"Three Little Pigs" in Irish-Gaelic

 

“Na Trí Mhuicín” [a portion of the story]                “The Three Little Pigs”—In Irish Gaelic

1. Bhí  na trí mhuicín ina suí go moch ar maidin.

Chuaigh siad amach ag obair.

[The three little pigs were sitting early in the morning. Then they went out to work.]

2. Rinne Dónall Muicín teach beag tuí.

Rinne Colm Muicín teach beag adhmaid.

Rinne Brian Muicín teach beag bríce.

[Little Pig Donall made his little house out of straw. Little Pig Colm made his little house out of wood. Little Pig Brian made his little house out of brick.]

3. Tháinig an mac tire gránna go dtí an teach beag tuí.

“Lig isteach mé. Lig isteach mé, a chara mo chroí,” arsa an mac tire.

[The ugly wolf came to the little house of straw. “Let me in. Let me in, my dearest,” said the wolf.]

4. “Ní tusa mo charasa,” arsa Dónall Muicín leis an mac tire gránna. “Ní ligfidh mé isteach thú. Imigh leat abhaile.”

[You’re not my friend,” said Little Pig Donall to the ugly wolf. I will not let you in. Go home.”]

5. “Huth! Huth! Hó!” arsa un mac tire gránna.

“Huh! Huth! Hé! Séidfidh mé agus leagfaidh mé do theach beag tuí.”

Ansin shéid sé agus shéid sé agus leag sé an teach beag tuí.

[Huth! Huth! Ho! Said the ugly wolf. Huth! Huth! Hey! I will blow and I will knock down your little house of straw.” Then he blew and he blew and he knocked down the little house of straw.]

Approximate pronunciation of the story above (capitalized syllables receive greater stress):

1. VEE nuh TREE WUCK-EEN in-uh SEE guh MUKH er MAH-jin.

KHOO-ee SHE-ud ah-MAKH egg UH-ber

2. RINN-uh DOH-nal MUH-KEEN CHYAKH BEE-ug TEE.

RINN-uh CAH-lum MUH-KEEN CHYAKH BEE-ug AH-mudge.

RINN-uh BREE-un MUH-KEEN CHYAKH BEE-ug BREE-kuh

3. HAW-nig un MAHK TEER-uh GRAW-nuh guh JEE un CHYAKH BEE-ug TEE.

LIG ih-SHTAHKH MAY. LIG ih-STAHKH MAY, a KHAR-uh muh KHREE, AR-suh un MAHK TEER-uh.

4. NEE TOO-suh muh KHAR-uh-suh, AR-suh DOH-nal MUH-KEEN lesh un MAHK TEER-uh GRAW-nuh.

NEE LIG-ee MAY ih-SHTAHKH HOO. IH-MEE laht uh-WHILE-yuh.

5. HUH HUH HO, AR-suh un MAHK TEER-uh GRAW-nuh.

HUH HUH HAY. SHAY-ee MAY AH-gus LAHG-ee MAY duh HAHKH BEE-ug TEE.

Ahn-SHIN HADE SHAY AH-gus HADE SHAY AH-gus LAHG SHAY un CHYAHKH

BEE-ug TEE.

It’s hard to write a phonetic transcription without the International Phonetic Alphabet. But I gave it a try using fairly standard English spellings. When I used “h” after a vowel, as in “MAHK,” I’m indicating a lengthening of that vowel. “KH” is being used to show the “ch” sound at the end of a word like “loch.”