Duinnín agus an Cat
Féirín . . . a reward, a present, a
keepsake . . . in a bad sense, a lasting
complaint, an affliction ; f. Nodlag, a
Christmas box.
Deireadh an scéil
End of the story
Oíche Lae Nollag atá ann. Tá an tAthair Pádraig Ó Duinnín ar
an traein dheireanach ó Shráid Amiens ar a shlí abhaile go dtí an
bungaló beag cois farraige i bPort Mearnóg mar a bhfuil cónaí air.
Tá a hata ard dubh síoda leagtha béal in airde ar a ghlúine mar a
mbíonn lámhscríbhinn éigin de ghnáth. Tá sé ag cáitheadh
sneachta. Ó am go chéile ardaíonn an Duinníneach an nuachtán
atá leagtha ar an hata aige agus féachann sé arís ar an bpiscín cait
atá ina chodladh istigh. Agus é ag druidim le stáisiún Phort
Mearnóg, crochann sé an ruidín beag dubh san aer le súil go
mbeadh cat ó dhuine éigin. Ní fhéachann ceachtar den bheirt eile
sa charráiste air féin ná ar an bpiscín. Ligeann sé osna agus
cuireann sé síos ina phóca é. Póca doimhin é a shíneann go bun a
chóta – maintín, a bhfuil sé cairdiúil léi, a réitigh an póca seo, in
aisce, dó – le gur féidir leis rudaí ilghnéitheacha a iompar thart go
discréideach. Sháigh an piscín ingne ina láimh agus é á stiúrú
isteach go cneasta. ‘Féirín!’ arsa an Duinníneach go grod.
It is Christmas Eve. Pádraig Ó Duinnín on the last train from Amiens Street on
his way home to the small seaside bungalow in Portmarnock where he lives.
His tall black silk hat is set mouth-high on his knees where some manuscript
is usually. It is snowing [lit. “throwing snow”]. Occasionally Dineen
raises the newspaper set on his hat and he looks again at the kitten
who is sleeping inside. Approaching Portmarnock station, he lifts the little
black thing in the air with the hope it be someone’s cat. Neither of the other two
in the carriage looks at him or the kitten. He lets out a sigh and puts it down in
his pocket. It is a deep pocket that stretches to the bottom of his coat, – a
seamstress, with whom he is a friend, made this pocket, for nothing, for him – so that
he can carry various things around discreetly. The kitten pushed a claw into his hand
while while he was politely steering it in. ‘Gift!’ Said Dineen abruptly.
síoda | silk | mgs síoda |
leagtha | laid | |
béal | mouth | m |
de ghnáth | as a rule | |
lámhscríbhinn | manuscript | f |
féach | look | v |
piscín | kitten | m |
druid | close, shut; Move close to, draw near, approach [with le | |
croch | hang; raise up; lift, carry | v |
ceachtar | either, neither [with neg.] | |
osna a ligean | sigh | v |
doimhin = domhain | deep | |
sín | stretch | v |
maintín | seamstress | |
aisce | Request, favour; gift, present. | f |
in aisce | for nothing, gratis | |
ilghnéitheacha | Diverse, various, heterogeneous | |
discréideach | discreet | |
Sáigh | Thrust; stab; push, press; dart, lunge | |
ionga | claw; finger | f pl ingne |
stiúrú | steering, directing, guiding | |
cneasta | Honest, sincere; Decent, seemly; Mild-mannered | |
grod | Short, sudden; prompt, abrupt | |
Tus an scéil
Beginning of the story
Léigh tuilleadh