Play recording: Maidrín Rua, An
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- Teideal (Title): Maidrín Rua, An.
- Uimhir Chatalóige Ollscoil Washington (University of Washington Catalogue Number): 843901.
- Uimhir Chnuasach Bhéaloideas Éireann (National Folklore of Ireland Number): none.
- Uimhir Roud (Roud Number): none.
- Uimhir Laws (Laws Number): none.
- Uimhir Child (Child Number): none.
- Cnuasach (Collection): Joe Heaney Collection, University of Washington, Seattle.
- Teanga na Croímhíre (Core-Item Language): Irish.
- Catagóir (Category): song.
- Ainm an té a thug (Name of Informant): Joe Heaney.
- Ainm an té a thóg (Name of Collector): Jill Linzee.
- Dáta an taifeadta (Recording Date): between 1982 and 1984.
- Suíomh an taifeadta (Recording Location): University of Washington, United States of America.
- Ocáid an taifeadta (Recording Occasion): private.
- Daoine eile a bhí i láthair (Others present): unavailable.
- Stádas chóipcheart an taifeadta (Recording copyright status): unavailable.
They call this ‘The Little Red Fox.’ Well, if you know what a fox is, foxes are awful cute1. They’re like some people. When they want to rob you of something, they don’t do it next door, you see. They do it far away from where they live, and they pick – the chicken or the goose – they pick the bones out of it, and put the bones outside the lair of another fox, so that fox would be blamed for eating it. That’s true. They do that, you know!
Well, this farmer was boasting about all the fine geese he had, and the fox heard him boasting. This is the time when foxes could talk. And the farmer was coming home one night from working in the fields, and he met the fox with this beautiful goose on his shoulder. And the fox sat down, he said to the farmer, ‘Join me,’ he said, ‘ see the fine goose I have here.’ And the farmer [said], ‘Where’d you get it?’ ‘That’s yours!’ he said. And then he jumped up and put it on his shoulder and away he went from the farmer. This is the song, anyway. This is the way you should sing this:
[lilting]
Ar mo ghabháilt siar aduaidh dhom thar Sliabh Luachra
Agus mise ag cur tuairisce mo ghéanna
Ar mo ghabháilt siar aduaidh go bhfuaireas a dtuairisc
go raibh an maidrín rua dhá n-éalú.
An maidrín rua rua rua rua rua
An maidrín rua atá gránna
An maidrín rua ina luí sa luachair
Is barr a dhá chluais in áirde
[lilting]
‘Good morrow, fox!’ ‘Good morrow, sir!’
‘Pray, what is that you’re eating?’
‘A fine fat goose I stole from you –
And will you come and taste it?’
‘Oh, no indeed – ní háil liom í
Ní bhlaisfead pioc de ar aon chor –
But I vow and swear that you’ll dearly pay
For my fine fat goose you’re eating!’
Tally-ho lena bhun, tally-ho lena bhun
Tally-ho lena bhun is é ag gáirí
Tally-ho lena bhun, tally-ho lena bhun
Is barr a dhá chluais in áirde.
[lilting]
Translation
[lilting]
On my way south across Sliabh Luachra,
While I was looking for my geese,
On my way south I got word
that the fox had run off with them.
Little red red red red red fox,
Ugly little red fox,
Little red fox lying in the rushes –
With the tips of his two ears sticking up!
[lilting]
‘Good morrow, fox!’ ‘Good morrow, sir!’
‘Pray, what is that you’re eating?’
‘A fine fat goose I stole from you –
And will you come and taste it?’
‘Oh no indeed, I don’t like it,
I won’t taste a bit of it at all
But I vow and swear that you’ll dearly pay
For my fine fat goose you’re eating!’
Tally-ho lena bhun2, tally-ho lena bhun
Tally-ho lena bhun and he laughing.
Tally-ho lena bhun, tally-ho lena bhun
With the tips of his two ears sticking up!
Notes
1. In the sense of being crafty.
2. The phrase lena bhun might be lena bhonn; roughly, ‘with the soles of his feet’, suggesting that the hounds were taking to their heels after the fox.