The King Searches for the Hero who Rescued the Princess Episode 8

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r Maidin amáireach nuair éirigh Seán, bhí an máistir 'n-a shui roimis mar do bhí deithneas mór air chun bheith ar an gcead duine ag tigh an rí chun adhanó a dheanamh do'n mhnaoi óig. D'imigh sé ó Sheán agus chomáin Seán na ba leis agus scaoil sé isteach sa choill iad agus chuaidh sé go dtí an chúirt. Chuimil sé a chapaill agus do glan agus thug se bia dhóibh um thránóna. Chomáin sé abhaile a bha arís agus do bhí a mháistir roimis. "'Sea ! An bhfuil gach aon ní sábhálta agat, a Sheáin ?" ars' eisean. "Tá na ba sábhálta agam," arsa Seán. "Anois, a Sheáin, teanam ort isteach go bhfaghaidh mé do shuipéir duit." Ar maidin amáireach, nuair éirigh Seán, duirt an máistir leis, "Anois a Sheáin, caithfir dul i n-éinfheacht liom inniu mar tá gairm scoille curtha amach ag an rí ar gach aon duine dhá bhfuil 'n-a ríocht chun teacht go dtí a chúirt agus pé gaiscioch do shabháil a inion ar an bpéist geobhaidh sé an inion le pósadh agus beidh ana-dhinéar ann." 55. Next morning, when Seán got up, the master was there before him and he was in a great hurry because he wanted to be the first person to pay homage to the young princess. He went away and Seán drove the cows down and turned them into the wood, then he went to the giant's court. He looked after his horses and cleaned them and gave them food that evening, then he drove the cows home. His master was there before him. "Well, Seán! Have you got everything in order ?" he said. "Oh, I have seen that the cows are all right," Seán replied. "Now Seán hurry on inside and I'll give you your supper." Next morning, the master said to him, "Now, Seán, you must go with me today because the king has sent out a summons that everyone in his kingdom must come to his court and whoever the hero was that saved his daughter from the monster will have her as his bride and there will be a huge feast there." 56. "Am briathar féin ná raghad, agus nach gá dom é," arsa Seán. "is gártaraighe liom go mór áire thabhairt dom' ghnó féinig." "á! Cuirfeam na ba i n- áit shábhálta," ars' an máistir. "Cuirfead-sa féin i n-áit iad," arsa Seán, "mar tiubhraidh mé áire dhóibh." Do b'eigean do'n máistir imeacht agus Seán fhágaint annsan. Chomáin Seán leis a bha agus chuir sé isteach i gcoill na n-athach iad. Chuaidh sé go dti an chúirt arís agus d'fheach sé i ndiadh a chapall agus i ndiadh na cúirte chun gur tháinig an tranóna air. Chomáin sé leis a bha agus thug abhaile iad agus bhí an máistir tagaithe roimis. "Is maith an buachaill thu , a Seáin," ars' an máistir. "Nach luath athánn tu tagaithe, nó ar raibh ana-dhinnéar agaibh inniu ?" "Ní raibh," duirt an máistir," mar níor tháinig an gaiscioch do mharbh an phiast i n-aon chor." "An amhlaidh nár tháinig ?" duirt Seán. "Níor tháinig," ars' an máistir," acht do tháinig seodh gaiscioch agus duirt gach aoinne gur bh'é féin do mharbh an phiast agus duirt an óig-bhean nach aoinne aca do mharbh í." "Tiocfaidh sé fós," arsa Seán. "Is dócha go dtiochfaidh sé amáireach ars' an máist. 56. "Upon my word, I won't go and there's no need for me to go," said Seán. "It's much more important for me to pay attention to my own business." "Ah, I'll put the cows in a safe place," said the master. "I'll put them in a safe place myself," said Seán, " because I'm looking after them." The master had to go away and leave Seán there. Seán drove the cows down into the giants' wood and then he went to the court again and cared for the horses and tidied up the court until evening came. He drove the cows home and the master was already there before him. "You're a good boy Seán," said the master. "Isn't it early you have come home ? Didn't you have a great dinner ?" "I didn't," said the master, "because the hero who killed the monster didn't come at all." "Didn't he come ?" said Seán. "He didn't come, but a great crowd of heroes came and each one of them said that he himself had killed the monster, but the princess said that none of them had done it." "He may come yet," said Seán. "It's likely that he will come tomorrow," said the master. 57. "Tabhair dom mo shuipéar, mar tá ochras orm," arsa Seán, "ní'l na gaiscioch ag deanamh aon buartha dhom." Fuair agus chuaidh sé a chodla. Ar maidin amáireach bhí an máistir imithe nuair éirigh Seán. Níor fhuair sé aon breicfeast, acht chomáin sé na ba agus scaoil sé isteach sa choill iad. Chuaidh sé go dtí cúirt na n-athach agus d'dheach sé i ndiaidh a chapall Ní bhfuair sé aon bia beirthe sa chúirt d'fheadfadh sé ithe agus do b'éigean do fánúint 'n-a throsca go deaghaidh é abhaile is t-oiche agus gur tháinig an máistir. "A Sheáin," do tháinig an gaiscioch inniu." "Cé an gaiscioch ?" a duirt Seán. "An gaiscioch a mharbh an phiast," a duirt an máistir. "Cuma liom cia 'ca, tháinig nó nár tháinig," duirt Seán," agus ba cuma leatsa leis, dhá mbeadh ocras ort. Dá mbeitheá ó'n dtaca seo aréir gan aon ní ithe, mar atáimse, ní dheanfadh gaiscioch aon buairt duit." Fuair Seán a shuipéar annsan 'o'n máistir, pic mhine coirce. "Cá bhfuil mo bhreicfeast ba cheart dom fháil maidin inniu ?" aduirt Seán. "Ar ndó ní fheadfá í ithe anois," ars' an máistir. "Feadfaidh mé go maith," arsa Seán. Do fuair sé an phic eile agus d'ith sé í. 57. "Give me my supper," said Seán. "I'm hungry and the heroes don't bother me at all." He ate his supper and went to sleep. In the morning, the master was gone when Seán got up and after his breakfast he drove the cows down and let them into the giants' wood. He didn't get any breakfast but he drove the cows down and let them into the wood. He went to the court of the giants and looked after the horses. He didn't find anything cooked in the court that he could eat, so he had to stay fasting until he went home that night and until the master came back. "Seán, the hero came today." the master said."Which hero ?" asked Seán. "The hero who killed the monster," the master replied, "It's all the same to me whether he came or he didn't come," said Seán, "and if you were hungry like me, it would be all the same to you if you had nothing to eat since this time last night. No hero would be troubling you." Seán got his peck of corn for his supper. "Where's my breakfast that I should have got his morning ?" said Seán. "Oh, you surely couldn't eat it now ?" said the master. "I could, very well," said Seán. He got another peck of corn meal and he ate that too. 58. Nior airigh Seán éiri go dtí ceann tamaill mhóir de'n mhaidin amáireach agus do bhí na ba dhá gcomáint amach ag an máistir roimis. "Cá raghair leis na ba san ?" duirt Seán. "Táim d'a gcur go dtí páirc an dá gheata," ars' an máistir. "Cad na thaobh sin ?" arsa Seán. "Mar tá inion an rí le pósadh inniu, leis an ngaiscioch do mharbh an phiast," arsa an máistir, "agus caithfidh tú dul go dtí an dinéar i n-einfheacht liom, pé olc maith leat é." "Ní'l aon bróg orm," a duirt Seán," agus do bheithdís ag seasamh ar mo chosa. Is réidh dom fánúint sa bhaile uatha." "Pé rud a dheanfaidh do chosa ná do cheann," ars' an máistir, "caithfir dul go dtí an pósadh, mar tá oiread san beann agam ort gur mhaith liom do chion do'n dinéar a bheith agat." "Muise! Raghad-sa ann, má is eadh," arsa Seán, "B'éidir go n-íosfainn béile mhaith ann." Chuireadar na ba i mball shábhálta agus chomáin an bheirt leo go dtí cúirt an rí. 58. By the time Seán got up, it was late in the morning and the master had driven the cows out before him. "Where are you going with those cows ?" asked Seán. "I'm putting them in the two-gate field," said the master. "Why are you doing that ?" asked Seán. "Because the king's daughter is to be married today to the hero who killed the monster," said the master," and you must go to the feast with me whether you like it or not." "I haven't got any shoes on me," said Seán, "and I'll be standing there in my bare feet. It would be much better that I stay at home." "Whatever about your feet or your head," said the master, "you must go to the wedding because I have such respect for you that I would like that you get a good meal." "Oh well then, I'll go, if that's how things are," said Seán. "Perhaps I'll get a good meal." They put the cows in a safe place and the two of them set off for the king's court. 59. Do bhí gach aon áit timcheall na cúirte clúdaithe ag daoinibh. D'imigh an máistir isteach go dtí an chúirt. Do hiompaigh Seán isteach i dteannta na ndaoine mbocht. Thainig mias feóla chun na ndaoine mbocht agus do tharraigheadar ó chéile í. Ní bhfuair Seán pioc di. Tháinig cana leanna chucha agus dhóirteadar a leath 'á bhaint d'á chéile. Nuair a chonnaic Seán an obair ghranna aca dh'á dheanamh do tharrac sé chuige a chleith agus luidh sé ar ghabháil ortha. Do bhíodar go léir ag rith uaidh comh mear a's d'fhéadadar é agus ghluais an liú agus an gol ar fuaid an bhaill, mar do bhí Seán 'á dtreasgairt comh tiu is do thigeadh sé suas leó ar fud na faiche. Do chonnaic an bhean óg é amach tríd an fhuinneóig agus do liú sí ar a hathair breith ar fhear na cleithe agus é thabhairt isteach go raibh dabht mór aici ná gur bh'é siúd an gaiscioch a throid an phiast thar a ceann. "éist," aduirt an t-athair,"agus biodh ciall agat." "ó siúd é an chiall atá uaim," aduirt an inion, "már is é siúd do shabháil m'anam. Ní pósfad-sa an fear atá ceapaithe agat-sa dhom go brách, go dtiúbhraidh sibh isteach é siúd ag triall orm agus deanfaidh mé amach chun 'úr dtoile gur b'iúd é an fear chuaidh i gcontuirt a anama féin chun m'anam-sa shábháil. 59. Everywhere near the court was packed with people. The master went in to the court and Seán went in amongst the poor people. A big plate of meat came in to the poor people and they tore it apart. Seán didn't get a scrap of it. Then there came a big can of beer and they spilled half of it sharing it between them. When Seán saw this ugly business going on, he grasped his club and began to give them a taste of it. They were all running away from him as fast as they could and the noise and screaming spread throughout the green. The young lady looked out through the window and she shouted for her father to seize that young man with the club and bring him in, for she had a great suspicion that he was the hero who fought for her against the monster. "Be quiet, and have some sense !" said her father. "Oh, I have enough sense," said the daughter, " because that's the man who saved my life. I will never marry the man you have chosen for me until you bring in him over there and I will prove for your satisfaction that he is the man who put his own life in danger to save mine." 60. "Airiú, a inion ó," ars' an t-athair, "éist do bhéal agus ná bí ag cainnt mar sin gan chiall. Ní thiúbhram-na isteach an stracaire duine sin tá ar leath-bhuile. Do mhaireóbhadh sé leath a bhfuil istigh againn leis an gcleith atá aige." "Má is eadh," arsa inion an rí, "raghaidh mé féin amach agus iarrfaidh mé isteach é". Le na linn sin, d'éirigh sí 'na shui chun dul amach. "Beir uirthe sin," aduirt an t-athair, "Ta sí as a meabhair, agus nach mór an náire é os comhar an gascioch onóraigh sin annsan" - b'é sin an gaiscioch aduirt gur bh'é féin a mhairbh an phiast go raibh inion an rí le pósadh leis. "Nílim ar buile i n-aon chor," duirt inion an rí, "ná as mo mheabhair. Tugaidh chugam isteach é agus cuirfeadsa i n-umhal daoibh gur b'é siud an fear ceart." Duirt cuid de chomhairligh an rí é thabhairt isteach, feachaint cad é an cómhartha bhí aice air. "Cad é a comhartha atá air agat ?" duirt an rí. "Ní inneósaidh mé d'fhear ná do bhean coidhche é," ars' ise chun go dtiúbhraidh sibh im' lathair é. Nuair a bheidh sé annsan 'n 'ur" lathair, taispeánfaidh mé dhibh an chomhartha agus aithneoghaidh sibh go léir annsan é." 60. "Oh, my daughter, do shut up and don't be talking such nonsense. We won't bring in that trouble maker who is half mad ! He will kill half of those we have here with that club of his." "Well, then," said the king's daughter, "I'll go out myself and ask him in." With that she rose to go out. "Seize her," said the king. "She's out of her mind, and isn't it a great shame for us before that honoured hero there." - that is the hero who had said that he himself was the one who had killed the monster and whom the king's daughter was about to marry. "I'm not mad at all," said the princess, "and I'm not out of my mind. Bring him in and I shall show you that that he is the right man." Some of the king's advisers said that he should be brought in and they could see what proof she had. "What proof have you got ?" asked the king. "I won't ever tell either man or woman," she said, "until you bring him into my presence. When he is here before you, I'll show you the sign and you will all recognise it then." 61. Do b'éigin Seán a thabhairt isteach. Nuair a tháinig sé i bhfianaise do tharraing inion n r'i amach na trí loca gruaige agus do ghlaoch sí ar a h-athair. Do dhein sí anonn ar Sheán agus bhain sí an cáibín hata do bhí air. Do thaispeán sí na trí sguir a bhí i nguaig a chinn dóibh go léir. Do rug sí ar na trí loca agus do chuir sí gach ceann aca isteach i n-a ionad féin arís. D'iompaigh sí amach a raibh timpeall uirrthe : "Sin é an fear a shábháil mise," ars' ise "agus níl sé sa domhan mac rí ná ridire phósfad acht é agus éirigh- se abhaile," aduirt sí leis an ógánach bhí ag feitheamh chun é phosadh lei, "mar is fada uaim-se do bhís-se nuair a shábháil sé seo m'anam dom." Do caitheadh an doras amach an t-ogánach so agus dob éigin dó féin agus dá mhuinntir dul abhaile.Annsan, d'iompaigh an bhean óg anonn ar Sheán agus duirt sí,"Is tusa an fear thar aon fhear eile a phósfad-sa, má phósann tú mé." "Ní pósfair," aduirt Seán, "mar caithfead-sa eadach éigin fóghanta do chur orm féinig sar a bpósfad." "Bí dh'á chur ort féinig nuair a beidhmid pósta," ars' an óig-bhean."Tiubhrad-sa chuige eadach," ars' an rí. "ó na bac é," duirt Seán," tabhair uair a' chloig dom agus gheobhaidh mé mo chuid eadaigh féinig." "Gheobhair an uair a' chloig agus fáilte," aduirt an rí agus a chomharlaigh. "Ní leigfad-sa as mo radharc tú má is féidir liom é go brach arís," ars' an bhean óg le Seán, "tá eadach ár ndóthain istigh againn." "Tiúbhraidh mé mo lámh agus m'fhocal duit," arsa Seán léi, ná beidh mé aon nomat ní sa shia ná an méid aimsire duirt." 61. They had to bring Seán in and when he came into their presence, the king's daughter pulled out the three locks of hair and she shouted for her father. She went over to Seán and took off the old hat that he had on. Then she showed the three clippings that had been on the back of his head to them all. She took the three locks and put each one into its own place. Then she turned round to those who surrounded her."That is the man who saved me and there isn't a prince or a knight in the whole world I will marry but him," she said. "And you can go home !" she said to the young man who had been waiting to marry her, "because you were far away from me when this man saved my life." He was thrown out of the door and he and his people had to go home. Then, the young lady turned to Seán and said, "You are the man above all other men that I will marry, if you will marry me." "I won't marry you," said Seán until I can fetch some decent clothes to wear for the wedding." "You will have clothes enough to wear when we are married," said the princess. "I will give him clothes," said the king. "Oh, don't bother, " said Seán, "just give me one hour of the clock and I will get my own clothes." "You will get the hour and welcome," said the king and his counsellors. "I don't want to let you out of my sight ever again," said the young lady to Seán, "We have enough clothes inside." "I give you my hand and my word," said Seán, "that I won't be a moment longer than the time I said." 62. Dob éigin dóibh Seán leigint uatha chun siúl ins an deireadh agus d'imigh sé. Sar a raibh an uair a' chloig caithte do chonnaic an rí agus na mór uaisle a bhí 'n-a seasamh timcheall an gaiscioch ceann dána agus an capall ba ghile na an eala agus iad ag teacht de dhruim an ghleanna fé n-a ndéin. Bhí imeacht an ghaiscigh comh trean go critheadh an talamh fé féin agus fé n-a chapall 'na thimcheall. Níor gaibh sé bóthar ná casán acht trí gach aon áit b'acharnai ná a chéile go dtí go dtáinig sé go dtí an chúirt. Níor fhan sé le teacht go dtí an geata amhain acht teacht de léim isteach de dhruim na bhfalai a bhí ag cosaint na cúirte. Sin é nuair do bhí an t-athas agus an mórdhail ar an rí nuair a chonnaic sé ar a imeacht go bhfeacaidh sé é ag troid na peiste. D'imigh Seán isteach agus rug sé ar láimh ar an mnaoi óig agus duirt,"Cionus thaithnighim anois leat ?" "Do thainnis chomh maith liom," ars' ise, "nuair a bhís amuigh ar an bhfaice ag gabháil dod' chleith ar an bacaigh mar do bhí fhios agam go maith go raibh an gaiscioch ionnat." Do phosadh í féinig agus Seán ar an lathair sin. 62. They had to let Seán go from them at last and off he went. Before the hour was past, the king and the great lords who were sitting around him, saw the stubborn hero, with his steed that was whiter than a swan coming over the glen towards them. The speed of his coming was so great that the earth trembled beneath him and his horse. He didn't go by road or path but through every difficult, thorny and stony way on his journey to the court. Nor did he bother to enter through the main gate, but leapt in over the surrounding walls. That is when the king was delighted to recognise him from the way he had fought against the monster. Seán entered the court and immediately seized the hand of the princess and he said, "How do you like me now ?" "I like you as much now as I liked you when I saw you beating the beggars with your club on the lawn and I recognised you for the hero you are !" the princess said. She and Seán married on the spot. 63. Le hiona agus le háthas do chuaidh an feirmeóir de rás abhaile ag triall ar a mhnaoi d'á innsint si cad é an saghas aodhaire bó bhí aice. Ní raibh puinn aimsire gur mhothaigh Seán a sheana- mháistir imithe uaidh agus chuir fios air, mar ba mhaith leis comaoine eigin a chur air. Bhí leath ríocht an rí fágtha ag Seán mar is eolach dhibh, agus thug sé d'á sheana-mháistir a fheirm féinig saor ar an fhaid a mhairfeadh sé.D'fhan an chuileachta annsan i bhfochair a chéile go ceann seachtaine ag ithe agus ag ól ar phósadh Sheáin agus inione an rí. Annsan, duirt Seán le n-a mhnaoi theacht i n-einfheacht leis go dtí a cuirt féin - b'í sin cúirt na n-athach. 63. The farmer raced home full of wonder and delight looking for his wife to tell her what sort of a cowherd she had had. It wasn't long until Seán noticed that his old master was gone and he sent for him, because he wanted to give him some reward. (As you know, Seán had received half of the king's kingdom ) and he gave his old master his own farm for as long as he should live. The company stayed there together for a whole week, eating and drinking and celebrating the wedding of Seán and the king's daughter. Then Seán said that his wife should come with him to his own court - that is the court of the giants. 64. Mhaireadar annsan go compordach i dteannta a chéile ar feadh suim mhaith blianta gur chuimhnigh Seán ar a mháthair d'fhag sé 'na dhiaidh fadó agus an lá gur chomáin sí amach é leis an ursail chun leigint dó maireachtaint nó bás d'fháil. D'iarr sé cead ar a mhnaoi é leigint abhaile ag iarraidh a mháthar agus do fuair. Chuir sé air an chulaidh airm agus eadaigh a bhí air an lá phós sé. Tháinig sé i n-airde ar a chapall gléigeal agus níor dhein aon stad gur tháinig sé go dtí an Cuasán. Bhí an botháinín ann acht ní raibh a mháthair ná na gabhair roimis agus do tháinig iona mór air cár ghabhadar nó cad é an chríoc do rug iad ó fhág sé iad. Chuaidh sé go dtí na comharsain ba comhgarai do'n bhótháinín agus níor aithin aoinne aca é , bhí sé comh h- athruighthe sin ag an imeacht neamh-choithionnta bhí fé. D'fhiafraigh sé dhíobh cár ghaibh an tseana-bhean a bhí i mbothan an chuasain suim mhaith bhlianta ó shin. Duireadar leis gur cailleadh an bhean bhocht a bhí i dtigín an Chuasáin fadó riamh agus gur fhág sí mórán airgid 'na diaidh pé áit gur gaibh sí é. "Do chailleadh an eadh ?" arsa Seán. "Do chailleadh," ars' iad- san. "Ba chuma liom cár ghaibh a cuid airgid dhá mbeadh sí féin '/n-a bheatha rómham," asrsa Seán. Le n-a linn sin, d'iompaigh sé a chapall thar n-ais agus n'í fheadar aoinne cé'r bh'é féin, acht go bhfeacadar ag sileadh deór é. Chuaidh Seán thar n- ais abhaile annsan, go cúirt na n- athach agus do mhair sé féin agus a bhean i gcúirt na n- athach go compórdach i dteannta a chéile i gcaitheamh an chuid eile d'á saol agus a gclann 'na ndiadh. Críoch 64.They lived there together for a few years until Seán thought of his mother whom he had left behind long ago and of the day she drove him out with the tongs to let him live or die. He asked his wife if she would mind his going home to look for his mother and she agreed. He dressed himself in the armour and clothes he had on the day he married and then he mounted his shining steed and made no stop until he got back to the bog. The little cottage was still there but there was no sign of his mother or the goats or what had happened to them since he left them. He went to the neighbours nearest to the cottage and none of them recognised him, he was so changed and the way he went around. He asked them what happened to the old woman who had lived in the cottage a good number of years ago and they told him that the poor old woman had died a long time ago and that she had left a lot of money after her, wherever she had got it. "So, she died ?" asked Seán. "She did," they said. "It would be all he same to me about the money if only she herself could be there alive in front of me," said Seán. With that, he turned his horse and went back and no-one knew who he could be but that they saw him weeping. Seán went back to the giants' court and he lived there together comfortably with his wife for the rest of his life and their family after them. The End We would like to acknowledge that, because of unavoidable condensing, necessary for fitting this tale into the space available, some alteration in plot has had to be made. I came on this story in a 150 yr old report on the recitations at the 'Oireachtas' Festival of the Gaelic League in Dublin ... and I remembered reading that Gaelic-speaking emigrants sometimes came to blows around a fireside...in the Yukon at the time of the Gold Rush as to which was the 'real' version. Well, on the old principle that 'a good story - well told' - can always be 'polished' a bit, it seems that the 'Amadán Mháire Rua' managed to gather 'episodes' as it travelled. ... Caoimhghín Ó Brolcháin. Courtesy of Jack & Vivian, IrishPage.com May 2024 Ar mbuiochas le Caoimhghín Ó Brolcháin ar son a chabhair leis an nGaedhilge Click here for A menu of all Episodes. Replay background music sequenced by Barry Taylor: Endearing Charms Filleadh go clár scéalta Click icon above to go back to story index