5 minute read
Irish-English translation by Aislinn Ní Dhomhnaill
IRISH
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Liam Ó Flaihearta
Bhí creag mhór sínte le farraige agus gleannta caola féaracha ag lúbadh anseo agus ansiúd idir na leacacha, ó bharr na haille. Tháinig gadhar buí isteach sa gcreag. Sheas sé ar thrí chois agus shín a eireaball. Fuair sé boladh coinín. Thug sé rith te reatha suas an gleann: a shrón le talamh. Sheas sé arís – ar croitheadh – a chluasa bioraithe. Ansin chas sé isteach i measc na scailp, ag léimneach anonn is anall, ag casadh go dlúth arís agus arís eile, ag smúrthacht an bholaidh the a bhí fágtha ar na leacacha glasa sleamhna ag cosa an choinín. Fá dheireadh sheas sé de thaghd ar aghaidh dhá chloch a bhí seasta guala le gualainn agus poll caol eatarthu. Chonaic sé coinín suite sa bpoll. Bhí droim donn an choinín i bhfogas dhá shlat dá shrón. Dhírigh a chorp agus thit a dhá chluais a bhí bioraithe roimhe sin. Tháinig torann tobann tapaidh, ar nós línéadaigh róthirim a réabfaí go mear, nuair d’éirigh an coinín amach as dídean na gcloch. Léim sé thar an leic a bhí idir é féin agus an gleann. Chas sé agus a thaobh le talamh, ar nós báid fholaimh a leagfaí faoi ghaoth láidir.
Lig an gadhar sceamh agus osna. D’éirigh sé den leic. Le neart a choirp agus le cuthach a léime stróic sé slisíní den leic lena chosa deiridh. Ag gabháil scarachosach tríd an aer, lig sé sceamh eile. Bhuail sé talamh sa ngleann. Baineadh treascairt as le saint a shiúil agus thit sé i ndiaidh a uchta. Ach bhí sé ina sheasamh arís ar bhualadh boise. Seo suas an gleann é i ndiaidh an choinín, a eireaball sínte uaidh, a bholg le féar agus sruth gealchúrach na feirge ag sileadh lena dhrad. Bhí ardán féarach ag trasnú na creige ó chlaí go claí, tuairim is fiche slat ar leithead. Bhí iallach ar an gcoinín an t-ardán a thrasnú chun a choinicéar a shroichint, in aice claí thoir na creige, amuigh ar bhruach na farraige. Nuair a chas an coinín as an ngleann, soir in aghaidh an ardáin, bhí an gadhar i bhfogas dhá shlat dá eireaball. Ghéaraigh siúl an ghadhair. Thug sé amhóg. Shíl sé droim an choinín a aimsiú. Chas an coinín siar. Bhí an gadhar ina dhiaidh aniar. Chas an coinín de phlimp isteach faoi bholg an ghadhair. Chuaigh siad timpeall ar a chéile trí huaire, ag iompú chomh mear sin nárbh fhéidir craiceann buí an ghadhair a aithint ó chraiceann donn an choinín. Suas leis an gcoinín arís. Suas leis an ngadhar ina dhiaidh. Bhuail sé srón ar an gcoinín san aer. Buaileadh an coinín ar spéice i mbéal an choinicéir. Thit an gadhar ina mhullach. Tháinig sian bheag thruamhéileach ón gcoinín agus tafann lúcháireach ón ngadhar.
Bhí an marú déanta. This short story comes from a collection titled ‘Dúil’ which means Desire, and this story in particular relates to the theme of
ellipses because of the wait between the dog starting his hunt, and finishing it.
ENGLISH
translated by Aislinn Ní Dhomhnaill
A large rock stretched to the sea and the narrow, grassy valleys, bending here and there between the flagstones, from the top of the cliffs. A golden hound appeared on the rocks. He stood on three legs and extended his tail. He got the scent of a rabbit. He sprinted off up the valley: his nose to the ground. He stood again - shivering - his ears pricked. Then he turned in amongst the banks, jumping here and there, turning closely again and again, sniffing the hot scent which was left on the slippery green flagstones by the rabbit’s feet. Finally, he stood hastily on two rocks beside one another, with a small hole between them. He saw a rabbit sitting in the hole. The rabbit’s brown back was two yards from his nose. His body straightened and his ears, which had been pointed before, fell. A sudden, quick noise came, like a too dry piece of linen being ripped quickly, when the rabbit emerged from the protection of the rocks. He leapt over the stone between himself and the valley. He turned himself to the ground, as if he were an empty boat struck down by a strong wind.
The hound groaned and yelped. He got up from the flagstones. With all his body strength and a furious leap, he scratched slices into the flagstones with his hind paws. Flying through the air with his legs stretched out, he let out another yelp. He beat the ground. He stumbled - his eyes overzealous in their search - and fell forward on his chest. But he was standing again in a second - then, up the glen he went after the rabbit, his tail stretched out from his body, his stomach to the grass and the sea’s bright bubbling stream running alongside his snout. A raised grassy platform covered the rocks from one rocky wall to another, at least twenty yards in length. The rabbit was desperate to cross the grassy area to reach his rabbit-hole, beside the east wall of the platform, out on the sea shore. When the rabbit turned out of the valley, eastwards from the platform, the hound was only two yards from his tail. The hound’s eyes narrowed. He lept. He tried to reach the rabbit’s back. The rabbit turned back. The hound was right behind him to the west. The rabbit went under the hound’s stomach like a shot. They went around each other three times, getting so close to each other you couldn’t tell the hound’s golden fur from the rabbit’s brown body. Up with the rabbit again. Up with the hound behind him. He hit the rabbit in the air with his nose. The rabbit was struck towards the entrance to the rabbit-hole. The hound set upon him. A tragic little whine came from the rabbit, and a joyful bark from the hound.
The killing was done.
