An Captaen agus an Rón /
The Captain and the Seal
The Captain and the Seal
Informant: Aodh Ó Baoighill
Age: 71
Address: Rann na Móna, Anagaire, Co. Donegal
Collector: Eoghan Ó Baoighill, as part of The Schools’ Collection, National Folklore Collection, UCD
Date of Recording: 1937/38
Reference:
[Image courtesy of the Irish Seal Sanctuary]
An Captaen agus an Rón
Bhí bád ag gabháil go Meiriceá uair amháin agus nuair a bhí siad giota amach ón ché, chonaic an captaen rón mór ina ndiaidh. Ba mhaith leis an rón a dhíbirt sula bhfeicfeadh na mairnéalaigh é. Chaith sé amach cathaoir a bhí ar an bhád, shlog an rón an chathaoir ach níor shásaigh sin é. Chaith sé amach pigín a bhí ar an bhád, shlog an rón an pigín ach níor shásaigh sin é. Chaith sé amach gabhar a bhí ar bord aige, shlog an rón an gabhar, ach níor shásaigh sin é.
Ní raibh ’fhios aige ansin caidé b’fhearr dó a dhéanamh. Fá dheireadh, chaith sé amach an buachaill aimsire a bhí aige, shlog an rón an buachaill agus bhí sé sásta go breá ansin. Chuaigh an rón síos faoin fharraige agus ní fhaca siad é ní ba mhó.
Sheol an soitheach leithi go raibh sí thall i Meiriceá. Nuair a chuaigh siad go dtí an ché, chonaic siad scaifte mór daoine ansin rompu ag coimhéad ar rud éigineact a bhí ar an ché. Chuaigh an captaen suas fad leis an scaifte go bhfeicfeadh sé caidé bhí ann, agus caidé do bharúil a bhí ann ach an rón agus é marbh. D’fhoscail siad an rón agus caidé chonaic siad istigh ann ach an buachaill ina shuí ar an chathaoir agus é ag blí [ag bléan] an ghabhair isteach sa phigín.
The Captain and the Seal
A boat was going to America one time and when they were a while away from the quay the captain saw a large seal coming after them. He wanted to drive away the seal before any of the sailors saw it. He threw him a chair that was on the boat and the seal swallowed it, but that didn’t satisfy it. He threw out a pail that was on the boat, but that didn’t satisfy it. He threw out a goat that he had on board and the seal swallowed the goat, but that didn’t satisfy it.
He didn’t know what best to do. In the end, he threw out a servant-boy he had, the seal swallowed the boy and it was well satisfied then. The seal went down under the sea then and they didn’t see him again.
On went the vessel until she reached America. When they got to the quay, they saw a large crowd looking at something on the quay. The captain went up as far as the crowd to see what it was and what do you think it was but the seal, and he was dead. They opened up the seal and what did they see inside him but the boy sitting on the chair, milking the goat into the pail.