Séadna - Cobbler Story... Chapter 2.
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I don't know if it is still so, but for my generation the grandest story for Irish children
ever to be made available to us at school was, without doubt, 'Séadna by Canon
Peadar Ó Laoire. It had all the ingredients for capturing and holding the attention
of the young. 'A good tale, well told' .,, it moved breathlessly onwards carrying us to a
nail-biting conclusion.
...Caoimhghín Ó Brolcháin éadna in this second chapter is rewarded for his kindness to those who came to him in need. He ran out of the leather he uses to make shoes, and went off to buy more. On the way, 3 people beg alms from him, and he gives to each, finally giving away the last of his money . For this he incurs the wrath of the Fear Dubh.
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9. Shuí Séadna bocht síos ar thaobh an bhóthair agus
thochais sé a cheann...ní raibh fhéidir leis a
chréidúint mar do thuit gach ní amach- (nó ar tharla siad chor
ar bith?)....ach, nuair a chuardaigh sé a phócai, bhain a chóta de
agus thosnaigh é a chroitheadh agus fiú an taobh contráilte den a
shean cáibín a chuireadh amach, ní raibh amhras ar bith ann ach go
raibh na trí scilleacha imithe ! Tharla gach rud gan dabht...ní raibh
sé ag brionglóidigh in aon chor ! Cad a dhéanfaidh sé anois
gan leathar ? Ní bheadh sé ar a chumas brógaí ar bith
a dhéanamh gan abhar. ) |
9. Well poor Séadna sat down at the side of the road and scratched his head...he
couldn't believe what he had seen and heard that morning... but when he searched his
pockets, took off and shook his old coat and even turned his old 'caubeen' (hat) inside
out, there was no doubt about it - the three shillings were gone! It must have all
happened - he hadn't been dreaming! What could he do now for leather - and how could he
make boots without it ? |
10. (I ndéire na dála dhéin sé a aigne suas go mbuailfidh
sé isteach sa baile agus ghlaoch ar a shean chara Diarmaid Uí Marlaigh an tsiopa
leathair...Beidh leathair le fáil on bhfear machánta sin ar iasacht go
dtí go mbeadh brógaí déanta agus díolta aige..Sin
é! Seift iontach dob eadh é! Mar sin, d'éirigh sé, chuir a
shean cáibín briste bruite ar a cheann arís agus cheangal sé
a shean chóta gioblach timcheall air féin leis an giota téid
gruaigheach a bhí aige don jab sin agus bhuail sé síos an
bhóthair arís eile.) |
10. At last he decided to go on into town and call in to his old friend Diarmaid Marley who kept
the leather shop... he would let him have some leather until he had made and sold some
boots and could pay him back... That's what he would do... It was a grand plan ! So he
picked himself up, put his battered old 'caubeen' back on his head, fastened his old
raggedy coat around him with the bit of hairy rope he had for that purpose and set off
once more down the road. |
11. O Ní raibh ach cúpla coiscéim thugtha aige nuair a chonnaic
sé, agus é faoi dubh-íontas, aingeal álainn go hard san aer
os chionn sceach agus thit sé síos ar a dhá ghlúin...
agus bhain sé an cáibín ón a cheann. Thosnaigh an t-aingeal ag
cainnt leis i nGaeilge agus duirt os ard, A Shéadna! Dia's Muire dhuit!
O....O-oo-oo-oh...Dia's Muire dhuit is Pádraig...!- bheannaigh Séadna thar
nais le guth creathánach. Tá Dia baoch duit. Aingeal iseadh mise. Anois,
tá trí trí ghuí agat le fáil ó Dhia na
Glóire. Iar ar Dhia aon trí ghuí is toil leat agus gheobhair.Ach
tá aon chomhairle amhain agamsa le thabhairt duit. Ná déan dearmad ar
an Trócaire! Guí go mbeidh leaba i measg na naomh agat nuair a gheobhair
bás ! O O Agus an ndeirir liom go bhfaighead mo ghuí? O arsa Séadna.
O Deirim, gan amhras, - arsa an t-aingeal.) |
11. He hadn't gone more than a few steps when he saw, to his amazement... up in the air
floating over a hawthorn 'sceach'(bush)...a beautiful angel...and he fell to his knees,
snatching the 'caubeen' from his head. -O-oo-oo-oh!” said Séadna...and he was
terrified...The angel spoke to him in Irish and said in a loud voice, O A
Shéadna ! Dia's Muire dhuit! O (God and Mary be with you Séadna!)...
O O-ooo-oh...Dia's...Muire dhuit.... is... Pádraig...! O (God and Mary...and... Saint
Patrick... be with you .. ! said Séadna,.. giving the correct reply... in a
quavering voice. - God is pleased with you... I am an angel. Now, you can have three
wishes from the God of Glory. Ask of God any three wishes you want to and you will get
them. But one piece of advice I have for you...Do not forget to ask for mercy.... Let one
of those wishes be that you can go to Heaven when you die! - O And do you tell me that I
will get my wishes ? - said Seadna. O I do, of course ! - said the angel. |
12. (Bhí ionadh mór ar Shéadna...agus b'fhada sar a b' fhéidir
leis aon freagra a thabhairt. O Aon tri rudai AR BITH ? - d'fhíafraigh sé -
ach níor thug an t-aingeal freagra in aon chor ach d'fhán sé thuas
san aer os chionn an tsean sceach, ag feitheamh ina thost agus Séadna ag
smaoineamh ar cén rogha ab fhearr a bhaint astu. Sa deireadh, bhí aigne
Shéadna déanta suas aige agus labhair sé os ard go misnúil.
-Bhuel, tá sean cathaoir shúgáin bheag dheas agam sa bhaile agus um
tráthnóna agus mo chuid oibre déanta agam, is breá liom
bheith 'mo shuí ann os comhair an tine amach agus bionn néal codalta agam
ar mo shuaimhneas dom féin. Ach tagann gach bligeárd sa pharóiste
isteach agus ní foláir leis suí inti ag léigint a scíth
agus níl áit ar bith domsa ! AN CHÉAD DUINE EILE, A SHUÍFIDH
INTI ACH MÉ FÉIN - GO gCeangla SÉ INTI ! - ... O-OO-OOH...
Fáire, fáire a Shéadna !... Sin guí breá imithe gan
tairbhe.Tá dhá cheann eile agat, agus na dearmhaid an Trócaire !...
IARR AR DIA GO MBEIDH ÁIT AR NEAMH AGAT NUAIR A GHEOBHAIR BÁS !!) |
12. Seadna was amazed...and it was some time before he could think of a reply... - ANY
THREE THINGS ? O he queried...but the angel didn't answer him...he simply waited
for Seadna to make up his mind and remained floating over the thorny old 'sceach'... At
last, Séadna, having thought about the matter, took courage and spoke up.
O Well now...At home, I have a nice little old rocking chair O the 'cathaoir sugáin' ...
and every evening, after work, I like to sit in it in front of the fire and have a snooze
for myself... Every blackguard in the parish thinks he can call in...sit himself in my
chair and take his ease... and I have no place to sit ! THE NEXT PERSON WHO SITS IN THAT
CHAIR EXCEPT MYSELF... MAY HE STICK TO IT!-... O OO-OOH Seadna, shame on you ! That was
one fine wish wasted... You have two more and don't forget the mercy! ASK GOD THAT YOU
MAY HAVE A PLACE IN HEAVEN WHEN YOU DIE ! |
13. (Ní raibh aon fonn ar Shéadna bheith ag éisteacht le h-aoinne -
ba cuma leis aingeal nó diabhal bheith ann. - Ó, seadh ! Is beag na
rinné me dearmad air...Tá mealbhóigín mine agam sa bhaile agus
an uile bligeard a thagann isteach, ní foláir dó a dhorn a shá
inti. AN CHÉAD DUINE EILE A CHUIRFIDH LÁMH SA MEALBHÓIGÍN SIN,
ACH MÉ FÉIN...GO GCEANGLA SÉ INTI ! ) |
13. Seadna was in no mood to listen to anyone's advice - whether it be angel or divil that
was there !
-Oh yes... I nearly forgot ! At home I have a bag of oatmeal - the 'Mála
Míne' hanging on the wall - and every blackguard in the parish who comes in ,thinks
he can just stick his fist down into it and take a big fistful of oatmeal... Very soon
there's nothing left for myself ! THE NEXT PERSON WHO STICKS HIS HAND INTO THAT BAG...
EXCEPT MYSELF...MAY HE STICK TO IT !- |
14. (D'fhéac an t-aingeal go han-bhrónach ar Shéadna le tamaill fada.
- OO-OO-OOH A SHÉADNA! NACH TUSA AN t-Amadán IS MÓ ! DHÁ
GHUÍ IMITHE GAN TAIRBHE ! NÍL AGAT ACH AON GHUÍ AMHAIN EILE... IAR
TRÓCAIRE Dé DOT ANAM ! -
Is beag nar dhéin me dearmad air! Tá
crann beag úll agam i leataoibh mo dhorais agus an uile bhligeárd a thagann
cugam , ní folair leis a lámh a chur in airde agus úll a bhreith leis.
An chéad duine eile, ach mé fein, a chuirfidh lámh sa chrann san,
go gceangla sé ann! Ó, a dhaoine, - ar seisean, ag sceartadh ar
gháiri,nach agam a bheidh an spórt orthu ! - D'fheac an t-aingeal go
brónach ar Shéadna aon uair amhain eile agus d'imthig sé as radharc.) |
14. The angel looked very sorrowfully at Seadna for a long while...-OO-OOO-OOH
SÉADNA!! TWO GREAT WISHES GONE...YOU FOOLISH MAN! ... YOU HAVE ONE WISH LEFT...
DON'T FORGET TO ASK FOR HEAVEN FOR YOUR SOUL! - - Oh yes, - said Séadna, - I
remembered just in time ! At home I have the 'Crann úll' - the Apple Tree...with
the finest apples in the whole of Ireland!... Every blackguard in the parish thinks he can
just climb up in my tree and help himself to my apples THE NEXT PERSON ... EXCEPT MYSELF...
WHO CLIMBS UP IN THAT TREE... MAY HE STICK TO IT! - The angel looked sorrowfully at
Séadna once more and then vanished. |
15. (D'fhuair Séadna sé é féin ar thaobh an bhóthair ar
a aonar agus a shean cáibín brúite briste in a dhá
lámh... thóg sé tamaillín sar a dhúisigh sé. Is
ansan thuig sé an méid amadántaoicht a bhí déanta
aige. - Oo-oo-ooh! Nach mise an t-amadán is mó in Éireann !... Cad na
thaobh nar iarr mé airgead ?... Níl pingin agam!... no capall féin...
Seo ag siúil mé ar mo dhá sheana cosaibh an bóthair fada go
dtí an baile....nó bó!... agus biodh mé ag crú
dhá uair sa ló... agus b'fhéidir go mbéadh blúire ime
agam anois is arís !)
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15. Séadna found himself standing alone by the roadside clutching his battered
old 'Caubeen' in his hands... and it was a while before he came out of his daze... Then he
realized the extent of his foolishness...-Oo-oo-ooh! What an 'amadawn' (fool) I am !!...I
could have asked for money... I haven't a penny!... I could have asked for a horse!... and
here I am having to walk into town on my own two poor ould feet...I could have asked for
a cow!...and I could have milked her twice a day...and maybe made a bit of a bit of butter
for myself...! -
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16. (Fé dhéire thuig sé nach
raibh an dára rogha aige ach dul isteach go dtí shean Uí Marlaigh
agus iarr beagáinín leathair uaidh ar iasacht...chuir sé a shean
cáibín ar a cheann arís eile, cheangal sé an téad
timcheall a shean chóta ghiobalach agus bhuail sé an bóthar
arís go dtí Mágh Chruma.) |
16. At last he realized that he still had to go into town and ask ould Marley for the loan
of enough leather to make a pair of boots...so he crammed his ould 'caubeen' back on his
head, fastened his raggedy old coat round him with the bit of hairy rope he kept for that
purpose and set off once more for Macroom.... |
17. (Ní raibh fhaid a chois súilte aige gur chualla sé torann
uabhásach mór agus chonnaic sé splanc thintrí ...agus
bhí boladh bréan san aer agus neal deatach dubh...agus go díreach os
a chomhair amach bhí radharc uathbhásach ar fad...Fear fada caol dubh...
adharca gabhair ar a cheann... dhá cosa tairbh fé...eirball tsionnaigh
crochta taobh thiar dó! D'dhéach sé go nimhneach ar Shéadna
bocht agus mheilt sé a chuid fiachaill buí uafásacha le
chéile le neart fhearga...Tháinig tinecreasa as a dha shúil...
- HAA-AAGH A SHÉADNA!! INNIU TÁ TRÍ BEART DÉANTA AGAT I
gCOINNE MISE !! - agus chuir sé dranntán as.) |
17. He hadn't gone the length of his foot before he heard an awful bang and saw a
blinding flash...and there was a terrible stink in the air...and there was a cloud of
black smoke...and there, in the road in front of him stood a dreadful looking figure...A
tall dark man...the horns of a goat on his head...the two feet of a bull under him...the
tail of a fox hanging down behind him! He glared at Séadna and began to grind his
terrible yellow teeth in a rage...and sparks flew out of his eyes..- HAA-AAGH
SÉADNA ! THIS DAY YOU HAVE DONE THREE TERRIBLE THINGS AGAINST ME! - he
growled... |
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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. We
have, however, tried to use An tAth Peadar's own beautiful West Cork Gaelic as far as
possible.
Courtesy of Jack & Vivian, IrishPage.com Dec. 2025
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