachtarach	Upper, top
  ligean	Letting, releasing, extending, casting	m
  meáchan	weight	m
  míchothrom	Uneven, unbalanced
  i gcoinne	against

• 
  Dhírigh sé é féin go tobann, d’ardaigh sé a ghuaille agus chraith sé a cheann, díreach mar bheadh fuacht air.

  “M’anam,” adeir sé, “nach cúis náire dhuit dúil bheith i mbuidéal agat ar a leithéid seo de lá. Tá teas mór ann.

  “Sin é chuir tart orm,” adúirt mise.

  “Ó! Níl aon locht ar do dhúil,” adeir an fear. “Ná locht ar bith.” Bhreathnaigh sé orm ansin, sar indiaidh a chúil.
  

  He suddenly straightened himself, he raised his shoulder and shook his head, just as if he was cold.

  My soul,” he said, “There os no shame for you to have a desire for a bottle on a day like this? It’s very hot.

  “That’s what made me thirsty,” I said.

  “Oh! There’s no fault with your desire,” the man said. “Not a single fault.” He looked at me then, afterwards behind his back.

  cúis	Cause; Reason, matter	f
  tart	thirst	m

• 
  “Ná biodh faitíos ort, a dhuine chóir,” adeir sé.

  “Tá buidéal deas ort le fáil anseo agat, buidéal chomh mílis leis an leamhnacht is fearr d’ól tú riamh.”

  Bhi sé ragmhuineálach. B’éigean dó a chorp ar fad a chasadh, suas amach óna ghlúine, sular éirigh leis aghaidh a thabhairt orm. Á! A Thiarna! B’álainn na súile a bhí aige. Ba chosúil le súile mná iad, bog, modhúil agus codlatach. Ba deacair a rá cé an dath bhí orthu. Bhíodar donn agus breac agus uaithne; ar nós clocha beaga ildaite d’fheicfeá ar thóin srutháin agus na gaethe gréine ag rince ar an uisce luaithneach.

  “Do not be afraid, good man,” he said.

  “That is a nice bottle for you to find here, A bottle as sweet as the best new milk you’ve ever drunk.”

  He was [rag-??] stiff necked. He had to turn his whole body, up from his knees, before he rose to face me. Oh! Lord! His eyes were beautiful. They were like the eyes of a woman, soft, gentle and sleepy. It was hard to say what color they were. They were brown and speckled and green; like small multicolored stones you would see on the bottom of a stream as the sun’s rays danced on the fast moving water.

  cóir	Just, proper; decent, honest
  leamhnacht	new milk	f
  muineálach	long-necked
  modhúil	Well-behaved, mannerly; mild, gentle, modest.
  sruthán	(Small) stream; rivulet, brook	m gs srutháin
  luaineach	fast-moving, nimble; restless, unsteady; changeable, vacillating, inconstant.

• 
  “Seo,” adeir mé féin. “Sin agam an deoch in ainm Dé. An mbeidh buidéal agat féin ?”

  Chraith sé a cheann.

  “Go raibh maith agat, a stór,” arsa seisean, “ ach níor bhlais mé de la[???] dhá bhliain.”

  Phreab sé ansin agus chuir sé timpeall a chorp go righin réidh. Rinne sé air anall tharm, ag imeacht ar bharr coise, a cheannaghaidh iompaithe uaim agus a lámha i dteannta a chéile os comhair a imleacain ar nós [d.l. 54] guidhcadóra. Bhí sé ag sioscadh leis féin.
  

  “Here,” I said. “That is the drink I have, in the name of God. Will you have a bottle yourself?”

  He shook his head.

  “Thank you, my dear,” he said, “but I haven’t tasted it for [de la??] two years.”

  He then jumped and turned his body around slowly and smoothly. He made it from hither past me, going on tiptoe, his features turned away from me along with his hands together in front of his navel like [d.l. 54] a petitioner. He was whispering to himself.

  preab	Start, spring, jump	v, f
  righin	Tough; tenacious; unyielding, stubborn; Slow, deliberate; lingering, tardy
  réidh	Smooth, level, easy to traverse
  anall	Hither, from the far side
  ceannaghaidh	feature (of face)	f
  guíodóir	prayer, petitioner	m

• 
  “Ó! Sea,” do smaoinigh mé. “ Tá mearbhall ar an bhfear bocht.”

  Fuair sé buidéal, tharraing sé an corca, líon sé gloine agus shín sé agam an leann. Chaith mé leathchoróin ar an gcuntar.

  “Is cosúil le fear thú,” adúirt sé agus é ag soláthar sóinseála i gcófra an airgid, “a mbeadh píosa mór den domhan siúlta aige.”

  “Bhi mé anseo agus ansiúd,” adeir mé féin.

  “Sin é cheap mé,” adeir sé.“ Tá cuma an tsiúil ort.”
  

  “Oh! Yes,” I thought. “The poor man is confused.”

  He found a bottle, pulled the cork, filled a glass and handed me the ale. I threw half a crown on the counter.

  “You look like a man,” he said as he provided change in the money box, “who has traveled a large part of the world.”

  ”I have been here and there,” I said myself.

  “That’s what I thought,” he said. “You look like a traveller.”

  leann	ale	m
  sín	Make taut, straighten; stretched
  soláthar	Collection, procurement; supply, provision	m
  sóinseáil	change [money]	sóinseála
  siúlta	walked; traveled

• 
  Rinne sé orm arís, taobh thiar den chuntar agus a cheann faoi. Ag dul tharm dhó shín sé agam an tsóinseáil gan breathnú orm. Choinnigh sé air ansin, ag imeacht ar bharr coise, nó gur shroich sé póirín beag adhmaid a bhí idir ghob an chuntair agus doras na sráide. Áit é ina mbíodh cuntaisí tráchtála an ts1opa i dtaisce. Sháigh sé a cheann isteach sa bpóirin agus sheas sé mar sin, a lámha os cionn a chéile taobh thiar dá chaoldroim agus a chosa scartha; díreach mar bheadh caora ag cur a cheann faoi chlaí ard i bhfolach ar an ngrian.
  

  He did it to me again, behind the counter with his head down. As he passed by, he handed me the change without looking at me. He kept on then, going on tiptoes, until he reached a small wooden alcove[póirín??] that was between the edge of the counter and the street door. It was a place where the shop’s commercial accounts were stored. He thrust his head into the alcove[bpóirín??] and stood there, his hands clasped above each other behind the small of his back and his legs apart; just like a sheep putting its head under a high fence to hide from the sun.

  sóinseáil	change [money]	f gs sóinseála
  póirín	small potato	m
  gob	beak, bill; Tip, point; projection	m
  tráchtáil	(Act of) trading; trade, commerce	f gs tráchtála
  taisce	Store, treasure, hoard	f
  caoldroim	Small of back	m
  scar	part, separate	v
  folach	Hiding, covering, concealment	m

• 
  D’ól mé féin scaird den leann agus ansin las mé toitín. Níor labhair ceachtar againn go ceann tamaill. Ní raibh le cloisint ach rírá na gcuileog sa siopa agus glór fir ag gabháil fhoinn i bhfad ar siúl.

  “Cogar mé seo leat.” adeir an fear faoi dheireadh.

  “Sea? “ arsa mise.

  “An rabhais i Sasana riamh? “ adeir sé.

  “Bhíos “ adeir mé leis. [d.l. 55]

  I drank a gulp of the beer and then lit a cigarette. Neither of us spoke for a while. All that could be heard was the buzzing of flies in the shop and a man’s voice singing in the distance.

  “I’ll whisper this to you.” the man finally says.

  “Yes? ” I said.

  “Have you ever been to England?” he asked.

  “Yes,” I said to him.

  scaird	Squirt, jet, gush	f
  ceachtar	Either, one or other of two; (with neg.) neither
  rírá	Hubbub, uproar	m
  cuileog	fly [insect]	f
  fonn a gabhail	to sing
  cogar	whisper	m

• 
  Bhain sé searradh tobann as féin, tharraing sé a cheann amach as an bpóirín agus thug sé aghaidh orm, á chasadh féin go ragmhuineálach suas óna ghlúine. Thug mé faoi deara go raibh déanamh an-aisteach ar a cheann. Ar dtús cheapas gur chósuil le cloigeann róin é, mar níor leathnaigh sé in aon chor aníos ón muineál agus bhí an t-éadan buí gréiseach chomh sleamhain le mionchloch i mbéal toinne. Ach ina dhiaidh sin, ba mhó ba chosúil é le cloigeann seanstaile; an muineál ag éirí go téagarthach aníos ó na guaille agus ag caolú do réir a chéile nó gur shroich sé an mullach lom. Ní raibh ribe gruaige le feiscint ar aon bhall dá cheannaghaidh ach amháin ar na malaí. Ní baileach go ndéanfadh an folt sin féin goblach maith do bhodarán.
  

  He suddenly stretched himself, He pulled his head out of the alcove[póirín??] and faced me, turning himself stiff-necked[ragmhuineálach??] from his knees. I noticed there was something very strange on his head. At first I thought it was like a seal’s skull, because it did not extend at all upwards from the neck and the yellow, greasy face was as smooth as a pebble in the mouth of a wave. But after that, it looked more like an old stallion’s skull; the neck rising stoutly from the shoulders and narrowing gradually until it reached the bare pate. There was not a hair visible on any place on his face except for his eyebrows. The hair itself would not exactly make a good mouthful for a bodhran[bodarán??].

  searradh	Stretching of limbs
  muineálach	long-necked
  leathnaigh	Widen, extend
  gréiseach = girréiseach	High-spirited
  gréisceach	greasy	f
  sleamhain	Smooth, slippery
  mionchloch	Small stone, pebble	f
  stail	Stallion	f
  téagartha	Substantial, stout, bulky
  caolú	Attenuation; narrowing; dilution	m
  ceannaghaidh	feature (of face)	f
  mala	Brow; Eyebrow.	f
  baileach	exact
  folt	Hair (of head)	m
  goblach	Beakful, mouthful (of food); (choice) morsel; Lump, chunk.	m

• “Furasta d’aithint ort,” adeir sé, “gur shiúil tú Sasana.”

  “Cé an fáth, a dheartháir?“ arsa mise.

  “Fágann Sasana marc ar an té théas ann,” adeir sé.

  “Cé an sórt mairc?” adeir mé féin.

  “Págánaigh ar fad iad muintir Shasana,” adeir sé go réidh macánta agus é ag dearcadh ar an toitín a bhí lasta im láimh. “Tádar díolta leis an diabhal.”

  “Dáiríre?” arsa mise.

  “O! Tá siad,” adeir an fear. “ Tádar salach lofa.”
  

  “It’s easy to recognize you,” he saod, “that you traveled to England.”

  “Why, brother?” I said.

  “England leaves a mark on those who go there,” he said.

  ”What kind of mark?” I said myself.

  “The people of England are all pagans,” he said easily and gently as he looked at the cigarette that was lit in my hand.

  “Really?” I said.

  [Tádar??] O, they are. They are dirty and rotten.

  Págánach	Pagan, heathen	m gs npl Págánaigh
  dearcadh	Look, gaze	m

• 
  Leis sin, shac sé isteach arís a cheann sa bpóirin agus ní raibh cor dá laghad as, cé is moite de na méaracha bhí ag ceansú a chéile taobh thiar de lag a dhroma. Dar lán an leabhair! Ní thiúrfá deich an triuf ar a chuid balcaisí, an fear bocht. Maidir le salachar! Bhí sin orthu le cartadh. Ní raibh cnaipe ina léine ná ina [d.l. 56] sheaicéad. Bhí dath buí na seanaoise ar a chuid buataisí agus a dteanga amuigh acu, gan sreang gan foirtim á gceangal, an leathar scortha agus leatrom sna sála. Bhí a chraiceann le feiscint, anseo agus ansiúd, tríd an seantriúsaer a chlúdaigh a spreangaí.

  With that, he shoved his head back into the alcove[bpóirin??] and there was not the least twist from of it, except for the fingers that were restraining each other behind the small of the back. [Dar??] The book is full! You would not give the ten of clubs for his clothes, the poor man. As for dirt! That removal was on them. There was no button on his shirt or his jacket. His boots were yellow of old age and their tongues were sticking out, without lace or [foirtim??] to tie, the leather is torn and the heels were uneven. His skin was visible, here and there, through the old trousers that covered his spindleshanks[spreangaí??].

  cé is moite (de)	except (for)
  ceansú	Appeasement, pacification; control, restraint	m
  lag	weak
  balcais	Clout, rag; garment	f
  maidir	As for, as regards
  cartadh	(Of refuse, material) Clearance, removal.	m
  sreang	String; wire, cord	f
  foirtim
  scortha	cut, slashed, sliced
  leatrom	Uneven weight, uneven balance	m
  spreangach	Impulsive; quick-tempered

• 
  “Ar shiúil tú an Fhrainc?” adeir sé i gceann tamaill eile. D’admhaigh mé dhó go raibh seanaithne agam ar an tír sin

  “Go maithe Dia dhuit é,” adeir mo dhuine.

  “Cé an fath?” adeir mé.
  

  “Have you been to France?” he asked after a while. I admitted to him that I had a long acquaintance with that country.

  “God bless you,” my man said.

  “Cé an fath?” adeir mé.

  admhaigh	Acknowledge; Admit	v
  seanaithne	Long acquaintance

• 
  Bhuail taod an fear aisteach. Tharraing sé a cheann amach as an bpóirin agus bhreathnaigh sé orm go hoilbhéasach idir an dá shúil. Bhí gráin nimhe ag scairteadh anois ina shúile féin, a bhí chomh macánta gléigeal tamall beag roimhe sin ; modhúil codlatach ar nós súile mná a bheadh ag tnúth le míorúilt an ghrá. Dar fia! Bhuail eagla mé go raibh a mhearbhall ag dul i gceannas a thola agus go raibh drochfhonn ag teacht air.

  A fit struck the strange man. He pulled his head out of the alcove[bpóirin??] and looked at me mischievously between his two eyes. Poisonous hatred was now shouting in his two eyes, that were so mild and clear a little while before then; gentle, sleepy, like the eyes of a woman who would be longing for the miracle of love. By Jove! I was afraid that his confusion was taking over his will and an evil desire was coming on him.

  taod = taghd	Fit, impulse	m
  oilbhéasach	Mischievous, unruly; (of animal) cross, vicious.
  gráin	Hatred, abhorrence
  scairteadh	calling, shouting	m
  macánta	Childlike; gentle, meek, mild; honest
  modhúil	Well-behaved, mannerly; mild, gentle, modest
  codlatach	Sleepy, drowsy
  tnúth	envy; Vying, jealous rivalry; Expectation, longing	m
  míorúilt	miracle	f
  eagla	fear	f
  toll	Will; inclination, desire, wish	f gs tola
  ceannas	Headship, sovereignty; Authority, command

• 
  “Tá measa muintir na Fraince ná muintir Shasana,” adeir sé.

  “Cé an fath?” adeir mé.

  “Daoine drúisiúla,” arsa seisean. “Níl sa tír sin ach salachar. Tá contúirt ar aon duine chuireas cos ann.”

  “The French people are worse than the English people,” he said.

  “Why?” I said.

  “Lustful people,” he said. “That land is nothing but dirt. There is danger for anyone who sets foot there.”

  <
  

  drúisiúla	Lustful, lascivious
  contúirt	Doubt; Danger

• Nuair a bhí a cheann curtha i bhfolach arís sa bpóirin aige, dhruid mé anonn go dtí gob an chuntair ar bharr coise agus rún agam bailiú liom amach as an teach sul má bhuailfeadh cuthach é. Ach níor éirigh liom sin a dhéanamh. Sháigh sé a cheann amach go tobann nuair a shroich mé an póirin. Bhíomar ansin, an bheirt againn, ar gach aon taobh den-chuntar, ár n-éadain i bhfoisceacht [d.l. 57] cúpla orlach dá chéile, buile ar an bhfear aisteach agus roinnt mhaith faitís orm féin, gan focal asainn ar feadh nóiméide.

  When he had hidden his head again in the alcove[bpóirin??]. I crawled over to the edge of the counter on tiptoe and I intended to be off out of the house before if madness struck him. But I didn’t manage to do that. He suddenly stuck his head out when I reached the alcove[póirin??]. There we were, the two of us, on either side of the counter, our faces within a few inches of each other, The strange man was furious and I was somewhat frightened myself, without a word from us for a minute.

  druid	close, shut; Move close to, draw near, approach	v
  anonn	Over, to the other side
  gob	beak, bill; Tip, point; projection	m
  rún	mystery; secret; Intention, purpose	m
  bailiú	Collection; accumulation	m
  cuthach	Rage, fury	m
  foisceacht	Nearness, proximity	f
  orlach	inch	m
  buile	Madness, frenzy
  faitíos	Fear, apprehension	m gs nplfaitís

• “Fan,” adeir seisean faoi dheireadh. ”Fan go n-inseoidh mé dhuit.”

  “Leag ort,” adeir mé féin.

  “Is iad muintir Mheireaca is measa ar fad,” adeir sé. “Tá an domhan mór millte acu lena gcuid pictiúirí salacha. Drúis agus salachar á scaipeadh acu ar fuaid an domhain ar fad, ar nós scaipfeá aoileach ar gharraí.”

  “Muintir Mheireaca?” adeir mé.

  “Sea,” adeir sé, “muintir Mheireaca, agus go maithe Dia dár muintir féin atá thall ansin ina measc.”
  

  “Wait,” he said finally. “Wait until I tell you.”

  “Hurry up,” I myself said.

  “The people of America are the worst,” he said. “They have ruined the whole world with their dirty pictures. They are spreading lust and filth all over the world, like you would spread manure on a garden.”

  “People of American?” I said.

  “Yes,” he said, “the people of America, and God bless our own people who are over there among them.”

  millte	ruined
  drúis	lust	f
  scaip	scatter; spread; dissipate; disperse
  aoileach	Dung, farmyard manure	m

• 
  “I dtigh diabhail é mar scéal,” dúirt mé liom féin, tá sin iomarcach as béal fir ar bith; mearbhallach nó gan é bheith.”

  Chuir mé mo dha uille ar an gcuntar agus d’áitigh mé air.

  “Cogar mé seo leat, a dhuine chóir,” arsa mise.
  

  “He’s in a devil’s house as a story,” I said to myself, “that’s too much out of the mouth of any man; confused or not.”

  I put my two elbows on the counter and settled down to it.

  “I will whisper this to you, just man,” I said.

  iomarcach	Excessive, superfluous, redundant
  áitigh	Settle down to; Submit, argue
  cóir	Just, proper; decent, honest

• 
  “Cheapfá go mbeadh náire ort agus tú ag baint fobha as an gcine daonna ar fad le do chuid cainte. Ar nós an tsionnaigh, ní fhaigheann tú boladh do bhrocamais féin. Má ba leis an té tá gan peaca an chéad chloch a chaitheamh, ba cloch í nach gcaithfí go brách.”

  “You would think you would be ashamed as you [ag baint fobha??] attack the entire human race with your words. Like the fox, you can’t smell your own waste. If he who is without sin were to cast the first stone, a stone would never be cast.”

  fobha = fogha	Dart, lunge; rush, attack; Short run, quick effort; Short interval; Slight admixture, dash	m
  boladh	Smell, scent	m
  brocamas	refuse

• 
  Ní baileach go raibh an racht cainte sin curtha dhíom agam nuair a bhuail aiféala mé. An créatúr bocht! Bhí sé ag creathnú ó chois go ceann agus bhí an nimh imithe as a shúile. Bhíodar arís bog, modhuil agus codlatach; ach gur le trua agus maiteanas agus ansacht a bhíodar anois ag tnúth.
  

  I had only just spoken that outburst when regret hit me. The poor creature! He was shaking from foot to head and the poison was gone from his eyes. They were again soft, gentle and sleepy; but that they were now longing for compassion and forgiveness and love.

  baileach	exact
  racht	Pent-up, violent, emotion; paroxysm, fit; outburst	m
  aiféala	Regret, remorse	m
  creathnaigh	Tremble (with fear), quake; take fright, flinch
  modhúil	Well-behaved, mannerly; mild, gentle, modest
  codlatach	Sleepy, drowsy
  trua	Pity. (a) Sympathy, compassion	f
  maiteanas	forgiveness	m
  ansacht	Love; loved one	f
  tnúth	envy; Vying, jealous rivalry; Expectation, longing	m

Notaí Faoi Scéalta