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o chaith an triúr iníon an lá san go buartha agus duradar le chéile go raibh a n-athair
marbh nó breóite agus a rá nar tháinig sé lena gcuid bídh. Ní raibh an madra athasach ach
cómh bheag. 'Sé an rud a dhéin se ná an chéad aran do chuireadh ar an mbord a thógaint leis
ina bhéal agus thóg sé go dtí doras an chaisleáin agus d'fhág sé ar leach an dorais é nuair
nach raibh fhéidir leis dul isteach... Chuaidh sé thar nais go dtí an chúirt agus thóg sé
píosa mór fheoil agus dhéin sé amhlaidh. Nuair a chonnaic an bhean uasal é ag tógaint bia
amach an dorais rug sí air agus cheangal sí le píosa téid é le cos an bhoird agus dob éigin
do fánúint istigh sa bhaile.
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23. The three daughters spent that day sorrowfully and they told each other that their father
was dead or sick because he hadn't come with their food. Neither was the dog very happy and
what he did was to take the first bread that appeared on the table in his mouth and carry
it to the door of thecastle and leave it on the doorstep when he couldn't gain entrance. He
returned to the court and got a big piece of meat and did the same with it. When the lady
saw him taking food out she tied him with a piece of rope to the table leg and he had to
stay at home.
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24. Bhí san go maith go dtáinig fear na mná boichte abhaile istoiche agus sin é nuair d'innis
sí dhó an scéal go léir.... agus, tá a lán óir fágháilte agamsa mar gheall ar an gnó go
léir!” arsa sise agus mortas uirthe. Níor thaithn sé leis i n-aon chór aon diobháil do
dhéanamh do chlann an rí agus dúirt sé leis féin,”Raghadsa fé dhein na chlainne anocht
nuair a thiocfadh an doircheacht féachaint an bhféadfainn aon tairbhe dóibh.” agus sin mar
do dhéin sé agus chuaidh sé go dtí an túr. Ghlaoch sé ortha agus tháinig siad go dtí an
fhuinneog i n-áirde. Dúirt se leo go raibh a n-athair pôsta arís agus go raibh sé curtha
bun-os-chionn leo ag a leas mhathair ar chuimhneamh go brá ortha acht, dá bhféadfaidis ar
aon tseift teacht anuas go raibh tobar ar an dtaobh dheas don túr a thabharfadh cabhair mór
dófa..
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24. That's how it was until the poor woman's husband came home that night. And she told him
the whole story.... and I have got a lot of gold because of the whole business! she said
proudly. This didn't please him at all because he wouldn't want to do any harm to the king's
family. I'll go to the family tonight when it's dark and see if there's any way I can help
them. and that's what he did. He went to the tower and shouted up to the high window . They
came to the window and he told them that their father was married again and that he was
enchanted by the foster mother so that he would never again remember them but if they could
think of any way of getting down to the ground, there was a well on the right hand side of
the tower which would be of great benefit to them.
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25. Cad do bheadh annsan ?” a d'fhíafraigh duine aca. Tá, ar seisean, ag an cúinne theas
do'n tûr tobairín. Níl nochtaithe ach cúinne beag de, acht, má's féidir libh teacht anuas
go dtí é agus bhur n-aghaidh do ní ann, níl aon athchuinge ba mhaith libh iarraidh nach
bhfaigheadh sibh – acht níl le fáil ag aoine agaibh acht an chéad athcuinge iarrfaidh sí.
Chuaidh sé abhaile thar nais ansan. Bhí sin go maith go dtí maidin lá'r na mháireach. Dúirt
Banphrionsa Gile go raibh sé comh maith aca iad féin a mharbhadh nó go mb'fhearra dóibh é
sin ná bás leis an ocras. Do bhíodar mar sin ansan agus ní fhéadradar den domhan cad a
dhéanfidis, nuair a chuimhnigh Banphrionsa Bláth ar seift chun teacht anuas den chaisleán.
B'í an seift í teacht ar a raibh d'éadaigh leaptha insa túr aca agus é gearradh suas i
straiceachaibh fada caola agus iad fhuagh as a chéile. Tháinig siad chun an bhfinneóig agus
scaoil siad amach ceann an éadaigh a bhí fuaighte as a chéile aca agus do léig siad dhó
tuiteamh amach féachaint a' raghadh sé go talamh agus chonnaic siad go raibh sé fada go
leór.
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25. What would be there ? one of them asked. “On the south corner of the tower, there is
a little well. There is only a small bit of it visible, but if you are able to get down to
it and wash your face in it, there is no wish that you ask for that you will not be granted
but you only have a single wish each. He went back home then and that's the way things were
till the next morning.. Princess Brightness said that it would be preferable to kill
themselves rather than die of hunger. They were like that for a good while and didn't know
in the world what to do, when Princess Flower thought of a plan to get down from the
castle, and that was to gather all the bedclothes they had and tear them up into long, thin
strips and plait them together. They went to the window and threw out one of the ropes to
see if it would reach the ground and it was long enough.
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26. Chaith siad amach na tochtanna a bhí aca ar dtúis ar eagla na h-eagla go mbrisfeadh an
téad agus dúirt an Bhanphrionsa Peacóg, Déanfaimid an gnó anois !” aguis do dhéin. Chuaidh
beirt aca síos acht bhí Banphrionsa Bláth mar duine deireannach agus cad do dhéan sise ach
léim an fhionneóg amach agus thit sí ar na dtochtanna slán sabháilte. Rith siad go dtí an
tobair ansan chun iad féin a ní. Chuaidh an deirfiúr ba shine go dtí an tobar agus do ní sí
a lámha agus a haghaidh insa tobar agus d'iarr sí ar fheartaibh an tobairín mac crionna
ard-rí Chonnacht agus a chapall agus a chóiste agus a sheirbhísigh do theacht d'a hiarraidh
chun i bheith mar mhnaoi phósta aige. Ba ghairid dóibh annsan gur airígheadar cucha fothram
na gcapall agus na gcóiste ag teacht go dtí an túr.
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26. They threw out the mattresses which they had, first of all, for fear that the rope might
break and then Princess Peacock said, Now we'll do it !” and they did. Two of them went
down and Princess Flower was the last and what did she do but jump out of the window and
fall on the mattresses. Safe and sound.
They ran to the well then to wash themselves. The
eldest went first and she washed her hands and face in the well and she asked the spirit of
the well that the eldest son of the king of Connacht together with his horses, carriage and
servants should come and ask for her hand in marriage. It was only shortly after this that
they heard the noise of the horses and coach coming to the tower.
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27. Do tháinig amach as an gcóiste mac ard-rí Chonnacht agus chuaidh sé go dtí an ait go
raibh an triúr ban 'n-a seasamh agus rug sé ar lámh aice agus d'fhág sí slán ag a
deirfuireacha agus chuir sé isteach ina chóiste í. Tá aon athchuinge amhain agam le
hiarraidh ort,” arsa eisean. Gan mé bhreith chun siúl chun go dtí go bhfeicead caide an
chrích do bhéarfidh mo bheirt deirfiúr, “Gheobhaidh tú sin agus fáilte, arsa eisean.
'Seadh anois, arsa an Bláth leis an tarna dreifiúr, Téidhir-se go dtí an tobar anois.”
agus do chuaidh sise go dtí an tobar agus do ní sí a lámha agus a haghaidh agus d'iarr sí ar
fheartaibh an tobair mac ard-rí Alban do theacht le na gcapaill agus lena sheirbhísigh.
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27. The son of the High King of Connacht came out and he went to where the three young women
were standing and he took her by the hand and put her into the carriage. I have only one
request to beg of you, she said, Not to take me away until I see what the ending will be
for my two sisters. You will get that wish and welcome, he said. Now, said Peacock to the
second sister. You go to the well , and she did go and she too washed her hands and face
and asked the spirit of the well for the eldest son of the High King of Scotland to come
with his horses and his servants.
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28. Níor bh'fhada an aimsir gur airígheadar cucha é agus do tháinig se amach as a chóiste
agus thóg sé lámh an tarna deirfiúr agus bhuail sé isteach ina chóiste í. Do phóg na cailíni
a chéile agus dúirt sí leis an bhfear óg, “Tá athchuinge amhain agam ort agus is í gan mé
bhreith chun súil chun go dtí go bhfeicead caide an chrích don scéal do bhearfaidh mo
dhreifúir óg. Gheóbhair an athchuinge sin agus fáilte arsa mac an rí na hAlban.
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28. It wasn't a long time until they heard him coming and he got out of his coach and took
her by the hand and pout her into his coach.. The girls kissed each other and she said to
the young man, I have only one request for you and that is not to take me away before I see
what ending the story will have for my young sister. I grant you that wish and welcome,
said the king's son.
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29. Labhair Banphrionsa Blath ansin agus dúirt, Anois beidh spórt agam oraibhse ! agus
d'imthig sí agus do ní sí a lámha agus a aghaidh insa tobair agus d'iarr sí ar fheartaibh an
tobair Madra na nOcht gCos do theacht d'á hiarraidh.
Ba gairid dóibh gur tháinig sé agus é
lán d'uisce agus de lathaig agus dhéin sé isteach uirthe. Bhuail sé ceann d'á lapai tusaigh
fé n'a crios agus do chaith sé í siar ináirde ar a dhrom í. Níor labhair sé focal ná níor
léig air go bhfeacaidh sé aoinne eile a bhí laithreach dá thréine imtheacht a bhí futha
acht an bóthar a chur de agus as go brách leis agus an Bhanphrionsa ar a dhrom aige.
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29. Princess Flower spoke then and she said, Now I'll have some fun with you ! and she went
and washed her hands and face in the well and she asked the spirits of the well that a Dog
with Eight Legs should come to fetch her.
It was only a short while before he came and he
was full of water and mud and he went straight towards her. He put his front paw under her
girdle and threw her up on his back. He never spoke a word nor did he let on that he saw
anyone else who was present so great as his haste to be gone. Off with him and the princess
on his back.
to be continued
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