Transcript

Eachtra an scoláire a chuaigh ag tá(...) na tíorach
Le comhrac crua caillí (dá chur) amach san oíche
Nuair a bhí an... Do luíodar ar chardáil, ar (ghlámáilt) is ar (...)
(Sa deireadh) (...) ísleán den ardán is ardán den íseal.

Do thug sí trí ruaillí ar fuaid an tí timpeall
Agus cad a (theagmhódh) (...) (tuairgín) (...)
Do luíodar ar chardáil, ar (ghlámáilt), ar chia(...)
(Go ndéanfaidís) ísleán den ardán is ardán den íseal.

Nuair a bhíodh an scoláire (féin) in uachtar bhíodh trua aige dhon chailligh
Agus nuair a bhíodh an chailleach in uachtar bhuaileadh sí é ó thalamh.
"Aithnímse ar mo chluasa," ar sise, "agus a bhfuaireadar den mhála
Go bhfuil an (léan) trócaire (ag imeacht mar ) (...) cách é.

"Aithnímse ar an gcnapán," ar sise, "tá (...) mo stuaice
Gurb é an ceann ramhar (...).

Translation

The adventure of the scholar who went (...) the country
Hard battle with a hag putting him (?) out at night
When the... They started debating(?), groping(?) and (...)
At last (...) a low place of a high place and a high place of a low place.

She dashed around and about the house three times
And what touched(?) (...) a pestle(?) (...)
They started debating(?), groping(?), and (...)
That they would make (?) a low place of a high place and a high place of a low place.

When the scholar himself(?) was on top he would take pity on the hag
And when the hag was on top she used to beat him thoroughly.
"I can tell by my ears," she says, "and what they got of the bag (?)
That terrible(?) mercy is going like (?) (...) all.

"I recognize by the lump," she says, "that is (...) on top of my head
That it is the fat one (...).

Commentary

This is a section of a lengthy humorous poem. For longer manuscript versions see, for example: Royal Irish Academy MS 23 A 24, p. 107; Royal Irish Academy MS 23 D 19, p. 301; University College Cork MS Torna 43 (c), p. 33; and Villanova University Irish MS 8, p. 32. Oral versions tend to be shorter than the literary versions. See, for example, National Folklore Collection (UCD) Manuscripts 45, pp. 127-33, and 218, pp. 396-9.