Scéal faoi Rón /
A Story about a Seal
A Story about a Seal
Informant: Pádhraic Mac Giolla Easbuic
Age: Unknown
Address: Mín na Saileach, Gleann Cholm Cille, Co. Donegal
Collector: Seán Ó hEochaidh, National Folklore Collection, UCD
Date of Recording: 30/08/1936
Reference:
Grey Seal [Image courtesy of the Irish Seal Sanctuary]
Scéal faoi Rón
Bhí fear amuigh ar an Cholbha, ar an taobh thall de Chuan Teilinn, a raibh Pádhraic a’ Colbha air. Lean sé ariamh de bheith i ndiaidh róntaí dá marú. Bhí sé lá amháin insan chladach agus mharbh sé rón le fork. Níor mharbh sé amach é, agus d’imigh an rón le leath a’ fork. Níor mharbh sé amach é, agus d’imigh sé agus a fork leis.
Bhí sé lá eile ‘na dhiaidh sin anuas idir sin agus Reachlainn, agus cá bith cineál carraig a ndeachaigh sé isteach uirthi, bhí teach ar a charraic. Chuaigh sé isteach ’un tí agus bhí seanduine ina shuí sa leabaidh. D’aithin an seanduine an fear a tháinig isteach.
“An mbíonn tusa a’ leanstan,” a deir sé, “de bheith a’ mharú róntaí?”
“Maise bhínn,” a deir sé.
“An bhfuil cuimhne agat,” a deir sé, “ar an lá a sháith tú an fork ionam agus d’imigh mé ort?”
“Tá cuimhne agam go ndearna mé a leithid,” arsa seisean.
“Mise,” arsa seisean, “an rón a ndearna tú sin leis,” – agus é ina luí ar a leabaidh – “agus má thig leat ar dhóigh a’ bith é,” arsa seisean, “bí ar shiúl. Tá triúr mac domh-sa amuigh,” arsa seisean, “agus má thagann siad isteach agus fios a fháil gur tú atá ann ní bhfaighfidh tú abhaile a choíche, maróidh siad thú.”
Phill a’ fear, agus níor mharbh sé aon rón ón lá sin go dtí’n lá inniu.
A Story about a Seal
A man named Pádhraic a’ Colbha was out on An Colbha, on the far side of Teelin Harbour. He was looking for seals to kill. He was on the shore one day and he killed a seal with a fork. He didn’t kill him completely, and the seal got away with half the fork. He didn’t completely kill him and the seal got away, fork and all.
He was out another day between here and Rathlin, and whatever rock he came across, there was a house on the rock. He went into the house and there was an old man sitting in the bed. The old man recognised the man who came in.
“Do you still go out killing seals?” he asked.
“Maise, I used to,” he said.
“Do you remember,” he said, “the day you stuck a fork in me and I escaped?”
“I do remember doing something like that,” he said.
“I’m the seal you did that to,” he said, lying on the bed, “and get away with you, if you can,” he said. “I have three sons outside,” he said, “and if they come and learn that it is you that is here then you won’t ever go home, they’ll kill you.”
The man returned and he never again killed a seal from that day forward.