Fluent Fiction - Irish: The Cliffs of Mirth: An Irish Fair Tale
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Story Transcript:

Ga: Lá amháin i gceartlár an tsamhraidh, nuair a bhí an ghrian ag spalpadh solais óir thar ghlasraon na hÉireann, bhí Aoife, cailín óg le gruaig chomh fada leis na taoidí, ag ullmhú don aonach bliantúil a bhíonn ar siúl cois na hAillte Móire.
En: One day in the middle of summer, when the sun was spreading golden light over the greenery of Ireland, Aoife, a young girl with hair as long as the tides, was preparing for the annual fair held by the Cliffs of Moher.

Ga: Bhí na hAillte ina seasamh bródúil ag amharc síos ar an Aigéan Atlantach, mar bhíonn na dtonnta móra ag bualadh faoi i gcónaí.
En: The Cliffs stood proudly overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, as the great waves always crashed below.

Ga: Bhí Aoife an-bhródúil as a cuid caorach, a bhí bán mar shneachta an gheimhridh.
En: Aoife was very proud of her flock, which was as white as winter snow.

Ga: Bhí Cillian, feirmeoir óg láidir lena sheribín dearg, agus Niamh, a iníon aoibhinn, cairdiúil, ag fanacht léi ag an aonach.
En: Cillian, a strong young farmer with his red mare, and Niamh, his lovely, friendly daughter, were waiting for her at the fair.

Ga: Bhí Cillian an-bhródúil as a chuid sicíní, a bhí chomh geal le lile na linne.
En: Cillian was very proud of his chickens, which were as bright as the lily of the valley.

Ga: Nuair a bhíonn an ceol á sheinm agus na cosa ag stealladh ar an bhféar, is furasta aird a chailliúint.
En: When the music played and the feet danced on the grass, it was easy to lose focus.

Ga: Tharla rud greannmhar go deo; d'éirigh le Aoife agus Cillian a mbeathaigh a mhalartú dá chéile de thaisme.
En: Something funny happened; Aoife and Cillian accidentally swapped their living beings.

Ga: Shleamhnaigh caora Aoife i measc sicíní Cillian agus chuaigh sicíní Cillian amú i measc na gcaorach!
En: Aoife's sheep mingled among Cillian's chickens, and Cillian's chickens wandered among the sheep!

Ga: Nuair a thug Aoife faoi deara dá cuid caorach ag gobadán timpeall cosúil le sicíní scoite, ní fhéadfadh sí fanacht ciúin.
En: When Aoife noticed her sheep acting like scattered chickens, she couldn't stay quiet.

Ga: Thosaigh sí ag gáire chomh hard sin go raibh na daoine timpeall uirthi ag féachaint ar aghaidh le hamhras.
En: She started laughing so loudly that the people around her looked ahead in wonder.

Ga: D'fhéach Cillian thart agus chonaic sé na sicíní ag aithris ar bheith caora - ag iarraidh glasra a ithe!
En: Cillian looked around and saw the chickens pretending to be sheep - trying to eat the vegetables!

Ga: Tháinig Niamh, a bhí ag faire ar an tranglam, aníos lena smaointe críonna. "Mh'anam, is scéal é seo a inseofar ó ghlúin go glúin!" ar sise, a súile ag lonrú le spraoi.
En: Niamh, who was observing the chaos, came up with her wise thoughts. "My goodness, this is a story that will be told from generation to generation!" she exclaimed, her eyes shining with amusement.

Ga: Chuaigh Aoife agus Cillian i mbun oibre le chéile, ag iarraidh na baolach a eagrú arís.
En: Aoife and Cillian got to work together, trying to arrange the confusion again.

Ga: Thosaigh na daoine eile ón sráidbhaile ag cuidiú agus bhí gach aon neach in annalaithe leis an rince a bhí na beithígh ag gabháil dóibh.
En: The other people from the village started helping, and everyone was delighted with the dance that the animals were performing for them.

Ga: Le gach caora agus sicín a chuaigh ar ais ina n-áit cheart, tháinig gáire níos airde ón slua.
En: With every sheep and chicken restored to their proper place, the laughter grew louder from the crowd.

Ga: Faoi dheireadh, bhí an rince mearaí thart. Sheas Aoife agus Cillian anáil a bhaint amach, ag féachaint ar a gcearc agus a gcaora ag filleadh ar a gcleachtadh.
En: Finally, the lively dance ended. Aoife and Cillian took a breath, watching their hens and sheep returning to their routines.

Ga: Bhí Aoife buíoch as an méid a d'fhoghlaim sí an lá sin - nach bhfuil san saol ach mearbhall gearr agus go bhfuil sé i gcónaí níos éasca nuair a bhíonn cairde gar duit.
En: Aoife was grateful for what she learned that day - that life is nothing but a brief confusion and it's always easier when you have close friends.

Ga: Roinn na daoine go léir gáire agus scéalta agus chrom siad ar chomóradh an lae le ceol, damhsa agus bia blasta go dtí go luaíoch an oíche, ag cuimneamh ar an malairt aoibhinn caorach agus sicíní ag Aonach na nAillte Móire.
En: All the people shared laughter and stories and celebrated the day with music, dance, and delicious food until late at night, remembering the delightful exchange of sheep and chickens at the Cliffs of Moher Fair.


Vocabulary Words:

• focus: furasta
• swept: lean
• overlooking: ag faire
• prop: bunálaithe
• swapped: mhalartú
• mingled: sleamhnaithe
• scattered: scaipthe
• chaos: tranglam
• delightful: aoibhinn
• exchange: malairt
• routines: cleachtadh
• laughter: gáire
• shared: roinnt
• celebrated: chomóradh