neuter (it), we find as a rule only two pronouns, sé, sí;—sé being used for masculine nouns, and sí for feminine. As Atá an feur fada, agus atá sé folláin, the grass is long, and it (literally, he) is wholesome. Ní ḟuil an áit tirim, agus ní ḟuil sí folláin, the place is not dry, and it (literally, she) is not wholesome.
(See Vocabulary to Part I. of Lessons.)
§ 431. Fuair Úna caṫaoir úr ag an margaḋ, aċt ḃí sí briste ar an ród. Ní ḟuil an bóṫar bog; atá sé tirim anois. Atá an gual daor, ní ḟuil sé saor. Fuair mé eun óg, ḃí sé ṡuas ar an aill. An ḃfaca tú an líon, atá sé ṡíos ag an tobar. Fág an láir ins an leuna; atá sí óg fós agus ḃí sí ar seaċrán.
§ 432. I have the hammer. It is not heavy. Nora has a hen, she is young. The grass is not green now, it is yellow. The weather is fine, it is warm (and) dry. There is a wood at the well, it is green. The door is strong; it is high and wide. The sack is wide, it is strong (and) heavy. Leave the flax on the floor, it is soft yet. The young cock is at the door. Our hammer is lost, it is not in the bag. They found their cow in the meadow, Dermot found his horse at the well. Brigid found her cow at the door.
SEAḊNA.
(Ar leanaṁain.)
Ḃí Seaḋna sásta.
“Trí bliaḋna déag!” ar seisean i n‑a aigneaḋ féin. “⁊ neart dom tarrang as ar mo ḋíċeall. Ċuir sé bríġ na mionn orm, aċt ḃeirim-se bríġ gaċ mionna ⁊ gaċ móide ḋuit-sé, a sparáinín, go mbainfear ceol asat!”
“Slán beo agat-sa!” ar seisean leis an ḃfear nduḃ.
D’iompuiġ sé ar a ṡáil ċum teaċt a ḃaile ⁊ ma d’iompuiġ, siúd le n‑a ċois an fear duḃ. Ġéaruiġ sé a ċoisiḋeaċt. Ġéaruiġ seisean ċoṁ maiṫ.
“Cad a ḋéanfad?” arsa Seaḋna in‑a aigneaḋ féin. “Ċífid na coṁarsain é.”
“Ná bíoḋ ceist ort,” ars’ an fear duḃ. “Ní ḟeicfiḋ aon-ne’ mé aċt tú féin. Ní fuláir dam ṫú ṫionnlacan a ḃaile ⁊ eolus na sliġe do ċur,[1] ⁊ raḋarc d’ḟaġáil ar an gcaṫaoir ṡúgáin úd, ⁊ ar an mealḃóig, ⁊ ar na haḃlaiḃ.”
“Gan raṫ orṫa[2] mar ċaṫaoir ⁊ mar ṁealḃóig ⁊ mar ċrann aḃall! Is breaġ na trí neiṫe do loiteaḋ indiu orm dá mbarr,” arsa Seaḋna.
“Ní hé sin an ceann is measa de’n sgeul,” arsa ’n fear duḃ. “Aċt má ṫagan aon ċoṁarsa isteaċ ⁊ go suiḋfiḋ sé ’sa’ ċaṫaoir, ní fuláir duit aon-tiġeas do ṫaḃairt saor ó ċíos dó, mar ní ḃeiḋ ar do ċumas é ċur amaċ, ⁊ é ceangailte sa ċaṫaoir agat.”
“A ḋróluinn na ḃfeart![3] Cad ḋéanfad má tá triúr ceangailte reoṁam sa’ ḃaile anois?” arsa Seaḋna. “B’féidir, a ḋuine uasail, go ḃfeudfá-sa iad do sgaoileaḋ. Teanam ort. Tá míle fáilte reoṁat.”
“Foiġdne, foiġdne! a Ṡeaḋna,” ars’ an fear duḃ. “Ní’l aon-ne’ ceangailte fós. Ḃí doiċeall ort ó ċianaiḃ, ⁊ anois ‘tá míle fáilte reoṁam.’ Á! a Ṡeaḋna, sin í an ḟáilte mar ṁaiṫe leat féin.”[4]
“Is dó’! ’s aṁlaiḋ mar tá sé, a ḋuine uasail——” arsa Seaḋna, ⁊ d’ḟeuċ sé suas ar na haḋarcaiḃ ⁊ síos ar an gcrúib.
“O! tuigim,” ars’ an fear duḃ. “Ní ṫaiṫneann deunaṁ na bróige seo leat, ná an saġas órnáide atá ar mo ċeann. Ná bac sain. ’Nuair ḃeiḋ taiṫiġe agat orṫa, ní ḃfaiġir loċt ar biṫ orṫa.”
“Is dó’, go deiṁin féin anois, a ḋuine uasail,” arsa Seaḋna, “⁊ creid mé leis, ní ċúca-san a ḃíos.[5] Aċt dá ḃfeicidís na coṁarsain ṫú, do sgannróċaidís, ⁊ ḃeiḋeaḋ díoġḃáil déanta, b’éidir.”
“Ṫar a ḃfeacaiḋis riaṁ! Ná fuilim d’éis a ráḋ leat naċ baoġal go ḃfeicfiḋ aon-ne’ mé aċt tú féin?” ars’ an fear duḃ.
“Tá go maiṫ,” arsa Seaḋna. “Teanam ort.”
