L. 149

Bhí baile talaimh ag Columcille. Tháinig
earrach an-tirm, is bhí mórán fear aige ag
cur uisge ar an arbhar a bhí d'á chur aige, ar
eagla go dtriomóchadh sé barraidheacht.

Bhí an cailín an-ghnaitheach ag déanamh
aráin le n-a mbricfeasta thabhairt do na
fearaibh. Tháinig duine bocht isteach agus d'iarr
sé déirce. Thug sise cnap de'n taos dó agus
d'iarr sí air féin arán a dhéanamh de. Chaith
sé i lár na teineadh é - teine mhór a bhí ann -
agus chuaidh sé amach ar an dorus.

Nuair a thionntuigh an cailín thart, connaic
sí tom geamhair ag fás i lár na teineadh ar
an taos. Leis sin tháinig columcille isteach
agus d'fhiafruigh sé de'n chailín cá ndeachaidh an
duine bocht. Dubhairt sise gur thionntuigh
sé cóirnéal an tighe. Chuaidh Columcille 'na
dhiaidh agus thionntuigh an duine bocht thart.
Dubhairt sé le Columcille,

"Nach dtug mé do sháith dhuit?"

"Thug," arsa Columcille, "acht ní thug
tú croidhe damh le n-a caitheamh."

"Seadh," ars' an duine bocht, "a fhad is
bheas grian ar an aer ní rachaidh fial go
hifrionn."

TAGRA.

The above was related by a Mr. Gallagher of Mount-
charles, Co. Donegal. No verbal alteration has been
made, but a few dialectic forms, such as taosg for
taos, cá deachaidh for ca ndeachiadh agus c., have not been
retained. Talaimh (also tailimh) is more often heard
than the older genitive form talmhan, in colloquial
usage. Barraidheacht, here adverbial = too much, ex-
cessively. An-ghnaitheach = an-ghnóthach, very busy.
Cnap, a lump. Ar an dorus is the northern usage;
even in North Dublin one hears "he went out on the
door." In the South an dorus is the usual form in
such a case. Thart, round, adv. Cóirnéal an tighe,
the corner of the house, appears to be the same usage
as an dorus referred to above. "Thug" = "Thugais"
of Leath Mhogha and the literature. "A fhad," agus c.:
the original form of this was probably more laconic, as
it would appear that grian and fial were intended as
an assonance, after the manner of many proverbs and
sayings. The sentiment has been embodied in a song
as follows:-

'Sé dubhairt Columcille liom go hifrionn go bráth
nach dtéid fial.