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Siúlann an file amach leis féin maidin shamhraidh agus th'éis dó titim ina thoirchim suain ar bhruach an locha, feiceann sé spéirbhean uafásach chuige.
Sracann sí ina diaidh é tríd an lathach go dtí Cnoc Mhánmhaí áit a bhfuil cúirt á stiúradh ag Aoibheal, ríon álainn na sí.
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The poet sets out alone on a summer morning and after falling into a deep sleep by the lake, sees a fearsome vision woman coming at him.
She drags him through the mud to Monmoy Hill where a court is sitting presided over by Aoibheal, a beautiful fairy queen.
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| Ba ghnáth mé ar siúl le ciumhais na habhann | 1 | Twas my custom to stroll with the river in view |
| Ar bháinseach úr is an drúcht go trom, | 2 | Through the fresh meadows covered with dew, |
| In aice na gcoillte i gcoim an tsléibhe | 3 | By the edge of the woods on the wild mountain-side |
| Gan mhairg gan mhoill ar shoilseadh an lae. | 4 | At the dawn of the day I'd cheerfully stride. |
| Do ghealadh mo chroí nuair chínn Loch Gréine, | 5 | My heart would brighten Loch Graney to spy, |
| An talamh, an tír, is íor na spéire | 6 | And the country around it, to the edge of the sky. |
| Ba thaitneamhach aoibhinn suíomh na sléibhte | 7 | The serried mountains were a delight to the beholder |
| Ag bagairt a gcinn thar dhroim a chéile. | 8 | Thrusting their heads over each other's shoulder. |
| Ghealfadh an croí bheadh críon le cianta— | 9 | 'Twould lighten the heart wizened with years— |
| Caite gan bhrí nó líonta le pianta— | 10 | Triflingly spent or drenched with tears— |
| An séithleach searbh gan sealbh gan saibhreas | 11 | Of the bitter outcast without wealth or goods |
| D'fhéachfadh tamall thar bharra na gcoillte | 12 | To catch a glimpse o'er the top of the woods |
| Ar lachain ina scuain ar chuan gan cheo, | 13 | Of the ducks paddling by in the pellucid bay, |
| An eala ar a bhfuaid is í ag gluaiseacht leo, | 14 | Escorting the swan on her stately way, |
| Na héisc le meidhir ag éirí anairde | 15 | Of the fish in joyous arching flight |
| Péirse i radharc go taibhseach tarrbhreac, | 16 | And of the perch, a speckled spritely sight, |
| Dath an locha agus gorm na dtonn | 17 | Of the blue surging swell on the tinted lake |
| Ag teacht go tolgach torannach trom, | 18 | Crashing ashore with a thunderous quake, |
| Bhíodh éanlaith i gcrann go meidhreach mómhar, | 19 | Of the birds in the trees merrily singing, |
| Léimneach eilte i gcoillte im chóngar, | 20 | While the deer through the woods are nimbly springing, |
| Géimneach adharc is radharc ar shlóite, | 21 | To see the huntsmen with bugles blaring, |
| Tréanrith gadhar is Reynard rompu. | 22 | As after Reynard the hounds are tearing |
Do ghealadh mo chroí nuair chínn Loch Gréine
| Ar maidin inné bhí an spéir gan cheo, | 23 | Yesterday morning, no clouds in the sky, |
| Bhí Cancer, ón ngréin, ina caortha teo | 24 | Presaged another hot day in July; |
| Is í gafa chun saothair tar éis na hoíche | 25 | Up came the sun after a rest for the night, |
| Is obair an lae sin roimpi sínte. | 26 | To her day's work, making all nature bright. |
| Bhí duilliúr craobh ar ghéaga im thimpeall, | 27 | With treeleaves rustling overhead |
| Feorainn is féar ina slaoda taobh liom, | 28 | And grass and ferns before me spread, |
| Glasra fáis is bláth is luibheannna | 29 | The expanse of flowers would cheer the soul |
| Scaipfeadh le fán dá chráiteacht smaointe. | 30 | And lighten thoughts however dole. |
| Do bhí mé cortha is an codladh dom thraochadh, | 31 | Totally fagged and dying to sleep, |
| Do shín mé tharam ar cothrom sa bhféar ghlas | 32 | I lay down where the grass was deep |
| In aice na gcrann i dteannta trínse, | 33 | Beside a rill, with trees about |
| Taca lem cheann is mo hanlaí sínte. | 34 | A support for my head and my feet stretched out. |
| Ar cheangal mo shúl go dlúth le chéile, | 35 | On shutting my eyes to go to sleep, |
| Greamaithe dúnta i ndúghlas néalta, | 36 | Locking them tight in slumber deep, |
| Is m'aghaidh agam folaithe ar chuileanna go sásta | 37 | My face protected from the flies, |
| I dtaidhbhreamh d'fhulaing mé an cuilithe cráite | 38 | A dream caused me to agonize |
| Do chorraigh do lom do pholl go hae mé | 39 | To shake, to chafe my psyche deep |
| Im chodladh go trom gan mheabhair gan éirim. | 40 | In my senseless, helpless sleep. |
| Ba ghairid mo shuan nuair chuala, shíl mé, | 41 | Short was my sleep when I heard, thought I, |
| An talamh máguaird ar luascadh im thimpeall | 42 | A violent quaking of the ground nearby |
| Anfa aduaidh is fuadach fíochmhar | 43 | A storm from the north violently brewing |
| Is caladh an chuain ag tuargain tinte; | 44 | And fire from the harbour luridly spewing; |
| Siolla de mo shúil dar shamhlaíos uaim | 45 | In my mind's eye, a quick survey |
| Chonnaic mé chugam le ciumhas an chuain | 46 | Revealed towards me by the bay |
| An mhásach bholgach tholgach thaibhseach | 47 | A violent, bulging, big-assed crone |
| Chnámhach cholgach ghairgeach ghaibhdeach; | 48 | Her huge bulk hinting at testosterone; |
| A hairde ceart, má mheas me díreach, | 49 | Her stature, if I reckoned right, |
| Sé nó seacht do shlata is fuílleach, | 50 | Was six or seven yards in height |
| Péirse beacht dá brat ag sraoilleadh | 51 | She dragged her cloak for yards behind her |
| Léi sa tslab le drab is draoibeal. | 52 | Through the mud and mire and squalor. |
| Ba mhór ba mhéadhair ba fiáin le féachaint | 53 | 'Twas mighty, majestic, wild and horrid |
| Suas ina héadan créachtach creimeach, | 54 | To gaze upon her blemished forehead; |
| Ba anfa ceantair, scanradh saolta, | 55 | The rictus of her gummy grin |
| A draid is a drandal mantach méirscreach. | 56 | Would make you jump out of your skin. |
| A rí gach má! ba láidir líofa | 57 | God almighty! In her huge claw |
| A bíoma láimhe is lánstaf inti | 58 | Was the biggest staff you ever saw |
| Comhartha práis ina bharr ar spíce | 59 | A brass plaque at its spike defined |
| Is cumhachta báille in airde air scríofa. | 60 | The bailiff's powers to her assigned. |
An mhásach bholgach …
A draid is a drandal mantach méirscreach
| Adúirt go dorrga d'fhocla dána:— | 61 | In a gruff voice these words she spoke: |
| Múscail! Corraigh! a chodlataigh ghránna; | 62 | Up! Shake a leg! ya sleepy yoke; |
| Is dubhach do shlí bheith sínte i do shliasta | 63 | Shame on you, to be stretched out here |
| Is cúirt ina suí is na mílte ag triall ann; | 64 | With court convened and crowds drawing near. |
| Ní cúirt gan acht gan reacht gan riail | 65 | It's not a court without rule or code. |
| Ná cúirt na gcreach mar chleacht tú riamh | 66 | Nor a marauding court in your usual mode |
| An chúirt seo ghluais ó shluaite séimhe— | 67 | This court is built on a civilized base— |
| Cúirt na dtrua na mbua is na mbéithe. | 68 | The court of the weak with a female face. |
| Is mór le maíomh ar shíolra Éibhir | 69 | It's indeed a great boast for Ireland's seed |
| Uaisle sí mar shuíodar d'aonghuth | 70 | That to sit in court the fairy lords agreed |
| Dhá lá is oíche ar bhinn an tsléibhe | 71 | For two days and a night holding forth |
| I bpálás bhuionmhar Bhruíon Mhá Gréine. | 72 | On top of the mount, in Moy Graney fort. |
| Is daingean do ghoill sé ar shoilse an rí | 73 | Intense is the grief of the spectral lord, |
| Is ar mhaithe a theaghlaigh thaibhsigh sí, | 74 | Of his spritely household's noble horde |
| Is ar uimhir na buíne bhí ina ndáil | 75 | And all of the others assembled there |
| Mar d'imigh gach díth ar chríocha Fáil— | 76 | At the scale of Ireland's disrepair— |
| Gan sealbh gan saoirse ag síolrach seanda, | 77 | The ancient race without wealth or liberty |
| Ceannas a ndlí ná cíos ná ceannfoirt, | 78 | No tributes, leaders nor legal autonomy |
| Scriosadh an tír is níl ina ndiaidh | 79 | The rape of the land with naught in its train, |
| In ionad na luibheanna ach flíoch is fiaile; | 80 | In place of the crops, a weed-rank terrain; |
| An uaisle b'fhearr chun fáin mar leaghadar | 81 | The nobles languish in a foreign land |
| Is uachtar láimhe ag fáslaigh shaibhre, | 82 | While the jumped-up rich get the upper hand, |
| Ag fealladh le fonn is foghail gan féachaint | 83 | In betrayal ardent, in plunder greedy |
| D'fheannadh na lobhar is an lom dá léirscrios. | 84 | Flaying the sick, despoiling the needy. |
| Is dochrach dubhach mar dhíogha gach daoirse | 85 | It is blackly baneful and sticks in the craw |
| Doilbhe dúr i ndúbhcheilt dlíthe | 86 | That, in darkest despair over the absence of law, |
| An fann gan feidhm ná faghaidh ó éinne | 87 | There's nothing from no one for the purposeless weak |
| Ach clampar doimhin is luí chun léirscrios, | 88 | But a depredacious future that is hopelessly bleak, |
| Falsacht fear dlí is fachtnaí ardnirt, | 89 | The knavery of lawyers, tyranny on high |
| Cam is calaois faillí is fabhar, | 90 | Injustice, fraud and neglect apply |
| Scamall an dlí agus fíordhath fannchirt, | 91 | The law is clouded, the scales awry, |
| Dalladh le bríb, le fee is le falsacht. | 92 | With all the pull that bribes can buy. |
| Farradh gach fíor, is fuíoll níor fágadh, | 93 | Along with the rest—and all was debated— |
| Dearbhadh díble ar Bhíobla an lá san | 94 | An indictment was entered and that day dated, |
| Cúis dar ndóigh ná geobhaidh tú saor tríd,— | 95 | A charge that you cannot easily refute: |
| Cnú na hóige dá feo le faolras | 96 | The wizening celibacy among your youth, |
| Is easnamh daoine suite ar Éire— | 97 | The consequent lack of people in Ireland |
| Do mheath led chuimhne an síolrach daonna; | 98 | And the decline in population on this island; |
| Is folamh is is tráite fágadh tíortha, | 99 | The land left empty and in decline |
| An cogadh is an bás gan spás dá ndíogadh, | 100 | Wrecked by war, by death and rapine |
| Uabhar na ríthe is ar imigh thar sáile | 101 | The kings with gumption who have gone overseas |
| Nuair ná deineann sibh tuilleadh ina n-áit díobh. | 102 | Have not been replaced by new inductees. |
| Is náir d'bhur n-iomad gan siorrach gan síolrach | 103 | Your race without young ones is sad to see |
| Is mná ina muirear ar muir is ar tíortha, | 104 | With women burdening the land and the sea, |
| Connsaí chorpartha is borracaí óga, | 105 | Once buxom maids and lasses fresh |
| Is bonsaí bhrothallach fola agus feola, | 106 | With boiling blood and sultry flesh |
| Lóistigh liosta agus leigithí shásta | 107 | Are now lethargic, relicts debased |
| Is mórgaigh shioscaithe d'imigh i bhásta; | 108 | Once trim girls are gone in the waist; |
| Is trua gan toircheas stollairí den tsort seo, | 109 | 'Tis a pity that these are without fruit of the womb |
| Is trua gan tórmach brollaigh is bóta iad, | 110 | Without swelling breasts and bellies in bloom. |
| Is minic iad ullamh an focal dá bhfaighidís | 111 | They just look for the word, please don't wait |
| Ag titim dá mogaill is molaimse a bhfoighne. | 112 | Until they are past their sell-by date. |
| Is é cinneadh le saoithe i gcríoch na comhairle | 113 | The solons decided after deliberation long |
| In ionad na daoirse d'insint dóibh sin:— | 114 | Not to try the case before the fairy throng: |
| Duine den bhuíon seo, líon a gcumhachta, | 115 | But to appoint a plenipotent magistrate |
| Ar thitim don dísle, suíomh i bhFóla. | 116 | Who could, with the people, mediate. |
| Tairgeann Aoibheal croí gan chlaoin-bheart, | 117 | There was an offer from Aoibheal, with a heart so clean |
| Cara na Muimhneach, sí-bhean Léithchraig, | 118 | Munstermen's friend and Craglea's queen |
| Scaradh le saoithe sí na slua seo | 119 | To the assembled council to bid farewell |
| Scaitheamh do scaoileadh daoirse i dTuamhumhain. | 120 | And in the land of Thomond to bide a spell. |
| Gheall an mhíonla chaoinis chóir seo | 121 | This gentle upright lady swore |
| Falsacht dlí do chloí go cumhachtach, | 122 | To rip out bad laws by their core |
| Seasamh i dteannta fann is faonlag | 123 | To stand steadfast beside the poor and weak |
| Is caithfidh an teann bheith ceansa tláith libh, | 124 | So the mighty will have to cherish the meek. |
| Caithfidh an neart gan cheart seo stríocadh | 125 | The powerful desist from inflicting wrongs |
| Is caithfidh an ceart ina cheart bheith suite; | 126 | And justice enthroned where it belongs: |
| Geallaimse anois nach clis ná cumhachta, | 127 | I promise now that no power nor lure, |
| Cairdeas Miss ná Pimp ina comhalta | 128 | Nor the blandishments of pimp or whore |
| Shiúlfas tríd an dlí seo de ghnáth | 129 | Will undermine the dispensation |
| Is a gcúirt ina suí ag an síolrach neamhdha; | 130 | Of this tribunal for its duration; |
| Tá an chúirt seo seasmhach feasta sa bhFiacail, | 131 | The village of Feakle is where the court is sitting |
| Siúilse, is freagair í, caithfidh tú triall ann | 132 | Go and attend it—you've got to get cracking |
| Siúil gan tafann go tapa ar do phriacal, | 133 | Go quietly or at your peril dire |
| Siúil! nó stracfad sa lathaigh im dhiaidh thú!” | 134 | I'll drag you there through the muck and mire. |
| Do bhuail sí crúca im chúl san chába | 135 | With her crook she grabbed the hood of my cape |
| Is ghluais chun siúil go lúbach láidir, | 136 | And off she dragged me with no escape |
| Sciob léi síos mé trí na gleannta, | 137 | Down through the valleys I was propelled |
| Cnoc Mhánmhaí is go binn an teampaill. | 138 | To Moinmoy Hill church where the court was held. |