Fluent Fiction - Irish: Stuck on Words: A Blarney Stone Mishap
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Story Transcript:

Ga: Bhí lá fuar geimhridh ann, agus shocraigh triúr cairde, Sean, Aoife, agus Ciarán, eachtraíocht a dhéanamh go Caisleán na Blarnan.
En: There was a cold winter's day, and three friends, Sean, Aoife, and Ciarán, decided to go on an adventure to Blarney Castle.

Ga: Tá an caisleán sin cáiliúil ar fud an domhain mar gheall ar an Chloch Blarnan.
En: That castle is famous all over the world because of the Blarney Stone.

Ga: Deirtear gur féidir leat caint binn, milis a fháil má phógann tú í.
En: It’s said that you can get sweet, eloquent speech if you kiss it.

Ga: Sean, a bhí ar bís leis an deis, rith chun tosaigh.
En: Sean, who was excited for the chance, ran ahead.

Ga: Bhí seisean i gcónaí ag iarraidh bheith níos cumasaí i gcúrsaí cainte.
En: He always wanted to be more confident in conversation.

Ga: Shiúil siad tríd an gcóras oscailtí cloiche, suas staighrí cas cúnga an ársa thúir go dtí go raibh an chloch os a gcomhair.
En: They walked through the stone gate system, up the winding old tower staircase until the stone was before them.

Ga: Aoife, a bhí níos cúramaí agus cúthail, dúirt, "Bí cúramach, tá sé an-fhuar, d’fhéadfadh do theanga greamú leis an gcloch!"
En: Aoife, who was more careful and thoughtful, said, "Be careful, it's very cold. Your tongue could stick to the stone!"

Ga: Ach rinne Sean neamhaird di. Leag sé a cheann siar, oscail sé a bhéal, agus chuir sé a theanga amach i dtreo naofa an chloich.
En: But Sean ignored her. He leaned back, opened his mouth, and thrust his tongue towards the sacred stone.

Ga: An nóiméad sin, le fuaim beag sclapach, greamaigh teanga Seán don chloch fhuar.
En: In that moment, with a small, sticky sound, Sean's tongue stuck to the cold stone.

Ga: Bhain sé triail as tarraingt siar, ach ní bhogfadh sé. Bhí sé greamaithe!
En: He tried pulling back, but it wouldn't budge. He was stuck!

Ga: Líon Aoife agus Ciarán le himní. "Conas a scaoilfimid é?" cheistigh Ciarán, a bhí ag tarraingt ar a chuid hata agus ag smaoineamh go dian.
En: Aoife and Ciarán became worried. "How will we free him?" questioned Ciarán, tugging at his hat and thinking hard.

Ga: "Uisce te! Ní mór dúinn uisce te a fháil chun é a scaoileadh saor," arsa Aoife agus í ag rith síos an staighre chun cabhair a lorg.
En: "Hot water! We need to get hot water to release him," said Aoife, running down the stairs to find help.

Ga: D'fhan Ciarán lena chara, ag coinneáil comhrá leis chun é a choinneáil socair. Thug sé scéalta grinn dá aire chun am a chaitheamh.
En: Ciarán stayed with his friend, keeping him calm with conversation. He told him funny stories to pass the time.

Ga: Faoi dheireadh, tháinig Aoife ar ais leis an ngarda agus le clogadán mór uisce te. Go cúramach, doirt sí an t-uisce timpeall ar theanga Seán, agus le croitheadh beag, lig sé scaoilte.
En: Finally, Aoife returned with the caretaker and a large jug of hot water. Carefully, she poured the water around Sean's tongue, and with a little wiggling, it came free.

Ga: I ndeireadh na scéil, bhí Sean saor, agus cé gur chuir an eachtra sin iontas agus scanradh orthu, bhí gáire anois ag gach duine agus iad ag cuimhneamh air.
En: In the end, Sean was free, and even though the incident had surprised and scared them, they were all laughing now, remembering it.

Ga: "Ó," arsa Sean, ag bogadh a theanga go cúramach, “ní shamhlóinn go bhfillfeadh m’intinn ar Phóg na Cloiche arís!"
En: "Oh," said Sean, moving his tongue carefully, "I wouldn't imagine my mind would return to Kiss the Stone again!"

Ga: Le ceacht foghlamtha agus le gáire ina gcroíthe, d’fhág siad an caisleán, áthasach gur chríochnaigh an lá gan aon dochar mór, agus le scéal greannmhar le hinsint ag an dinnéar sin an oíche.
En: With a lesson learned and laughter in their hearts, they left the castle, happy that the day had ended without major trouble, and with a funny story to tell at dinner that night.

Ga: Agus leis sin, ba é an t-iontas gach uair a ghlac Sean páirt i gcóisir nó i gcruinniú ón lá sin ar aghaidh, bhí gach éisteacht gealaithe ag a chuid cainte – mar gheall ar an uair a phóg a theanga an Chloch Blarnan agus an ceacht a d’fhoghlaim sé: i gcásanna áirithe, is fearr éisteacht le cairde ná dul chun bealaigh le deifir!
En: And so, the surprise every time Sean took part in a party or gathering from that day forward, everyone listened closely to his speech—because of the time he kissed the Blarney Stone and the lesson he learned: in certain situations, it's better to listen to friends than to rush!


Vocabulary Words:

• cold: fuar
• winter: gheimhreadh
• friends: cairde
• adventure: eachtraíocht
• famous: cáiliúil
• world: domhan
• kiss: póg
• eloquent: binn
• speech: caint
• chance: deis
• confident: cumasaí
• conversation: caint
• gate: straiceann
• system: córas
• winding: cas
• tower: thúir
• staircase: staighre
• tongue: teanga
• stone: cloch
• stick: greamaigh
• free: scaoileadh
• water: uisce
• release: scaoileadh
• calm: socair
• funny: greannmhar
• lesson: ceacht
• laughter: gáire
• trouble: deacracht
• listen: éist