Fluent Fiction - Irish: The Whistle Wizard and the Cliffs: A Sheepish Adventure
Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:
fluentfiction.org/the-whistle-wizard-and-the-cliffs-a-sheepish-adventure

Story Transcript:

Ga: Na haillte maorga ag bruach an Atlantaigh, ait a stórálann mistéir agus scéalta ársa. Bhí Seán agus Aoife ag siúl in aice leo.
En: On the majestic cliffs by the Atlantic, a place that holds mysteries and ancient stories, Seán and Aoife were walking nearby.

Ga: Bhí an ghaoth go bog fós.
En: The wind was still soft.

Ga: Bhí an ghrian ag soilsiú go geal.
En: The sun was shining brightly.

Ga: Bhí Seán ina sheasamh ar imeall na haillte.
En: Seán was standing at the edge of the cliffs.

Ga: Bhí trádáil le Aoife i rith na seachtaine.
En: He had been chatting with Aoife during the week.

Ga: "Aoife, tá rud éigin speisialta ullamh agam duit," arsa Seán.
En: "Aoife, I have something special prepared for you," said Seán.

Ga: D’oscail sé a mhála agus thóg sé rílíne amach.
En: He opened his bag and took out a tin whistle.

Ga: "Táim ag foghlaim an fheadóg stáin," a dúirt sé go bródúil.
En: "I am learning to play the tin whistle," he said proudly.

Ga: Bhí Aoife ag faire, ag gáire beagán.
En: Aoife was watching, laughing a little.

Ga: "Ceart go leor, Seán, cas píosa dom!" Bhí a súile lán le fiosracht agus céimín amhrasach.
En: "Alright, Seán, play a piece for me!" Her eyes were full of curiosity and a hint of skepticism.

Ga: Thosaigh Seán ag séideadh an fheadóg.
En: Seán started blowing the whistle.

Ga: Bhí an ceol mearbhall, méarbhallach ar dtús, ach ansin d'éirigh sé fíochmhar.
En: The music was confused, bewildering at first, but then it became more vigorous.

Ga: Ní raibh Seán cinnte cad a bhí sé ag déanamh, ach bhí sé ag súil go n-oibreodh sé.
En: Seán wasn’t sure what he was doing, but he hoped it would work.

Ga: Go tobann, chuala siad fuaim saoithiúil.
En: Suddenly, they heard a strange sound.

Ga: "Seán, cad é sin?" arsa Aoife, lena súile móra.
En: "Seán, what is that?" asked Aoife, her eyes wide.

Ga: Ón bhfuaim ar an fheadóg, tháinig siúd.
En: From the sound of the whistle, they emerged.

Ga: Bhí scata mór caorach ag teacht ar aghaidh.
En: A large flock of sheep was approaching.

Ga: Bhí cinníní geal porraí ag cur amach ag gach taobh.
En: Little bright-white lambs were popping out on every side.

Ga: Lig na caoirigh béic ghlórach astu.
En: The sheep let out loud bleats.

Ga: "Tá na caoirigh á mealladh againn!" ghlaoigh Aoife agus thosaigh sí ag gáire os ard.
En: "The sheep are being drawn to us!" shouted Aoife and she started laughing out loud.

Ga: Bhí Seán níos ionadh ná Aoife.
En: Seán was more surprised than Aoife.

Ga: "Ní raibh mé ag súil leis seo," arsa sé go práinneach.
En: "I wasn’t expecting this," he said urgently.

Ga: D’fhéach sé timpeall, gan a fhios aige cad a dhéanfadh sé.
En: He looked around, not knowing what to do.

Ga: Na caoirigh, breá sásta, thosaigh ag timpeallú orthu.
En: The sheep, quite content, started surrounding them.

Ga: Bhí Aoife ag gáire gan stad.
En: Aoife couldn’t stop laughing.

Ga: "Seán, is tú an draoi feadóige!"
En: "Seán, you’re the whistle wizard!"

Ga: Bhí Seán ag séideadh arís, ag iarraidh an ceol a athrú, ach na caoirigh níor éirigh leo imeacht.
En: Seán blew again, trying to change the tune, but the sheep didn’t leave.

Ga: Bhí siad go léir timpeall orthu, ag béiceadh, ag bogadh timpeall.
En: They were all around them, bleating, moving around.

Ga: "Táimid gafa," arsa Seán.
En: "We’re trapped," said Seán.

Ga: Ach d’éirigh sé as an smaoineamh sin.
En: But he gave up on that thought.

Ga: Thosaigh sé féin ag gáire freisin.
En: He began to laugh as well.

Ga: "Seo ár n-eachtra speisialta!"
En: "This is our special adventure!"

Ga: Thóg Aoife an fheadóg stáin ó Seán.
En: Aoife took the tin whistle from Seán.

Ga: Bhí a aghaidh ag taitneamh le gáire agus áthas.
En: Her face was glowing with laughter and joy.

Ga: "Lig dúinn fanacht tamall.
En: "Let’s stay for a while.

Ga: Is laoch na gcaorach tú."
En: You are the hero of the sheep."

Ga: Ag dul anonn is anall, chaith Seán agus Aoife cuid de mhí seo an tsamhraidh le chéile ar na hailleacha, i measc na gcaorach.
En: Going back and forth, Seán and Aoife spent part of that summer together on the cliffs, among the sheep.

Ga: Ní raibh siad in ann na caoirigh a fhágáil, ach i ndáiríre, ní raibh orthu.
En: They couldn’t leave the sheep, but really, they didn’t have to.

Ga: Bhí cairde nua déanta acu, agus bhí an gáire á iomlánú acu.
En: They had made new friends, and laughter filled the air.

Ga: Bhí an aimsir ag dul i ndéine agus thug siad aghaidh ar baile, ach d'inis siad an scéal faoin laoch caorach go minic ar ais sa bhaile.
En: As the weather grew more intense, they headed home, but they often told the story of the sheep hero when back at home.

Ga: Agus bítear ag iarraidh ceol a ghabháil ná caithfear ariamh arís mar d'iompar de Seán ar an bhfheadóg stáin i lár na haillte.
En: And whenever they tried to capture that music again, it would never be the same as what Seán played on the tin whistle in the middle of the cliffs.

Ga: Ar deireadh, bhí Seán sásta lena scéal.
En: In the end, Seán was happy with his story.

Ga: Bhí Aoife gafa lena spiorad.
En: Aoife was captivated by his spirit.

Ga: Bhí cairde nua aici, idir fir agus caoirigh.
En: She had new friends, both humans and sheep.

Ga: Is laoch fiúntach é Seán.
En: Seán was truly a worthy hero.

Ga: Agus d'fhill siad abhaile, sásta lena eachtra.
En: And they returned home, content with their adventure.


Vocabulary Words:

• majestic: maorga
• cliffs: aillte
• mysteries: mistéir
• brightly: geal
• prepared: ullmhaithe
• tin whistle: feadóg stáin
• proudly: go bródúil
• curiosity: fiosracht
• skepticism: amhras
• bewildering: méarbhall
• vigorous: fíochmhar
• urgent: práinneach
• content: sásta
• surrounded: timpeallaithe
• trapped: gafa
• adventure: eachtra
• bleating: ag béiceadh
• shepherd: déiríoch
• gazing: ag faire
• laughing: ag gáire
• hero: laoch
• flock: scata
• transformative: athraitheach
• ancient: ársa
• radiant: gníomhach
• echo: macalla
• harmony: cómhaireacht
• whisper: cogar
• gracefully: go grástúil
• fasciated: fasciated