AN GAODHAL
407
Ná gothuigh mé, Liam, chán dioghbhail luathghair mhór
A chongbhaigh me uait, acht buaidhreadh an tachrainn (1) 's a gleo;
Mo rosc gur shiaruigh aig giall an bhothaigh gach neóin,
'S mé breathnughadh uaim siar go dian fa Stacaidhe Róise Eóin (2)
Tá'n "Happy" ag teacht aniar, 's is deas a h-aigneadh faoi sheol
'Sé samhail dó triall fiadh m-beidheadh connairt 'nna deoigh;
Seirc (3) agus mialta siar go bh fusgfeadh 'nna deoigh, (4)
'S ná coisgiligidh biadh — tá'n fial ag tarraint bhur g-comhair.
Tá'n ghealach 'san ghrian ag tabhairt sgeula nach fada uainn cabhair,
Na maididhe-pota bidheadh réidh 's ní baoghal dúinn bróchán go leor;
Mar Cathbharr, an fial, béidh Liam ag stapadh air an t-slóigh,
'S nar fheicigh sé Dia ma iarrann leith píghinn go deo.
Ó thainic mé 'un inntleacht cinn le a m-breathnachainn spórt [3]
No cluinnstinn i mband [3] d'a sheinnim air ghleusaraidhe ceoil,
Budh taitneamhuigh le m'inntinn Dómhnall a's Liam faoi sheol,
A's an "Happy" ag teacht 's í a' tiompa mara d'a bórd.
'Siad na fir so fuair cliú ann gach cearn ariamh d'ar sheol,
A's a airde an ghaoth go g-ceanglóchadh reef i seol;
Le gníomh a m-báid gur sháruigh siad draoithe ceoil
'S nach mór an chliú dó Árain bád gan spíd d'a seort? [3]
Bhuail Liam agus Dómhnall mach iomlan ariamh d'ar sheol,
Drake agus Ansán 's Columbus a fuair páirt de'n domhan;
Páris a's Íno a bhain geall de'n Ghréig a bhí mór,
Queen Helen lonnrach rinn-rosc le'r sgriosadh an Traoigh [5]
Ó d'imthigh 'n "Breac-Mharcach'' geal-bhrághaid a bhí ann i n-aimsir na
[bh-Fiann,
A léithid de bhád air sháile níor aistear ariamh,
Bhí 'n fhairge ag cathughadh 's ag árdughadh mar chnuic fá shliabh
Acht b'fhurus dí é a dheunadh, bhí sástaibh [6] uirri air réir.
LITERAL TRANSLATION.
The Coming of “The Happy.
Blame me not, William, 'tis not the want of great
joy That keeps me from thee, but the sorrow of the
child and her noise ; My eyes became squinted at
the corner of the byre each noon, and I watching
from me fixedly to the west by “Statel-Rosha-Ow¬
ing."
“The Happy” is coming from the west, and nice is
her liveliness under sail ; It is a likeness to it (like
to it is) the traveling of a deer which hounds would
be after ; Sharks and whales over behind her the'd
leave ; And spare ye not food, the generous are
drawing anear you.
The moon and the sun are giving news that not far
from us is aid, Let potsticks be ready, and no dan¬
ger to us (no fear but we shall have) porridge en¬
ough ; Like Caffer, the generous, William will be
distributing on (to) the multitude, And may he ne¬
ver see God if he ask a half-penny of the price for
ever.
Since I came to intellect of head (to memory) with
which I'd examine sport, Or to hear in a band its
being played on musical instruments, More pleas¬
ing to my mind Donald and William under sail,
And “The Happy” coming and turning the sea from
her deck.
It is these men who got fame in every corner (part)
in which they ever sailed, And high tho' the wind
they would tie a reef in a sail; With the deeds of
their boat they excelled magicians of music, And
is it not great renown to Arran (to have) a boat
without a reproach of her kind?
William and Donald surpassed all who ever did
sail, Drake, and Anson, and Columbus who disco¬
