﻿382
AN GAODHAL.
an, "Och" arsan Dorsan "ní rabh me dío-
mhaoineach, do congbhaidh me seinnim air
feadh an t-Samhraigh alig." Dubhairt an
Seangan, a gaire agus a dúnadh suas a
sgiobóil, "Ó tharla go bh-feudthá a bheith
ag seinnim air feadh an t-Samhraidh, tig
leat a bheith aig domhsughadh air feadh an
Gheimhrigh."
Faghann an Geimhreadh amach an rud
a chuireas an Samhradh suas.
Translation.
The Ant and the Grasshopper.
On a cold frosty day an Ant was
dragging out some of the corn which
he leid up in summer time, to dry it.
A Grasshopper, half-perished with
hunger, besought the Ant to give
him a morsel of it to save his life.
"What were you doing." said the Ant,
“this last summer ?" "Oh," said the
Grasshopper, “I was not idle, I kept
singing all the summer long." Said
the Ant, laughing and shutting up his
granary, “Since you could sing all
summer you can dance all winter."
Winter finds out what sninmer lay
by.
Mr. M. J. Logan,
Dear Sir. At the solicitation of several of your
readers, I send you the enclosed song for publica¬
tion in THE GAEL. Its author, Peter Walsh, a na¬
tive of Ballinamore, near Finntown, Co. Donegal,
died fifteen years ago. He was wholly illiterate,
but his poetic genius was such, that song flowed
from his lips, as it were, spontaneously. That
gifts, like his, were left uncultivated and uncared
for, is a sad commentary on the misrule of Phara¬
saical England, who, while expending thousands
annually, in educating savages in the Orient, pla¬
ced every obstacle in the way of the cultivation of
Irish genius.
Walsh's nature was buoyant, humorous, warm
and kind, and his poetry, (which if collected would
form a good sized volume, in every verse, bears the
impress of the geneality and wit so characteristic
of its author. That he was possessed of wit and
originality of conception, l think none will deny.
as to his ability for clothing his conceptions in ap¬
propriate verse, t emultin as here presented, does
not, I fear, offer a fair criterion. It must be borne
in mind, that Walsh's songs have never been com¬
mitted to paper, that we have them only tradition¬
ally as it were, that they must have undergone
many changes, in passing from tongue to tongue,
among a people, ignorant of Irish grammatical rules
and that this song is, now written for the first time
and by one who, however well inclined, is not ca¬
pable of doing it justice. Should it, however,
meet with favor, and should you desire it, I can
furnish the Gael with a number of Walsh's songs.
I am promised several. For the enclosed I am in¬
debted to Mr. Jas. Timony of this city,
Respectfully yours,
A. P, WARD.
PHILA. PA.
AN MUILTÍN.
Peadar Breathnach ro chan.
Bhí muiltín bheag agamsa air theud,
'Gus lig sé liom féin a loim'; a
Gus d' agair sé mese cho geur
'S nach seasóchadh Éire a rinn:
"Ní atharóchadh siad mese air feadh lae,
Tá m'asnacha geur, 's mo dhrom;
'Sníor bh'eagal go rachfainn-se air strae
Da ligfidhe liom féin mo cheann." b
"Da ligfinn-se tusa de 'n teud seo,
Budh aithrídheach bheidhinn féin dá chinn,
Gan fios 'gam ce rachfainn d' dhiaigh
'S an ollan seo bh-feidhm gan mhoill."
"Ná lomaighidh mese ro gheárr,
Fág giobach c mo thaobh 's mo dhrom;
'Gus caithfidh me 'n Nodlach, le pléiseúr
Shoir ag cuid osgain TOM." d
'Nuair thainic me steach air a t-sraith,
Níor taisbeánadh teagar dam ann;
Air siocar mar bhí mé 'mo Ghaodhal, dd
Ní bh-fuighinn an feur no 'n fain'; e
Sgaoil Betei 'cuid madadh 'mo dhiaigh,
Tríd churraigh gus eudan beann,
Gan faill agam amharc' 'mo dhiaigh,
Da m-bainfidhe díom léab do 'n drom."
Cuireadh tríd currach dom' ruag' me,
'S sheasaigh me shíos i m-bhinn;
Níor bh-fad' no go d-thainic na gadhair,
'S gur cuireadh me 'níos go teann;
Thainic me ann tobair 'sair Bhrighid, f
Air maidin, 's í ciaradh 'cinn,
Níor thaisbeán sí dada d'a thaoibh,
'Gus chuaidh me go d-ti Mac Glinn." g
'San áit ann, a bh-fuair mese fáilte,
Sheasaigh me suas go teann,
'Gus chonbhaigh me comhbhrach leo uaim,
