Scéal's Seanchas

Scéal's Seanchas, Gaelic for "Stories and Tales", is a collection of three stories written by AnMadadhRua in Gaelic. The book was originally published and left untranslated until FlyingGMM pieced it together in September of 2019.

Original Text
Bailiúchán Scéaltaí ón tseanaimsir-

An fear a chaill a mhuc,

Do bhí fear ann fadó insan áit a dtugtar baile nuisce anois air. Ní raibh ach cúpla bothán insan áit sin an t-am sin, agus do bhí fear a raibh muc aige ann. Tháinig fear ar a thóir lá amháin.

"Dh'airíos go bhfuil muc álainn ramhar agút, a fhir uasail" adúirt an fear a tháinig.

"Go raibh maith agat, a dhuine uasail" a dúirt úinéir na muice.

"Díol í, agus tiúrfad cúpla punt deas dhuit" arsan fear nua.

"Ní dhíolfad go deimhin" adúirt úinéir na muice, "mar is í siúd an t-aon mhuc amháin athá agam agus an t-aon rud amháin athá agam bhfuil aon luach air".

Dh'imigh an fear nua ansan. Bhí san go maith agus ní raibh go holc. Tháinig an stróinséir arís an dara lá, agus 'séard a dúirt sé ná "Díol an mhuc san, agus tiúrfad cúpla punt deas dhuit" ach ní dhíolfadh úinéir na muice a mhuc, mar go mba í an mhuc san an rud is tábhachtaí a bh'aige ar an tsaol. Bhí san go maith agus ní raibh go holc. Dh'éirigh an feirmeoir an triú lá, dh'fhág sé an tigh ach ní raibh tuairisc ar an muc. Bhí an mhuc goidte ag an stróinséir.

"By dad, dérd a dhéanfad anois!" adúirt an feirmeoir.

"Seasfair ansan, agus íosfad beo beathúch tú!" arsan capall, agus rinneadh san.

An Margadh mór-

Bhí margadh mór i bPort Laoise fadó, ach maríodh chuile dhuine a bh'ann lá agus ní rabh ao' mhargadh aríst ann!

Cén chaoi tae deas a dhéanamh-

An chéad rud a chaithfeas duine dhéanamh le tae deas a dhéanamh ná guí le Ned Maddrell atá in Oileán Mhanann faoi Láthair. Bhéarfaidh seisean an neart gon ché 'un an tae a dhéanamh i gceart. An dara rud ná go gcaithfidh tú an cupán a líonadh le bainne. Ansin, cuir mála mór ket isteach ann. Má dhéanann tú amhlaidh, beidh tae álainn deas agad.

Translated Text
A collection of stories from old times.

The man who lost his pig

Long ago, there was a man who lived in the place now called Watertown.(1) At that time, there were only a few cottages in the village. The man had a pig. Once, a man came from the east,(2) and when he saw the pig, he said "That's a beautiful, fat pig you have there, my gentleman." "Thank you, sir", said the owner of the pig. "I'll give you a nice couple of pounds for her", said the man from the east. "Absolutely not." said the owner of the pig. "That's the only pig - and the only thing of value - I have." The man from the east then left, and all was fine. The next day he returned, and said "Sell me that pig and I'll have a couple of nice pounds for you." But the owner of the pig would still not sell, for the pig was the most important thing to him. And all was fine. The next day, the farmer left the house for the day, but the pig was missing. The man from the east had stolen the pig! "By God, what have you done now?!" said the owner of the pig. "Stay where you are, and you will live to see tomorrow!" said the owner of the pig. The man from the east complied.

The Great Market

There was once a big market in Port Laoise for a long time, but everyone who was there was killed, and then there was no market!

How to make tea

The first thing one must do is pray to Ned Maddrell, from the Isle of Mann.(3) He will make the tea the perfect strength. The second thing one must do is fill the cup with milk. Then, insert a teabag. If you do these things, you will have a nice cup of tea.

Translator's notes:

1. "Watertown" is the same name as the uninhabited town in the Sylvian Federal Province at the mouth of the River Montrose. The town was built by Pirka, the founding member of RnanG and friend of AnMadadhRua.

2. "The man from the east" may be an allegory to goomyman77. Seeing RnanG as somewhat of a regional rival of the Sylvian Union, the rival of Goomnest, goomyman77 tried many times - unsuccessfully - to bring them into his diplomatic fold. Goomyman77 often touted himself as the representative of all states on the "eastern" half of the map.

3. Ned Maddrell was the last speaker of the Manx language (closely related to Irish), who died in 1974. He was quite a fan of tea with milk, and this recipe is likely an homage to him.

Acknowledgements:

-Sunflame_Is_DED, for connecting me with her Irish-speaking mom.

-Sunflame_Is_DED's mom, without whom many parts of this translation would be unclear.