...A taste of what I will be reading at the Rabbie Burns Statuary on Saturday. Have No fear, if you persevere down the page you will find a translated all be it not so poetically correct English translation provided.
I found this artwork of Cuchullain on Wiki and cropped it for my own purposes. The artist was noted as unknown. My actual insperation came from "The Story of the Irish Race" by Seumas MacManus. There is a nice synopses of the event and the history of Irish Poets on this Patrick O'Brien Message Board.
Cúchulainn in battle, from T. W. Rolleston,
Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race, 1911
Thon Greedy Pohets jist-deserts:
Quhan Conor reygne yn auld lang syne
an Pohetes roum tha laan
quhiles cum tae caal a mon o rhyme
yit wus thair wye tae commaun
an honour pryce for prais bestowe
apon tha Kang at haun.
Cuchullain, Kang Conor's Fostir-sinn
an heidyin o renoun
posseyd tha Spere o Vyctory
quhan he assumand tha Croun.
Thon Spere wus myghic-gifit
an lethall quhan twer thrawn.
Sae by an by Cuchullain quhan he wus restin
at heez ingle as yit bleezed
thon Pohet Redg apperyd afore hime
chantin Poyemes o prais
an frae hiz mouthe cwm platitudes
wi ivery tern o phrais.
Quhan he wur don Redg di' demaun
foir hiz pryce o honour
thon thang Cuchullain moost di' priz
an Ullister caad o woner
Tha Spere o Vyctory
frae tha heir o Kang Conor.
Twer Cuchullain's unfrien’s
quha plann tha Pohet's deceptioun
thon Spere's repute
wus sur tha Pohete's intentioun
foir the wus jelous,
o tha Ullister Cheften.
Noo quhan tha Campioun Kang
di' affer Redg astead
Gowd an Siller, Shep an Angus
iver thing he bred
thon conspirin Pohet
wodnau iven affer a tred!
Desparit o hiz honour
Cuchullain cud no abyde
pairtin wi hiz Vyctory
nor pairtin wi hiz pryde
he thrist hiz Spere
an at Redg he oot-cryd:
"Tak yer heresme!
Yae da-dilly conspiren mon!
Ga'aff an ga bak,
quhaur twer iver ye bagon!
Ye'll niver gie tha best o mae
nor ony o yer clan!"
Anso, tha Pohet laucht unto
Vyctory wi hiz heid
a wee bit supprissit,
bot havin daen sae sed:
"Tis indee' o pow'ful giff
alas bot noo, A'm deid…"
08/july/08
~~~
The Greedy Poets just-desserts:
When Conor reined in old long times
and Poets roamed the land
when sometimes came to call a man of rhyme
it was their way to command
an honor price for praise bestowed
upon the King at hand.
Cuchullain, King Conor's Foster-son
an High-One of renown
possessed the Spear of Victory
when he assumed the Crown.
That Spear was magic-gifted
an lethal when it were thrown.
So by an by Cuchullain when he was resting
at his fireside as it blazed
that Poet Redg appeared before him
chanting Poems of praise
and from his mouth came platitudes
with every turn of phrase.
When he was done Redg did demand
for his price of honor
that thing Cuchullain most did prize
and
The Spear of Victory
from the heir of King Conor.
It were Cuchullain's enemy's
who planned the Poet's deception
that Spear's repute
was sure the Poet's intention
for they were jealous,
of the
did offer Redg instead
Gold an Silver, Sheep an Cattle
every thing he bred
that conspiring Poet
would not even offer a trade!
Despaired of his honor
Cuchullain could not abide
parting with his Victory
or parting with his pride
he thrust his Spear
and at Redg he out- cried:
"Take your winnings!
You foolish conspiring man!
Go off and go back,
where ever it were you began!
You'll never get the best of me
not any of your clan!"
And so, the Poet caught
Victory with his head
a little bit surprised,
but having done so said:
"It is indeed a powerful gift
alas but now, I'm dead…"
08/july/08
