Honours English with Nusrat

RIDERS TO THE SEA-MAIN TEXT:

(TEXT)

SCENE: An island off the west of Ireland.

Cottage kitchen, with nets, oilskins, spinning-wheel, some new boards standing by the wall, etc. Cathleen, a girl of about twenty, finishes kneading cake, and puts it down in the pot-oven by the fire; then wipes her hands, and begins to spin at the wheel. Nora, a young girl, puts her head in at the door.

Nora [in a low voice). Where is she?

Cathleen. She’s lying down, God help her, and maybe sleep-ing, if she’s able.

[Nora comes in softly and takes a bundle from under her shawl.

Cathleen [spinning the wheel rapidly). What is it you have?

Nora. The young priest is after bringing them. It’s a shirt and a plain stocking were got off a drowned man in Donegal.

[Cathleen stops her wheel with a sudden movement, and leans out to listen.

We’re to find out if it’s Michael’s they are, some time herself will be down looking by the sea.

Cathleen. How would they be Michael’s, Nora ? How would he go the length of that way to the far north ?

RIDERS TO THE SEA

(COMPLETE PARAPHRASE)

SCBNB: An island, a short distance away from the western coast of Ireland.

The stage reveals a kitchen in a collage, where we cin see nets, waterproof dresses, a spinning-wheel, some boards of new wood standing by the wall, etc. There is Cathleen, a girl of about twenty, who has just finished kneading flour for a cake, which she puts in the pot-oven by the side of the fire. Then she wipes her hands clean, and begins spinning at the wheel. A young girl, Nora, puts her head in at the door.

Nora (speaking in a low voice). Where is she (Maurya)?

Cathleen. She is lying in bed, God help her, and might be sleeping, if she is able to do so.

(Nora enters quietly and takes out a bundle which was hidden under her shawl.)

Cathleen (spinning the wheel swiftly). What do you have there in that bundle ?

Nora. The young priest insisted on my bringing them here. It is a shirt and plain stocking which were removed from the body of a drowned man near Donegal, on the mainland.

(Cathleen stops her wheel with a sudden movement, and leans towards Nora to listen.)

We are to find out if the articles of clothing are Michael’s, and we would do that at a time when she is away at the sea-shore (looking for Michael’s dead body).

Cathleen. How could they be Michael’s, Nora ? How could his body float all that distance to the North?

Main TEXT:

SCENE = āĻĻ⧃āĻļā§āϝ An island = āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻĻā§āĻŦā§€āĻĒa short distance away from = āĻ…āĻ˛ā§āĻĒ āĻĻā§‚āϰ⧇ āĻ…āĻŦāĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻŋāϤ
the western coast of Ireland = āφāϝāĻŧāĻžāϰāĻ˛ā§āϝāĻžāĻ¨ā§āĻĄā§‡āϰ āĻĒāĻļā§āϚāĻŋāĻŽ āωāĻĒāϕ⧂āϞThe stage reveals = āĻŽāĻžā§āĻšā§‡ āĻĻ⧇āĻ–āĻž āϝāĻžāϝāĻŧa kitchen in a cottage = āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āϕ⧁āϟāĻŋāϰ⧇āϰ āϰāĻžāĻ¨ā§āύāĻžāϘāϰwhere we can see = āϝ⧇āĻ–āĻžāύ⧇ āφāĻŽāϰāĻž āĻĻ⧇āĻ–āϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāχnets = āĻŽāĻžāĻ› āϧāϰāĻžāϰ āϜāĻžāϞ waterproof dresses = āϜāϞāϰ⧋āϧ⧀ āĻĒā§‹āĻļāĻžāĻ• a spinning-wheel = āϏ⧁āϤāĻž āĻ•āĻžāϟāĻžāϰ āϚāĻžāĻ•āĻž some boards of new wood = āĻ•āĻŋāϛ⧁ āύāϤ⧁āύ āĻ•āĻžāϠ⧇āϰ āϤāĻ•ā§āϤāĻž standing by the wall = āĻĻ⧇āϝāĻŧāĻžāϞ⧇āϰ āĻĒāĻžāĻļ⧇ āϰāĻžāĻ–āĻž etc. = āχāĻ¤ā§āϝāĻžāĻĻāĻŋ There is Cathleen = āϏ⧇āĻ–āĻžāύ⧇ āĻ•ā§āϝāĻžāĻĨāϞāĻŋāύ āφāϛ⧇ a girl of about twenty = āĻĒā§āϰāĻžāϝāĻŧ āĻŦāĻŋāĻļ āĻŦāĻ›āϰ āĻŦāϝāĻŧāϏ⧀ āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻŽā§‡āϝāĻŧ⧇ who has just finished = āϝ⧇ āĻāχāĻŽāĻžāĻ¤ā§āϰ āĻļ⧇āώ āĻ•āϰ⧇āϛ⧇kneading flour = āĻŽāϝāĻŧāĻĻāĻž āĻŽāĻžāĻ–āĻž for a cake = āϕ⧇āĻ• āϤ⧈āϰāĻŋāϰ āϜāĻ¨ā§āϝ which she puts = āϝāĻž āϏ⧇ āϰāĻžāϖ⧇in the pot-oven = āĻĒāĻžāĻ¤ā§āϰ⧇āϰ āϚ⧁āϞāĻžāϝāĻŧ by the side of the fire = āφāϗ⧁āύ⧇āϰ āĻĒāĻžāĻļ⧇ Then = āϤāĻžāϰāĻĒāϰshe wipes her hands clean = āϏ⧇ āϤāĻžāϰ āĻšāĻžāϤ āĻĒāϰāĻŋāĻˇā§āĻ•āĻžāϰ āĻ•āϰ⧇ āĻŽā§āϛ⧇ and begins = āĻāĻŦāĻ‚ āĻļ⧁āϰ⧁ āĻ•āϰ⧇spinning at the wheel = āϚāĻžāĻ•āĻžāϝāĻŧ āϏ⧁āϤāĻž āĻ•āĻžāϟāϤ⧇ A young girl = āĻāĻ• āϤāϰ⧁āĻŖā§€Nora = āύ⧋āϰāĻž puts her head in at the door = āĻĻāϰāϜāĻžāϝāĻŧ āĻŽāĻžāĻĨāĻž āĻĸā§‹āĻ•āĻžāϝāĻŧ speaking in a low voice = āύāĻŋāϚ⧁ āĻ¸ā§āĻŦāϰ⧇ āĻŦāϞāϛ⧇ Where is she? = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āϕ⧋āĻĨāĻžāϝāĻŧ? She is lying in bed = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻŦāĻŋāĻ›āĻžāύāĻžāϝāĻŧ āĻļ⧁āϝāĻŧ⧇ āφāϛ⧇āύGod help her = āψāĻļā§āĻŦāϰ āϤāĻžāϕ⧇ āϏāĻžāĻšāĻžāĻ¯ā§āϝ āĻ•āϰ⧁āύ and might be sleeping = āĻāĻŦāĻ‚ āĻšāϝāĻŧāϤ⧋ āϘ⧁āĻŽāĻžāĻšā§āϛ⧇āύif she is able to do so = āϝāĻĻāĻŋ āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āϤāĻž āĻ•āϰāϤ⧇ āϏāĻ•ā§āώāĻŽ āĻšāύ enters quietly = āύāĻŋāσāĻļāĻŦā§āĻĻ⧇ āĻĒā§āϰāĻŦ⧇āĻļ āĻ•āϰ⧇takes out = āĻŦ⧇āϰ āĻ•āϰ⧇ a bundle = āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻĒ⧁āρāϟāϞāĻŋ which was hidden = āϝāĻž āϞ⧁āĻ•āĻžāύ⧋ āĻ›āĻŋāϞunder her shawl = āϤāĻžāϰ āĻļāĻžāϞ⧇āϰ āύāĻŋāĻšā§‡ spinning the wheel swiftly = āĻĻā§āϰ⧁āϤ āϚāĻžāĻ•āĻž āĻ˜ā§‹āϰāĻžāϤ⧇ āĻ˜ā§‹āϰāĻžāϤ⧇What do you have = āϤ⧋āĻŽāĻžāϰ āϕ⧀ āφāϛ⧇ there in that bundle? = āĻ“āχ āĻĒ⧁āρāϟāϞāĻŋāϤ⧇? The young priest = āϤāϰ⧁āĻŖ āϝāĻžāϜāĻ• insisted on = āĻœā§‹āϰ āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞ⧇āύ my bringing them here = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āϝ⧇āύ āĻāϗ⧁āϞ⧋ āĻāĻ–āĻžāύ⧇ āύāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āφāϏāĻŋ It is = āĻāϗ⧁āϞ⧋ āĻšāϞ⧋ a shirt = āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻļāĻžāĻ°ā§āϟ and plain stocking = āĻāĻŦāĻ‚ āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āϏāĻžāϧāĻžāϰāĻŖ āĻŽā§‹āϜāĻž which were removed = āϝāĻž āϖ⧁āϞ⧇ āύ⧇āĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž āĻšāϝāĻŧ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞ from the body = āĻŽā§ƒāϤāĻĻ⧇āĻš āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇of a drowned man = āĻāĻ• āĻĄā§āĻŦ⧇ āϝāĻžāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž āĻŦā§āϝāĻ•ā§āϤāĻŋāϰ near Donegal = āĻĄā§‹āύ⧇āĻ—āĻžāϞ⧇āϰ āĻ•āĻžāϛ⧇ on the mainland = āĻŽā§‚āϞ āĻ­ā§‚āĻ–āĻŖā§āĻĄā§‡ stops her wheel = āϤāĻžāϰ āϚāĻžāĻ•āĻž āĻĨāĻžāĻŽāĻžāϝāĻŧ with a sudden movement = āĻšāĻ āĻžā§Ž āĻ•āϰ⧇ leans towards Nora = āύ⧋āϰāĻžāϰ āĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇ āĻā§āρāϕ⧇ āĻĒāĻĄāĻŧ⧇ to listen = āĻļā§‹āύāĻžāϰ āϜāĻ¨ā§āϝ We are to find out = āφāĻŽāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āϖ⧁āρāĻœā§‡ āĻŦ⧇āϰ āĻ•āϰāϤ⧇ āĻšāĻŦ⧇ if the articles of clothing = āĻĒā§‹āĻļāĻžāĻ•āϗ⧁āϞ⧋ are Michael’s = āĻŽāĻžāχāϕ⧇āϞ⧇āϰ āĻ•āĻŋ āύāĻž and we would do that = āĻāĻŦāĻ‚ āφāĻŽāϰāĻž āϤāĻž āĻ•āϰāĻŦ at a time when = āĻāĻŽāύ āϏāĻŽāϝāĻŧ⧇ āϝāĻ–āύ she is away = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻŦāĻžāχāϰ⧇ āĻĨāĻžāĻ•āĻŦ⧇āύ at the sea-shore = āϏāĻŽā§āĻĻā§āϰāϤ⧀āϰ⧇ looking for Michael’s dead body = āĻŽāĻžāχāϕ⧇āϞ⧇āϰ āĻŽā§ƒāϤāĻĻ⧇āĻšā§‡āϰ āĻ–ā§‹āρāϜ āĻ•āϰāϤ⧇ How could they be Michael’s? = āĻāϗ⧁āϞ⧋ āϕ⧀āĻ­āĻžāĻŦ⧇ āĻŽāĻžāχāϕ⧇āϞ⧇āϰ āĻšāϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāϰ⧇? How could his body = āϤāĻžāϰ āĻŽā§ƒāϤāĻĻ⧇āĻš āϕ⧀āĻ­āĻžāĻŦ⧇ float = āϭ⧇āϏ⧇ āϝ⧇āϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāϰ⧇ all that distance = āĻāϤ āĻĻā§€āĻ°ā§āϘ āĻĻā§‚āϰāĻ¤ā§āĻŦ to the North? = āωāĻ¤ā§āϤāϰ⧇āϰ āĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇?

Nora. The young priest says he’s known the like of it. “If it’s Michael’s they are,” says he, “you can tell herself he’s got a clean burial, by the grace of God; and if they’re not his, let no one say a word about them, for she’ll be getting her death,” says he, “with crying and lamenting.”

[The door which Nora half closed is blown open by a gust of wind.

Cathleen [looking out anxiously). Did you ask him would he stop Bartley going this day with the horses to the Galway fair ?

Nora. “I won’t stop him,” says he; “but let you not be afraid. Herself does be saying prayers half through the night, and the Almighty God won’t leave her destitute,” says he, “with no son living.”

Cathleen. Is the sea bad by the white rocks, Nora ?

Nora. Middling bad, God help us. There’s a great roaring in the west, and it’s worse it’ll be getting when the tide’s turned to the wind. [She goes over to the table with the bundle.] Shall I open it now?

Cathleen. Maybe she’d wake up on us, and come in before we’d done [coming to the table]. It’s a long time we’ll be, and the two of us crying.

Nora [goes to the inner door and listens]. She’s moving about on the bed. She’ll be coming in a minute.

Cathleen. Give me the ladder, and I’ll put them up in the turf-loft, the way she won’t know of them at all, and maybe when the tide turns she’ll be going down to see would he be floating from the east.

[They put the ladder against the gable of the chim-ney Cathleen goes up a few steps and hides the bundle in the turf-loft. Maurya comes from the inner room.

Maurya (looking up at Cathleen and speaking querulously). Isn’t it turf enough you have for this day and evening?COMPLETE PARAPIIRABB

Nora. The young priest says he knows instances of such things happening. He says that if they are found to be Michael’s. the can tell our mother that her son has got a decent burial, and if they are not his, we are not to say a word about them, other-wise she might kill herself with crying and expressing grief for her dead son.

(A strong rush of wind blows open the door, which Nora has half closed.)

Cathleen (looking out anxiously). Did you ask the priest whether he would dissuade Bartley from going to the Galway fair with the horses today?

Nora. He said he would not stop Bartley but added that we should not be afraid. Our mother keeps on saying prayers till midnight, and, in his view, the Almighty God would not leave such a woman forsaken, with none of her sons living.

Cathleen. Does the sea near the white rocks look rough, Nora ?

Nora. It looks moderately bad, God help us. There is a loud roaring sound in the west, and the sea will become rougher when the tide has turned opposite to the wind. (She reaches the table with the bundle.) Shall I open the bundle now?

Cathleen. It is possible that she might wake up to confront us, entering the kitchen before we have finished identifying the clothes. (Coming to the table) we are likely to take a long time doing it, for both of us will be crying.

Nora (going to the inner door and listening). She is tossing in her bed. In another minute she is going to come in.

Translation in Bangla:

The young priest says = āϤāϰ⧁āĻŖ āϝāĻžāϜāĻ• āĻŦāϞ⧇āύhe’s known the like of it = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻ āϰāĻ•āĻŽ āϘāϟāύāĻž āφāϗ⧇ āϜāĻžāύ⧇āύ / āĻĻ⧇āϖ⧇āϛ⧇āύIf it’s Michael’s they are = āϝāĻĻāĻŋ āĻāϗ⧁āϞ⧋ āĻŽāĻžāχāϕ⧇āϞ⧇āϰ āĻšāϝāĻŧyou can tell herself = āϤāĻžāĻšāϞ⧇ āϤ⧋āĻŽāϰāĻž āϤāĻžāϕ⧇ (āĻŽāϰāĻŋāϝāĻŧāĻžāϕ⧇) āĻŦāϞāϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāϰ⧋he’s got a clean burial = āϏ⧇ āϝāĻĨāĻžāϝāĻĨāĻ­āĻžāĻŦ⧇ āĻĻāĻžāĻĢāύ āĻšāϝāĻŧ⧇āϛ⧇by the grace of God = āψāĻļā§āĻŦāϰ⧇āϰ āĻ•ā§ƒāĻĒāĻžāϝāĻŧif they’re not his = āϝāĻĻāĻŋ āĻāϗ⧁āϞ⧋ āϤāĻžāϰ āύāĻž āĻšāϝāĻŧlet no one say a word about them = āϤāĻžāĻšāϞ⧇ āĻāϗ⧁āϞ⧋ āϏāĻŽā§āĻĒāĻ°ā§āϕ⧇ āϕ⧇āω āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻ•āĻĨāĻžāĻ“ āĻŦāϞāĻŦ⧇ āύāĻžfor she’ll be getting her death = āĻ•āĻžāϰāĻŖ āĻāϤ⧇ āϤāĻžāϰ āĻŽā§ƒāĻ¤ā§āϝ⧁āϰ āĻŽāϤ⧋ āĻ…āĻŦāĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻž āĻšāĻŦ⧇ / āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻŽāĻžāϰāĻž āϝ⧇āϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāϰ⧇āύwith crying and lamenting = āĻ•āĻžāρāĻĻāϤ⧇ āĻ•āĻžāρāĻĻāϤ⧇ āĻ“ āĻŦāĻŋāϞāĻžāĻĒ āĻ•āϰāϤ⧇ āĻ•āϰāϤ⧇The door = āĻĻāϰāϜāĻžāϟāĻŋwhich Nora has half closed = āϝāĻž āύ⧋āϰāĻž āĻ…āĻ°ā§āϧ⧇āĻ• āĻŦāĻ¨ā§āϧ āĻ•āϰ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞis blown open = āĻšāĻžāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻžāϝāĻŧ āϖ⧁āϞ⧇ āϝāĻžāϝāĻŧ
by a gust of wind = āĻĒā§āϰāĻŦāϞ āĻŦāĻžāϤāĻžāϏ⧇āϰ āĻāĻžāĻĒāϟāĻžāϝāĻŧlooking out anxiously = āωāĻĻā§āĻŦāĻŋāĻ—ā§āύāĻ­āĻžāĻŦ⧇ āĻŦāĻžāχāϰ⧇ āϤāĻžāĻ•āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇
Did you ask him = āϤ⧁āĻŽāĻŋ āĻ•āĻŋ āϤāĻžāϕ⧇ āϜāĻŋāĻœā§āĻžāĻžāϏāĻž āĻ•āϰ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞ⧇whether he would stop Bartley = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻŦāĻžāĻ°ā§āϟāϞāĻŋāϕ⧇ āĻĨāĻžāĻŽāĻžāĻŦ⧇āύ āĻ•āĻŋ āύāĻžgoing this day = āφāϜ āϝāĻžāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇with the horses = āĻ˜ā§‹āĻĄāĻŧāĻžāϗ⧁āϞ⧋ āύāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇to the Galway fair = āĻ—ā§āϝāĻžāϞāĻ“āϝāĻŧ⧇āϰ āĻŽā§‡āϞāĻžāϝāĻŧI won’t stop him = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āϤāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻĨāĻžāĻŽāĻžāĻŦ āύāĻžlet you not be afraid = āĻ•āĻŋāĻ¨ā§āϤ⧁ āϤ⧋āĻŽāϰāĻž āĻ­āϝāĻŧ āĻĒ⧇āĻ“ āύāĻžOur mother keeps on saying prayers = āφāĻŽāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āĻŽāĻž āĻ•ā§āϰāĻŽāĻžāĻ—āϤ āĻĒā§āϰāĻžāĻ°ā§āĻĨāύāĻž āĻ•āϰ⧇āύtill midnight = āĻŽāĻ§ā§āϝāϰāĻžāϤ āĻĒāĻ°ā§āϝāĻ¨ā§āϤthe Almighty God = āϏāĻ°ā§āĻŦāĻļāĻ•ā§āϤāĻŋāĻŽāĻžāύ āψāĻļā§āĻŦāϰwould not leave = āϛ⧇āĻĄāĻŧ⧇ āĻĻ⧇āĻŦ⧇āύ āύāĻžsuch a woman = āĻāĻŽāύ āĻāĻ•āϜāύ āύāĻžāϰ⧀āϕ⧇forsaken = āĻ…āϏāĻšāĻžāϝāĻŧ āĻ…āĻŦāĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻžāϝāĻŧwith none of her sons living = āϝāĻžāϰ āϕ⧋āύ⧋ āϛ⧇āϞ⧇ āĻœā§€āĻŦāĻŋāϤ āύ⧇āχDoes the sea = āϏāĻŽā§āĻĻā§āϰ āĻ•āĻŋnear the white rocks = āϏāĻžāĻĻāĻž āĻĒāĻžāĻĨāϰ⧇āϰ āĻ•āĻžāϛ⧇look rough = āωāĻ¤ā§āϤāĻžāϞ āĻĻ⧇āĻ–āĻžāĻšā§āϛ⧇It looks moderately bad = āĻŽāĻžāĻāĻžāϰāĻŋ āϰāĻ•āĻŽ āĻ–āĻžāϰāĻžāĻĒ / āωāĻ¤ā§āϤāĻžāϞ āĻĻ⧇āĻ–āĻžāĻšā§āϛ⧇God help us = āψāĻļā§āĻŦāϰ āφāĻŽāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āϏāĻžāĻšāĻžāĻ¯ā§āϝ āĻ•āϰ⧁āύThere is = āϏ⧇āĻ–āĻžāύ⧇ āφāϛ⧇a loud roaring sound = āĻĒā§āϰāĻŦāϞ āĻ—āĻ°ā§āϜāύ⧇āϰ āĻļāĻŦā§āĻĻin the west = āĻĒāĻļā§āϚāĻŋāĻŽ āĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇the sea will become rougher = āϏāĻŽā§āĻĻā§āϰ āφāϰāĻ“ āωāĻ¤ā§āϤāĻžāϞ āĻšāĻŦ⧇when the tide has turned = āϝāĻ–āύ āĻœā§‹āϝāĻŧāĻžāϰ āϘ⧁āϰ⧇ āϝāĻžāĻŦ⧇opposite to the wind = āĻŦāĻžāϤāĻžāϏ⧇āϰ āĻŦāĻŋāĻĒāϰ⧀āϤ āĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇She reaches the table = āϏ⧇ āĻŸā§‡āĻŦāĻŋāϞ⧇āϰ āĻ•āĻžāϛ⧇ āϝāĻžāϝāĻŧwith the bundle = āĻĒ⧁āρāϟāϞāĻŋāϟāĻŋ āύāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇Shall I open the bundle now? = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āĻ•āĻŋ āĻāĻ–āύ āĻĒ⧁āρāϟāϞāĻŋāϟāĻŋ āϖ⧁āϞāĻŦ?It is possible = āϏāĻŽā§āĻ­āĻŦāϤthat she might wake up = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻœā§‡āϗ⧇ āωāĻ āϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāϰ⧇āύto confront us = āφāĻŽāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āϏāĻžāĻŽāύ⧇ āĻāϏ⧇ āĻĒāĻĄāĻŧāϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāϰ⧇āύentering the kitchen = āϰāĻžāĻ¨ā§āύāĻžāϘāϰ⧇ āĻĒā§āϰāĻŦ⧇āĻļ āĻ•āϰ⧇before we have finished = āφāĻŽāϰāĻž āĻļ⧇āώ āĻ•āϰāĻžāϰ āφāϗ⧇identifying the clothes = āĻ•āĻžāĻĒāĻĄāĻŧāϗ⧁āϞ⧋ āĻļāύāĻžāĻ•ā§āϤ āĻ•āϰāĻžComing to the table = āĻŸā§‡āĻŦāĻŋāϞ⧇āϰ āĻ•āĻžāϛ⧇ āĻāϏ⧇we are likely to take a long time = āφāĻŽāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āĻ…āύ⧇āĻ• āϏāĻŽāϝāĻŧ āϞāĻžāĻ—āϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāϰ⧇doing it = āĻāϟāĻŋ āĻ•āϰāϤ⧇ for both of us = āĻ•āĻžāϰāĻŖ āφāĻŽāϰāĻž āĻĻ⧁āϜāύ⧇āχwill be crying = āĻ•āĻžāρāĻĻāĻŦgoing to the inner door = āϭ⧇āϤāϰ⧇āϰ āĻĻāϰāϜāĻžāϰ āĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇ āĻ—āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇and listening = āĻāĻŦāĻ‚ āĻ•āĻžāύ āĻĒ⧇āϤ⧇ āĻļ⧁āύ⧇She is tossing in her bed = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻŦāĻŋāĻ›āĻžāύāĻžāϝāĻŧ āĻāĻĒāĻžāĻļ-āĻ“āĻĒāĻžāĻļ āĻ•āϰāϛ⧇āύIn another minute = āφāϰ āĻāĻ• āĻŽāĻŋāύāĻŋāĻŸā§‡āϰ āĻŽāĻ§ā§āϝ⧇āχ she is going to come in = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻāĻ–āĻžāύ⧇ āĻāϏ⧇ āĻĒāĻĄāĻŧāĻŦ⧇āύ

Main text:

Cathleen. Give me the ladder, and I shall put the clothes in the turf-loft in such a way that she will not know anything about the clothes at all, and it is possible when the tide turns she will go down to see whether Michael’s body has come in floating from the eastern side (and during her absence we shall be able to look at the clothes).

(They place the ladder against the triangular wall of the chimney. Cathleen goes a few steps up the ladder and hides the bundle in the turf-loft. Maurya comes from the inner room.)

Maurya (looking up at Cathleen and speaking in a complain-ing voice). Wasn’t the turf that you have sufficient till the end of the day?

Cathleen. There’s a cake baking at the fire for a short space [throwing down the turf], and Bartley will want it when the tide turns if he goes to Connemara.

[Nora picks up the turf and puts it round the pol-oven.

Maurya (sitting down on a stool at the fire]. He won’t go this day with the wind rising from the south and west. He won’t go this day, for the young priest will stop him surely.

Nora. He’ll not stop him, Mother; and I heard Eamon Simon and Stephen Pheety and Colum Shawn saying he would go.

Maurya. Where is he itself?

Nora. He went down to see would there be another boat sailing in the week, and I’m thinking it won’t be long till he’s here now, for the tide’s turning at the green head, and the hooker’s tacking from the east.

Cathleen. I hear some one passing the big stones.

Nora (looking out]. He’s coming now, and he in a hurry.

Bartley [comes in and looks round the room. Speaking sadly and quietly). Where is the bit of new rope, Cathleen, was bought in Connemara ?

Cathleen [coming down). Give it to him, Nora; it’s on a nail by the white boards. I hung it up this morning, for the pig with the black feet was eating it.

Nora [giving him a rope). Is that it, Bartley?

Maurya. You’d do right to leave that rope, Bartley, hanging by the boards. [Bartley takes the rope.) It will be wanting in this place, I’m telling you, if Michael is washed up to-morrow morning, or the next morning, or any morning in the week; for it’s a deep grave we’ll make him, by the grace of God.

Cathleen. There is a cake which has been baking at the fire for sonic time (throwing down the turf) and Bartley will need it when the tide turns if he is to go to Connemara.

(Nora picks up the turf and puts it round the pot-oven.)

Maurya (sitting down on a stool at the fire). I hope he won’t go today, since the wind is rising from south and west (and bad weather is expected). He won’t go today, because the young priest (I hope) will certainly stop him.

Nora. He is not going to stop him, Mother and I heard Eamon Simon and Stephen Pheety and Colum Shawn saying that Bartley has decided to go.

Maurya. Where is Bartley himself?

Nora. He went down to find out if there would be another boat sailing this week, and I think it wouldn’t be long now before he is here, for the tide is turning at the green head, and the hooker is coming from the eastern direction, constantly changing course to have the wind behind it.

Cathleen. I hear some one passing by the big stones.

Nora (looking out). It is Bartley coming now, and he is in a hurry.

Bartley (comes in and looks round the room. He speaks sadly and quietly). Where is the piece of small rope which was bought in Connemara ?

Translation in Bangla:

Give me the ladder = āφāĻŽāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻŽāχāϟāĻž āĻĻāĻžāĻ“and I shall put the clothes = āĻāĻŦāĻ‚ āφāĻŽāĻŋ āĻ•āĻžāĻĒāĻĄāĻŧāϗ⧁āϞ⧋ āϰāĻžāĻ–āĻŦin the turf-loft = āĻĒāĻŋāϟ (āĻœā§āĻŦāĻžāϞāĻžāύāĻŋ)-āĻāϰ āĻŽāĻžāϚāĻžāϝāĻŧin such a way that = āĻāĻŽāύāĻ­āĻžāĻŦ⧇ āϝ⧇
she will not know anything about the clothes at all = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻ•āĻžāĻĒāĻĄāĻŧāϗ⧁āϞ⧋āϰ āĻŦā§āϝāĻžāĻĒāĻžāϰ⧇ āĻ•āĻŋāϛ⧁āχ āϜāĻžāύāϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāϰāĻŦ⧇āύ āύāĻžand it is possible = āĻāĻŦāĻ‚ āϏāĻŽā§āĻ­āĻŦāϤwhen the tide turns = āϝāĻ–āύ āĻœā§‹āϝāĻŧāĻžāϰ āϘ⧁āϰāĻŦ⧇
she will go down = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āύāĻŋāĻšā§‡ āϝāĻžāĻŦ⧇āύto see whether = āĻĻ⧇āĻ–āϤ⧇ āϝ⧇Michael’s body = āĻŽāĻžāχāϕ⧇āϞ⧇āϰ āĻŽā§ƒāϤāĻĻ⧇āĻšhas come in floating = āϭ⧇āϏ⧇ āĻāϏ⧇āϛ⧇ āĻ•āĻŋ āύāĻžfrom the eastern side = āĻĒā§‚āĻ°ā§āĻŦ āĻĻāĻŋāĻ• āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇They place the ladder = āϤāĻžāϰāĻž āĻŽāχāϟāĻŋ āϰāĻžāϖ⧇against the triangular wall of the chimney = āϚāĻŋāĻŽāύāĻŋāϰ āĻ¤ā§āϰāĻŋāϭ⧁āϜāĻžāĻ•āĻžāϰ āĻĻ⧇āϝāĻŧāĻžāϞ⧇āϰ āϏāĻ™ā§āϗ⧇ āϠ⧇āϏ āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇Cathleen goes a few steps up the ladder = āĻ•ā§āϝāĻžāĻĨāϞāĻŋāύ āĻŽāχ āĻŦ⧇āϝāĻŧ⧇ āĻ•āϝāĻŧ⧇āĻ• āϧāĻžāĻĒ āĻ“āĻĒāϰ⧇ āĻ“āϠ⧇and hides the bundle = āĻāĻŦāĻ‚ āĻĒ⧁āρāϟāϞāĻŋāϟāĻŋ āϞ⧁āĻ•āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āϰāĻžāϖ⧇in the turf-loft = āĻĒāĻŋāĻŸā§‡āϰ āĻŽāĻžāϚāĻžāϝāĻŧMaurya comes from the inner room = āĻŽāϰāĻŋāϝāĻŧāĻž āϭ⧇āϤāϰ⧇āϰ āϘāϰ āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇ āφāϏ⧇āύlooking up at Cathleen = āĻ•ā§āϝāĻžāĻĨāϞāĻŋāύ⧇āϰ āĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇ āωāĻĒāϰ⧇ āϤāĻžāĻ•āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇speaking in a complaining voice = āĻ…āĻ­āĻŋāϝ⧋āϗ⧇āϰ āϏ⧁āϰ⧇ āĻŦāϞāϛ⧇āύWasn’t the turf = āĻĒāĻŋāϟ āĻ•āĻŋthat you have = āϤ⧋āĻŽāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āϝāĻž āφāϛ⧇sufficient = āϝāĻĨ⧇āĻˇā§āϟ āύāϝāĻŧtill the end of the day = āĻĻāĻŋāύ⧇āϰ āĻļ⧇āώ āĻĒāĻ°ā§āϝāĻ¨ā§āϤThere is a cake = āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āϕ⧇āĻ• āφāϛ⧇which has been baking = āϝāĻž āĻŦ⧇āĻ• āĻšāĻšā§āϛ⧇at the fire = āφāϗ⧁āύ⧇for some time = āĻ•āĻŋāϛ⧁ āϏāĻŽāϝāĻŧ āϧāϰ⧇throwing down the turf = āĻĒāĻŋāϟ āύāĻŋāĻšā§‡ āĻĢ⧇āϞāϤ⧇ āĻĢ⧇āϞāϤ⧇Bartley will need it = āĻŦāĻžāĻ°ā§āϟāϞāĻŋāϰ āĻāϟāĻŋ āĻĻāϰāĻ•āĻžāϰ āĻšāĻŦ⧇when the tide turns = āϝāĻ–āύ āĻœā§‹āϝāĻŧāĻžāϰ āϘ⧁āϰāĻŦ⧇if he is to go = āϝāĻĻāĻŋ āϏ⧇ āϝāĻžāϝāĻŧto Connemara = āĻ•āύ⧇āĻŽāĻžāϰāĻžāϝāĻŧNora picks up the turf = āύ⧋āϰāĻž āĻĒāĻŋāϟ āϤ⧁āϞ⧇ āύ⧇āϝāĻŧand puts it round the pot-oven = āĻāĻŦāĻ‚ āĻĒāĻžāĻ¤ā§āϰ⧇āϰ āϚ⧁āϞāĻžāϰ āϚāĻžāϰāĻĒāĻžāĻļ⧇ āϰāĻžāϖ⧇sitting down on a stool = āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āϟ⧁āϞ⧇ āĻŦāϏ⧇at the fire = āφāϗ⧁āύ⧇āϰ āĻĒāĻžāĻļ⧇I hope he won’t go today = āφāĻļāĻž āĻ•āϰāĻŋ āϏ⧇ āφāϜ āϝāĻžāĻŦ⧇ āύāĻžsince the wind is rising = āĻ•āĻžāϰāĻŖ āĻŦāĻžāϤāĻžāϏ āĻœā§‹āϰ⧇ āĻŦāχāϛ⧇from south and west = āĻĻāĻ•ā§āώāĻŋāĻŖ āĻ“ āĻĒāĻļā§āϚāĻŋāĻŽ āĻĻāĻŋāĻ• āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇bad weather is expected = āĻ–āĻžāϰāĻžāĻĒ āφāĻŦāĻšāĻžāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻžāϰ āφāĻļāĻ™ā§āĻ•āĻž āφāϛ⧇He won’t go today = āϏ⧇ āφāϜ āϝāĻžāĻŦ⧇ āύāĻžbecause the young priest = āĻ•āĻžāϰāĻŖ āϤāϰ⧁āĻŖ āϝāĻžāϜāĻ•will certainly stop him = āύāĻŋāĻļā§āϚāϝāĻŧāχ āϤāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻĨāĻžāĻŽāĻžāĻŦ⧇āύHe is not going to stop him = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āϤāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻĨāĻžāĻŽāĻžāĻŦ⧇āύ āύāĻžMother = āĻŽāĻžI heard = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āĻļ⧁āύ⧇āĻ›āĻŋEamon Simon = āχāĻŽāύ āϏāĻžāχāĻŽāύStephen Pheety = āĻ¸ā§āϟāĻŋāĻĢ⧇āύ āĻĢāĻŋāϟāĻŋColum Shawn = āĻ•āϞāĻžāĻŽ āĻļāύsaying that = āĻŦāϞāϤ⧇ āϝ⧇Bartley has decided to go = āĻŦāĻžāĻ°ā§āϟāϞāĻŋ āϝāĻžāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻžāϰ āϏāĻŋāĻĻā§āϧāĻžāĻ¨ā§āϤ āύāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇āϛ⧇Where is Bartley himself? = āĻŦāĻžāĻ°ā§āϟāϞāĻŋ āύāĻŋāĻœā§‡ āϕ⧋āĻĨāĻžāϝāĻŧ?He went down = āϏ⧇ āύāĻŋāĻšā§‡ āϗ⧇āϛ⧇to find out = āϜāĻžāύāϤ⧇if there would be = āĻĨāĻžāĻ•āĻŦ⧇ āĻ•āĻŋ āύāĻžanother boat = āφāϰ⧇āĻ•āϟāĻŋ āύ⧌āĻ•āĻžsailing this week = āĻāχ āϏāĻĒā§āϤāĻžāĻšā§‡ āϝāĻžāĻ¤ā§āϰāĻž āĻ•āϰāĻŦ⧇I think = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āĻŽāύ⧇ āĻ•āϰāĻŋit wouldn’t be long = āĻŦ⧇āĻļāĻŋ āĻĻ⧇āϰāĻŋ āĻšāĻŦ⧇ āύāĻžbefore he is here = āϏ⧇ āĻāĻ–āĻžāύ⧇ āφāϏāϤ⧇the tide is turning = āĻœā§‹āϝāĻŧāĻžāϰ āϘ⧁āϰāϛ⧇at the green head = āĻ—ā§āϰāĻŋāύ āĻšā§‡āĻĄā§‡the hooker = āĻšā§āĻ•āĻžāϰ (āĻāĻ• āϧāϰāύ⧇āϰ āĻĒāĻžāϞāϤ⧋āϞāĻž āύ⧌āĻ•āĻž)is coming = āφāϏāϛ⧇from the eastern direction = āĻĒā§‚āĻ°ā§āĻŦ āĻĻāĻŋāĻ• āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇constantly changing course = āĻŦāĻžāϰāĻŦāĻžāϰ āĻĻāĻŋāĻ• āĻĒāϰāĻŋāĻŦāĻ°ā§āϤāύ āĻ•āϰ⧇to have the wind behind it = āĻŦāĻžāϤāĻžāϏāϕ⧇ āĻ…āύ⧁āϕ⧂āϞ⧇ āϰāĻžāĻ–āϤ⧇I hear = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āĻļ⧁āύāϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāĻšā§āĻ›āĻŋsomeone passing by = āϕ⧇āω āĻĒāĻžāĻļ āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āϝāĻžāĻšā§āϛ⧇the big stones = āĻŦāĻĄāĻŧ āĻĒāĻžāĻĨāϰāϗ⧁āϞ⧋āϰ āĻĒāĻžāĻļ āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇looking out = āĻŦāĻžāχāϰ⧇ āϤāĻžāĻ•āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇It is Bartley = āĻ“ āĻŦāĻžāĻ°ā§āϟāϞāĻŋcoming now = āĻāĻ–āύ āφāϏāϛ⧇he is in a hurry = āϏ⧇ āϤāĻžāĻĄāĻŧāĻžāĻšā§āĻĄāĻŧā§‹āϝāĻŧ āφāϛ⧇comes in = āϭ⧇āϤāϰ⧇ āφāϏ⧇looks round the room = āϘāϰ⧇āϰ āϚāĻžāϰāĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇ āϤāĻžāĻ•āĻžāϝāĻŧspeaks sadly and quietly = āĻĻ⧁āσāĻ–āĻ­āϰ⧇ āĻ“ āĻļāĻžāĻ¨ā§āϤāĻ­āĻžāĻŦ⧇ āĻŦāϞ⧇Where is = āϕ⧋āĻĨāĻžāϝāĻŧ
the piece of small rope = āϛ⧋āϟ āĻĻāĻĄāĻŧāĻŋāϰ āϟ⧁āĻ•āϰ⧋āϟāĻŋwhich was bought = āϝāĻž āϕ⧇āύāĻž āĻšāϝāĻŧ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞin Connemara = āĻ•āύ⧇āĻŽāĻžāϰāĻžāϝāĻŧ

Cathleen (coming down the ladder). Give it to him, Nora; it is hanging by a nail near the white boards. I hung it up there this morning, because I found the pig with the black feet eating it.

Nora (giving him the rope). Is this the rope you mean, Bartley ?

Maurya. It is better if you leave the rope there, Bartley, hanging near the boards. (Bartley takes the rope.) It will be needed here, I tell you, if Michael’s body is washed up tomorrow morning, or the morning after, or any other morning in the week; for we will make a deep grave for him, by the grace of God (and the rope will be required for lowering the coffin into the deep grave).94

Bartley (beginning to work with the rope). I’ve no halter the way I can ride down on the mare, and I must go now quickly. This is the one boat going for two weeks or beyond it, and the fair will be a good fair for horses, I heard them saying below.

Maurya. It’s a hard thing they’ll be saying below if the body is washed up and there’s no man in it to make the coffin, and t after giving a big price for the finest white boards you’d find in Connemara.

[She looks round at the boards.

Bartley. How would it be washed up, and we after looking each day for nine days, and a strong wind blowing a while back from the west and south?

Maurya. If it isn’t found itself, that wind is raising the sea, and there was a star up against the moon, and it rising in the night. If it was a hundred horses, or a thousand horses, you had itself, what is the price of a thousand horses against a son where there is one son only.

Bartley (working at the halter, to Cathleen]. Let you go down each day, and see the sheep aren’t jumping in on the rye, and if the jobber comes you can sell the pig with the black feet if there is a good price going.

pig. Maurya. How would the like of her get a good price for a

Bartley [to Cathleen]. If the west wind holds with the last bit of the moon let you and Nora get up weed enough for another cock for the kelp. It’s hard set we’ll be from this day with no one in it but one man to work.

Maurya. It’s hard set we’ll be surely the day you’re drowned with the rest. What way will I live and the girls with ne, and I an old woman looking for the grave ?

(Bartley lays down the halter, takes off his old coal, and puts on a newer one of the same flannel.

Bartley (to Nora). Is she coming to the pier ?

95 Bartley tley (beginning to work with the rope, trying to make a halter out of it). I have no halter with which I can ride the mare, and I must leave now quickly. This is the only boat that is leaving for more than two weeks, and the fair is expected to be a good one for selling horses, I heard people saying in the town below.

Maurya. It would be a harsh remark that they would be making in the town, if the body of Michael is washed up, and there is no one in the house to make the coffin, and that after I have paid a heavy price for the finest boards you can find in Connemara.

(She looks round at the boards.)

Bartley. How would the body be washed up, after we have looked for it continually for nine days, and when a stong wind has been blowing a short while back from the south and west ?

Maurya. If the body has not been found yet it is because the wind is raising the sea, and the moon rose in the night and there was a star up against it, which rose in the night. If you had a hundred horses, or even a thousand horses, their price would be insignificant in comparison with a son when he is the only one (left alive).

Bartley (working at the halter, to Cathleen). You must go every day and sce that the sheep do not jump in on the rye crop, and if the cattle dealer comes, you can sell the pig with the black feet if a good price is offered.

Maurya. I don’t think a girl like her would be able to get a good price for a pig.

Bartley (to Cathleen). If the west wind continues to blow during the remaining bit of moon (moonlit nights), then you and Nora should collect enough weed to make another cock for the kelp (iodine-containing mineral). It will go hard with us from this day with only one man in the house to work.

Maurya. It will be still harder with us when you are also drowned with the rest of them. How will I manage to live then, and how will the girls live, with I being an old woman who is on the brink of the grave ?

(Bartley lays down the halter, and after taking off his old coat, puts on a new coat made of the same flannel.)

Bartley (to Nora). Is she (the boat) coming on to the pier ?

Translation in Bangla:

coming down the ladder = āĻŽāχ āĻŦ⧇āϝāĻŧ⧇ āύāĻŋāĻšā§‡ āύ⧇āĻŽā§‡ Give it to him = āĻ“āϕ⧇ āĻāϟāĻž āĻĻāĻžāĻ“
it is hanging = āĻāϟāĻŋ āĻā§āϞāϛ⧇by a nail = āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻĒ⧇āϰ⧇āϕ⧇near the white boards = āϏāĻžāĻĻāĻž āϤāĻ•ā§āϤāĻžāϗ⧁āϞ⧋āϰ āĻ•āĻžāϛ⧇I hung it up there = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āĻāϟāĻŋ āϏ⧇āĻ–āĻžāύ⧇ āĻā§āϞāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āϰ⧇āϖ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞāĻžāĻŽthis morning = āφāϜ āϏāĻ•āĻžāϞ⧇because I found = āĻ•āĻžāϰāĻŖ āφāĻŽāĻŋ āĻĻ⧇āϖ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞāĻžāĻŽthe pig with the black feet = āĻ•āĻžāϞ⧋ āĻĒāĻž-āĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻžāϞāĻž āĻļā§‚āĻ•āϰāϟāĻŋeating it = āĻāϟāĻŋ āĻ–āĻžāĻšā§āĻ›āĻŋāϞgiving him the rope = āϤāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻĻāĻĄāĻŧāĻŋāϟāĻŋ āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇Is this the rope = āĻāϟāĻŋ āĻ•āĻŋ āϏ⧇āχ āĻĻāĻĄāĻŧāĻŋyou mean = āϝāĻžāϰ āĻ•āĻĨāĻž āϤ⧁āĻŽāĻŋ āĻŦāϞāĻ›Bartley? = āĻŦāĻžāĻ°ā§āϟāϞāĻŋ?It is better = āĻ­āĻžāϞ⧋ āĻšāĻŦ⧇if you leave the rope there = āϝāĻĻāĻŋ āϤ⧁āĻŽāĻŋ āĻĻāĻĄāĻŧāĻŋāϟāĻŋ āϏ⧇āĻ–āĻžāύ⧇ āϰ⧇āϖ⧇ āĻĻāĻžāĻ“hanging near the boards = āϤāĻ•ā§āϤāĻžāϗ⧁āϞ⧋āϰ āĻ•āĻžāϛ⧇ āĻā§āϞāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇It will be needed here = āĻāϟāĻŋ āĻāĻ–āĻžāύ⧇ āĻĒā§āϰāϝāĻŧā§‹āϜāύ āĻšāĻŦ⧇I tell you = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āϤ⧋āĻŽāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻŦāϞāĻ›āĻŋif Michael’s body = āϝāĻĻāĻŋ āĻŽāĻžāχāϕ⧇āϞ⧇āϰ āĻŽā§ƒāϤāĻĻ⧇āĻšis washed up = āϤ⧀āϰ⧇ āϭ⧇āϏ⧇ āĻ“āϠ⧇tomorrow morning = āφāĻ—āĻžāĻŽā§€āĻ•āĻžāϞ āϏāĻ•āĻžāϞ⧇or the morning after = āĻ…āĻĨāĻŦāĻž āϤāĻžāϰ āĻĒāϰ⧇āϰ āϏāĻ•āĻžāϞ⧇or any other morning in the week = āĻ…āĻĨāĻŦāĻž āϏāĻĒā§āϤāĻžāĻšā§‡āϰ āĻ…āĻ¨ā§āϝ āϝ⧇āϕ⧋āύ⧋ āϏāĻ•āĻžāϞ⧇we will make = āφāĻŽāϰāĻž āĻŦāĻžāύāĻžāĻŦ / āϖ⧁āρāĻĄāĻŧāĻŦa deep grave = āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻ—āĻ­ā§€āϰ āĻ•āĻŦāϰfor him = āϤāĻžāϰ āϜāĻ¨ā§āϝby the grace of God = āψāĻļā§āĻŦāϰ⧇āϰ āĻ•ā§ƒāĻĒāĻžāϝāĻŧthe rope will be required = āĻĻāĻĄāĻŧāĻŋāϟāĻŋāϰ āĻĒā§āϰāϝāĻŧā§‹āϜāύ āĻšāĻŦ⧇for lowering the coffin = āĻ•āĻĢāĻŋāύ āύāĻžāĻŽāĻžāύ⧋āϰ āϜāĻ¨ā§āϝinto the deep grave = āĻ—āĻ­ā§€āϰ āĻ•āĻŦāϰ⧇

beginning to work with the rope = āĻĻāĻĄāĻŧāĻŋ āύāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āĻ•āĻžāϜ āĻļ⧁āϰ⧁ āĻ•āϰ⧇ trying to make a halter out of it = āĻāϟāĻŋ āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āϞāĻžāĻ—āĻžāĻŽ āĻŦāĻžāύāĻžāύ⧋āϰ āĻšā§‡āĻˇā§āϟāĻž āĻ•āϰ⧇ I have no halter = āφāĻŽāĻžāϰ āϕ⧋āύ⧋ āϞāĻžāĻ—āĻžāĻŽ āύ⧇āχ with which = āϝ⧇āϟāĻŋ āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ I can ride the mare = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āĻŽāĻžāĻĻāĻŋ āĻ˜ā§‹āĻĄāĻŧāĻžāϝāĻŧ āϚāĻĄāĻŧāϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāϰāĻŋ I must leave now quickly = āφāĻŽāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻāĻ–āύāχ āĻĻā§āϰ⧁āϤ āϝ⧇āϤ⧇ āĻšāĻŦ⧇ This is the only boat = āĻāϟāĻŋāχ āĻāĻ•āĻŽāĻžāĻ¤ā§āϰ āύ⧌āĻ•āĻžthat is leaving = āϝāĻž āϛ⧇āĻĄāĻŧ⧇ āϝāĻžāĻšā§āϛ⧇for more than two weeks = āĻĻ⧁āχ āϏāĻĒā§āϤāĻžāĻšā§‡āϰāĻ“ āĻŦ⧇āĻļāĻŋ āϏāĻŽāϝāĻŧ⧇āϰ āϜāĻ¨ā§āϝthe fair = āĻŽā§‡āϞāĻžis expected to be = āĻšāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻžāϰ āφāĻļāĻž āĻ•āϰāĻž āĻšāĻšā§āϛ⧇a good one = āĻ­āĻžāϞ⧋ āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋfor selling horses = āĻ˜ā§‹āĻĄāĻŧāĻž āĻŦāĻŋāĻ•ā§āϰāĻŋāϰ āϜāĻ¨ā§āϝI heard people saying = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āϞ⧋āĻ•āĻĻ⧇āϰ āĻŦāϞāϤ⧇ āĻļ⧁āύ⧇āĻ›āĻŋin the town below = āύāĻŋāĻšā§‡āϰ āĻļāĻšāϰ⧇It would be a harsh remark = āĻāϟāĻŋ āϖ⧁āĻŦ āĻ•āĻ āĻŋāύ āĻ•āĻĨāĻž āĻšāĻŦ⧇they would be making = āϤāĻžāϰāĻž āĻŦāϞāĻŦ⧇if Michael’s body = āϝāĻĻāĻŋ āĻŽāĻžāχāϕ⧇āϞ⧇āϰ āĻŽā§ƒāϤāĻĻ⧇āĻšis washed up = āϤ⧀āϰ⧇ āϭ⧇āϏ⧇ āĻ“āϠ⧇there is no one = āϕ⧇āω āύāĻž āĻĨāĻžāϕ⧇in the house = āĻŦāĻžāĻĄāĻŧāĻŋāϤ⧇to make the coffin = āĻ•āĻĢāĻŋāύ āĻŦāĻžāύāĻžāύ⧋āϰ āϜāĻ¨ā§āϝafter I have paid = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āĻĻāĻžāĻŽ āĻĻ⧇āĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻžāϰ āĻĒāϰāĻ“a heavy price = āĻ…āύ⧇āĻ• āĻĻāĻžāĻŽfor the finest boards = āϏāĻŦāĻšā§‡āϝāĻŧ⧇ āĻ­āĻžāϞ⧋ āϤāĻ•ā§āϤāĻžāϗ⧁āϞ⧋āϰ āϜāĻ¨ā§āϝyou can find = āϤ⧁āĻŽāĻŋ āϖ⧁āρāĻœā§‡ āĻĒ⧇āϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāϰ⧋in Connemara = āĻ•āύ⧇āĻŽāĻžāϰāĻžāϝāĻŧShe looks round at the boards = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āϤāĻ•ā§āϤāĻžāϗ⧁āϞ⧋āϰ āĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇ āϚāĻžāϰāĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇ āϤāĻžāĻ•āĻžāύHow would the body = āĻŽā§ƒāϤāĻĻ⧇āĻš āϕ⧀āĻ­āĻžāĻŦ⧇be washed up = āϤ⧀āϰ⧇ āϭ⧇āϏ⧇ āωāĻ āĻŦ⧇after we have looked for it = āφāĻŽāϰāĻž āĻāϟāĻŋ āĻ–ā§‹āρāϜāĻžāϰ āĻĒāϰāĻ“continually = āĻāĻ•āϟāĻžāύāĻž for nine days = āύāϝāĻŧ āĻĻāĻŋāύ āϧāϰ⧇a strong wind = āĻĒā§āϰāĻŦāϞ āĻŦāĻžāϤāĻžāϏhas been blowing = āĻŦāχāϛ⧇a short while back = āĻ•āĻŋāϛ⧁āĻ•ā§āώāĻŖ āφāϗ⧇from the south and west = āĻĻāĻ•ā§āώāĻŋāĻŖ āĻ“ āĻĒāĻļā§āϚāĻŋāĻŽ āĻĻāĻŋāĻ• āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇If the body has not been found yet = āϝāĻĻāĻŋ āĻŽā§ƒāϤāĻĻ⧇āĻš āĻāĻ–āύāĻ“ āĻĒāĻžāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž āύāĻž āϝāĻžāϝāĻŧit is because = āϤāĻžāϰ āĻ•āĻžāϰāĻŖthe wind is raising the sea = āĻŦāĻžāϤāĻžāϏ āϏāĻŽā§āĻĻā§āϰāϕ⧇ āωāĻ¤ā§āϤāĻžāϞ āĻ•āϰāϛ⧇the moon rose = āϚāĻžāρāĻĻ āωāϠ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞin the night = āϰāĻžāϤ⧇there was a star = āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āϤāĻžāϰāĻž āĻ›āĻŋāϞup against it = āϤāĻžāϰ āĻĒāĻžāĻļ⧇ / āĻŦāĻŋāĻĒāϰ⧀āϤ⧇If you had = āϝāĻĻāĻŋ āϤ⧋āĻŽāĻžāϰ āĻĨāĻžāĻ•āϤa hundred horses = āĻāĻ•āĻļā§‹āϟāĻŋ āĻ˜ā§‹āĻĄāĻŧāĻžor even a thousand horses = āĻ…āĻĨāĻŦāĻž āĻāĻ• āĻšāĻžāϜāĻžāϰāϟāĻŋāĻ“ āĻ˜ā§‹āĻĄāĻŧāĻžtheir price = āϤāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āĻŽā§‚āĻ˛ā§āϝwould be insignificant = āϤ⧁āĻšā§āĻ› āĻšāϤ⧋in comparison with = āϤ⧁āϞāύāĻžāϝāĻŧa son = āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āϛ⧇āϞ⧇when he is the only one = āϝāĻ–āύ āϏ⧇ āĻāĻ•āĻŽāĻžāĻ¤ā§āϰ āϛ⧇āϞ⧇You must go every day = āϤ⧋āĻŽāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻĒā§āϰāϤāĻŋāĻĻāĻŋāύ āϝ⧇āϤ⧇ āĻšāĻŦ⧇see that = āϖ⧇āϝāĻŧāĻžāϞ āϰāĻžāĻ–āϤ⧇ āĻšāĻŦ⧇ āϝ⧇the sheep = āϭ⧇āĻĄāĻŧāĻžāϗ⧁āϞ⧋do not jump in = āĻĸ⧁āϕ⧇ āύāĻž āĻĒāĻĄāĻŧ⧇on the rye crop = āϰāĻžāχāϝāĻŧ⧇āϰ āĻ•ā§āώ⧇āϤ⧇if the cattle dealer comes = āϝāĻĻāĻŋ āĻĒāĻļ⧁ āĻŦā§āϝāĻŦāϏāĻžāϝāĻŧā§€ āφāϏ⧇you can sell = āϤ⧁āĻŽāĻŋ āĻŦāĻŋāĻ•ā§āϰāĻŋ āĻ•āϰāϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāϰ⧋the pig with the black feet = āĻ•āĻžāϞ⧋ āĻĒāĻž-āĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻžāϞāĻž āĻļā§‚āĻ•āϰāϟāĻŋif a good price is offered = āϝāĻĻāĻŋ āĻ­āĻžāϞ⧋ āĻĻāĻžāĻŽ āĻĒāĻžāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž āϝāĻžāϝāĻŧI don’t think = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āĻŽāύ⧇ āĻ•āϰāĻŋ āύāĻža girl like her = āϤāĻžāϰ āĻŽāϤ⧋ āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻŽā§‡āϝāĻŧ⧇would be able to get = āĻĒ⧇āϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāϰāĻŦ⧇a good price = āĻ­āĻžāϞ⧋ āĻĻāĻžāĻŽfor a pig = āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻļā§‚āĻ•āϰ⧇āϰ āϜāĻ¨ā§āϝIf the west wind continues to blow = āϝāĻĻāĻŋ āĻĒāĻļā§āϚāĻŋāĻŽāĻž āĻŦāĻžāϤāĻžāϏ āĻŦāχāϤ⧇āχ āĻĨāĻžāϕ⧇during the remaining bit of moon = āϚāĻžāρāĻĻ⧇āϰ āĻ…āĻŦāĻļāĻŋāĻˇā§āϟ āϏāĻŽāϝāĻŧ⧇you and Nora = āϤ⧁āĻŽāĻŋ āĻ“ āύ⧋āϰāĻžshould collect = āϏāĻ‚āĻ—ā§āϰāĻš āĻ•āϰāĻŦ⧇enough weed = āϝāĻĨ⧇āĻˇā§āϟ āϏāĻžāĻŽā§āĻĻā§āϰāĻŋāĻ• āĻļ⧈āĻŦāĻžāϞto make another cock = āφāϰ⧇āĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻ¸ā§āϤ⧂āĻĒ āĻŦāĻžāύāĻžāύ⧋āϰ āϜāĻ¨ā§āϝfor the kelp = āϕ⧇āĻ˛ā§āĻĒ⧇āϰ āϜāĻ¨ā§āϝIt will go hard with us = āφāĻŽāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āϖ⧁āĻŦ āĻ•āĻˇā§āϟ āĻšāĻŦ⧇from this day = āφāϜ āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇with only one man = āĻŽāĻžāĻ¤ā§āϰ āĻāĻ•āϜāύ āĻĒ⧁āϰ⧁āώ āύāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇in the house = āĻŦāĻžāĻĄāĻŧāĻŋāϤ⧇to work = āĻ•āĻžāϜ āĻ•āϰāĻžāϰ āϜāĻ¨ā§āϝIt will be still harder with us = āφāĻŽāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āĻ…āĻŦāĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻž āφāϰāĻ“ āĻ•āĻ āĻŋāύ āĻšāĻŦ⧇when you are also drowned = āϝāĻ–āύ āϤ⧁āĻŽāĻŋāĻ“ āĻĄā§āĻŦ⧇ āϝāĻžāĻŦ⧇with the rest of them = āĻ…āĻ¨ā§āϝāĻĻ⧇āϰ āĻŽāϤ⧋How will I manage to live = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āϕ⧀āĻ­āĻžāĻŦ⧇ āĻŦāĻžāρāϚāĻŦthen = āϤāĻ–āύhow will the girls live = āĻŽā§‡āϝāĻŧ⧇āϰāĻž āϕ⧀āĻ­āĻžāĻŦ⧇ āĻŦāĻžāρāϚāĻŦ⧇I being an old woman = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āĻāĻ•āϜāύ āĻŦ⧃āĻĻā§āϧāĻž āĻšāϝāĻŧ⧇who is on the brink of the grave = āϝ⧇ āĻ•āĻŦāϰ⧇āϰ āĻĻā§āĻŦāĻžāϰāĻĒā§āϰāĻžāĻ¨ā§āϤ⧇ āϰāϝāĻŧ⧇āϛ⧇Bartley lays down the halter = āĻŦāĻžāĻ°ā§āϟāϞāĻŋ āϞāĻžāĻ—āĻžāĻŽāϟāĻŋ āύāĻŋāĻšā§‡ āϰāĻžāϖ⧇taking off his old coat = āĻĒ⧁āϰ⧋āύ⧋ āϕ⧋āϟ āϖ⧁āϞ⧇puts on a new coat = āύāϤ⧁āύ āϕ⧋āϟ āĻĒāϰ⧇made of the same flannel = āĻāĻ•āχ āĻĢā§āĻ˛ā§āϝāĻžāύ⧇āϞ⧇āϰ āϤ⧈āϰāĻŋIs she coming = āϏ⧇āϟāĻŋ āĻ•āĻŋ āφāϏāϛ⧇on to the pier? = āĻœā§‡āϟāĻŋāϰ āĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇?

Nora [looking out]. She’s passing the green head and letting fall her sails.

Bartley getting his purse and tobacco). I’ll have half an hour to go down, and you’ll see me coming again in two days, or in three days, or maybe in four days if the wind is bad.

Maurya (turning round to the fire and putting the shawl over her head). Isn’t it a hard and cruel man won’t hear a word from an old woman, and she holding him from the sea ?

Cathleen. It’s the life of a young man to be going on the sea, and who would listen to an old woman with one thing and she saying it over ?

Bartley [taking the halter). I must go now quickly. I’ll ride down on the red mare, and the grey pony’ll run behind me…… The blessing of God on you.

[He goes out.

Maurya [crying out as he is in the door]. He’s gone now. God spare us, and we’ll not see him again. He’s gone now, and when the black night is falling I’ll have no son left me in the world.

Cathleen. Why wouldn’t you give him your blessing and he looking round in the door? Isn’t it sorrow enough is on every one in this house without your sending him out with an unlucky word behind him, and a hard word in his ear?

[Maurya takes up the tongs and begins raking the fire aimlessly without looking round.

Nora (turning towards her). You’re taking away the turf from the cake.

Cathleen [crying out]. The Son of God forgive us, Nora, we’re after forgetting his bit of bread.

[She comes over to the fire.

Nora. And it’s destroyed he’ll be going till dark night, and he after eating nothing since the sun went up.

Cathleen (turning the cake out of the oven). It’s destroyed he’ll be, surely. There’s no sense left on any person in a house where an old woman will be talking for ever.

(Maurya sways herself on her stool.

97 Nora (looking out). She is passing the green head and dropping her sails.

Bartley (getting his purse and tobacco). I have half an hour to reach there, and you will find me coming back in two days, or in three days, or, if the wind is unfavourable, it is possible that I return after four days.

Maurya (turning round to the fire and putting the shawl over her head). Is he not a hard and cruel man, because he would not hear a word from an old woman like me, who is only trying to hold him back from the sea ?

Cathleen. Going to the sea is a part of a young man’s life. and who would pay heed to the words of an old woman who has only one thing to say, and keeps on saying it over and over?

Bartley (picking up the halier). I must leave now quickly, I shall ride down (to the sea-shore) on the red mare, and the grey pony will run behind me……I wish the blessing of God on you.

(He goes out.)

Maurya (crying out as he is in the door). He is gone now, may God spare us, and we shall never see him again. He is gone now, and when the black night falls I shall have none of my sons left in the world.

Cathleen. Why would you not give him your blessing, even though he was looking round at the door? Doesn’t every one in this house have sorrow enough befalling him, that you must add to it by sending him out with an unlucky word spoken within his hearing, and speaking an inauspicious word when his back is turned ?

(Maurya takes up the tongs and begins raking the fire aimlessly, without looking round.)

Nora (turning towards her). You are removing the turf from the cake.

Cathleen (crying out). May Christ, the Son of God, forgive us, Nora, for we have forgotten to give him his bit of food.

(She comes over to the fire.)

Nora. And he will be starved to death, travelling all day, and having had nothing to cat since sun-rise.

Cathleen (taking the cake out of the oven). No one can have her wits about her in a house where an old woman keeps on talking for ever.

(Maurya moves her body from side to side on the stool.)

Cathleen [cutting off some of the bread and rolling it in a cloth to Maurya]. Let you go down now to the spring well and give him this and he passing. You’ll see him then and the dark word will be broken, and you can say “God speed you,” the way he’ll be easy in his mind.

Maurya [taking the bread). Will I be in it as soon as himself?

Cathleen. If you go now quickly.

Translation in Bangla:

looking out = āĻŦāĻžāχāϰ⧇ āϤāĻžāĻ•āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇She is passing = āĻāϟāĻŋ āĻ…āϤāĻŋāĻ•ā§āϰāĻŽ āĻ•āϰāϛ⧇the green head = āĻ—ā§āϰāĻŋāύ āĻšā§‡āĻĄ
dropping her sails = āĻĒāĻžāϞ āύāĻžāĻŽāĻžāĻšā§āϛ⧇getting his purse and tobacco = āϤāĻžāϰ āĻŽāĻžāύāĻŋāĻŦā§āϝāĻžāĻ— āĻ“ āϤāĻžāĻŽāĻžāĻ• āύāĻŋāϤ⧇ āύāĻŋāϤ⧇I have half an hour = āφāĻŽāĻžāϰ āφāϧāĻž āϘāĻŖā§āϟāĻž āϏāĻŽāϝāĻŧ āφāϛ⧇to reach there = āϏ⧇āĻ–āĻžāύ⧇ āĻĒ⧌āρāĻ›āĻžāϤ⧇you will find me = āϤ⧋āĻŽāϰāĻž āφāĻŽāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻĻ⧇āĻ–āϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāĻŦ⧇coming back = āĻĢāĻŋāϰ⧇ āφāϏāϤ⧇in two days = āĻĻ⧁āχ āĻĻāĻŋāύ⧇āϰ āĻŽāĻ§ā§āϝ⧇or in three days = āĻ…āĻĨāĻŦāĻž āϤāĻŋāύ āĻĻāĻŋāύ⧇āϰ āĻŽāĻ§ā§āϝ⧇if the wind is unfavourable = āϝāĻĻāĻŋ āĻŦāĻžāϤāĻžāϏ āĻ…āύ⧁āϕ⧂āϞ⧇ āύāĻž āĻĨāĻžāϕ⧇it is possible = āϏāĻŽā§āĻ­āĻŦāϤI return after four days = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āϚāĻžāϰ āĻĻāĻŋāύ āĻĒāϰ⧇ āĻĢāĻŋāϰāĻŦturning round to the fire = āφāϗ⧁āύ⧇āϰ āĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇ āĻĢāĻŋāϰ⧇putting the shawl over her head = āĻŽāĻžāĻĨāĻžāϝāĻŧ āĻļāĻžāϞ āϜāĻĄāĻŧāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇Is he not = āϏ⧇ āĻ•āĻŋ āύāϝāĻŧa hard and cruel man = āĻ•āĻ ā§‹āϰ āĻ“ āύāĻŋāĻˇā§āϠ⧁āϰ āĻŽāĻžāύ⧁āώbecause he would not hear = āĻ•āĻžāϰāĻŖ āϏ⧇ āĻļ⧁āύāϤ⧇ āϚāĻžāϝāĻŧāύāĻŋa word = āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻ•āĻĨāĻžfrom an old woman like me = āφāĻŽāĻžāϰ āĻŽāϤ⧋ āĻāĻ• āĻŦ⧃āĻĻā§āϧāĻžāϰ āĻ•āĻžāĻ› āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇who is only trying = āϝ⧇ āĻļ⧁āϧ⧁ āĻšā§‡āĻˇā§āϟāĻž āĻ•āϰāϛ⧇to hold him back = āϤāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻĢāĻŋāϰāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āϰāĻžāĻ–āϤ⧇from the sea = āϏāĻŽā§āĻĻā§āϰ⧇ āϝāĻžāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇Going to the sea = āϏāĻŽā§āĻĻā§āϰ⧇ āϝāĻžāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻžis a part of = āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻ…āĻ‚āĻļof a young man’s life = āĻāĻ•āϜāύ āϝ⧁āĻŦāϕ⧇āϰ āĻœā§€āĻŦāύ⧇āϰwho would pay heed = āϕ⧇ āϗ⧁āϰ⧁āĻ¤ā§āĻŦ āĻĻ⧇āĻŦ⧇to the words = āĻ•āĻĨāĻžāϗ⧁āϞ⧋āϕ⧇of an old woman = āĻāĻ• āĻŦ⧃āĻĻā§āϧāĻžāϰwho has only one thing to say = āϝāĻžāϰ āĻŦāϞāĻžāϰ āĻāĻ•āϟāĻžāχ āĻ•āĻĨāĻžkeeps on saying it = āĻŦāĻžāϰāĻŦāĻžāϰ āĻŦāϞ⧇ āϝāĻžāϝāĻŧover and over = āĻŦāĻžāϰāĻŦāĻžāϰpicking up the halter = āϞāĻžāĻ—āĻžāĻŽ āϤ⧁āϞ⧇ āύāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇I must leave now quickly = āφāĻŽāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻāĻ–āύāχ āĻĻā§āϰ⧁āϤ āϝ⧇āϤ⧇ āĻšāĻŦ⧇I shall ride down = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āϚāĻĄāĻŧ⧇ āϝāĻžāĻŦon the red mare = āϞāĻžāϞāĻšā§‡ āĻŽāĻžāĻĻāĻŋ āĻ˜ā§‹āĻĄāĻŧāĻžāϝāĻŧthe grey pony = āϧ⧂āϏāϰ āϟāĻžāĻŸā§āϟ⧁ āĻ˜ā§‹āĻĄāĻŧāĻžāϟāĻŋwill run behind me = āφāĻŽāĻžāϰ āĻĒ⧇āĻ›āύ⧇ āĻĻ⧌āĻĄāĻŧāĻžāĻŦ⧇I wish the blessing of God on you = āψāĻļā§āĻŦāϰ⧇āϰ āφāĻļā§€āĻ°ā§āĻŦāĻžāĻĻ āϤ⧋āĻŽāĻžāϰ āωāĻĒāϰ āĻŦāĻ°ā§āώāĻŋāϤ āĻšā§‹āĻ•He goes out = āϏ⧇ āĻŦ⧇āϰāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āϝāĻžāϝāĻŧcrying out = āϚāĻŋā§ŽāĻ•āĻžāϰ āĻ•āϰ⧇He is gone now = āϏ⧇ āĻāĻ–āύ āϚāϞ⧇ āϗ⧇āϛ⧇may God spare us = āψāĻļā§āĻŦāϰ āφāĻŽāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āϰāĻ•ā§āώāĻž āĻ•āϰ⧁āύwe shall never see him again = āφāĻŽāϰāĻž āφāϰ āϤāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻ•āĻ–āύāĻ“ āĻĻ⧇āĻ–āϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāĻŦ āύāĻžwhen the black night falls = āϝāĻ–āύ āĻ…āĻ¨ā§āϧāĻ•āĻžāϰ āϰāĻžāϤ āύ⧇āĻŽā§‡ āφāϏāĻŦ⧇I shall have = āφāĻŽāĻžāϰ āĻĨāĻžāĻ•āĻŦ⧇none of my sons left = āφāĻŽāĻžāϰ āϕ⧋āύ⧋ āϛ⧇āϞ⧇āχ āĻ…āĻŦāĻļāĻŋāĻˇā§āϟ āĻĨāĻžāĻ•āĻŦ⧇ āύāĻžin the world = āĻĒ⧃āĻĨāĻŋāĻŦā§€āϤ⧇Why would you not give him your blessing = āϤ⧁āĻŽāĻŋ āϤāĻžāϕ⧇ āφāĻļā§€āĻ°ā§āĻŦāĻžāĻĻ āĻĻāĻŋāϞ⧇ āύāĻž āϕ⧇āύeven though = āϝāĻĻāĻŋāĻ“he was looking round = āϏ⧇ āĻĢāĻŋāϰ⧇ āϤāĻžāĻ•āĻžāĻšā§āĻ›āĻŋāϞat the door = āĻĻāϰāϜāĻžāϝāĻŧDoesn’t everyone = āϏāĻŦāĻžāχ āĻ•āĻŋ āύāϝāĻŧin this house = āĻāχ āĻŦāĻžāĻĄāĻŧāĻŋāϤ⧇have sorrow enough = āϝāĻĨ⧇āĻˇā§āϟ āĻĻ⧁āσāϖ⧇ āφāϛ⧇
you must add to it = āϤ⧋āĻŽāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻ•āĻŋ āϤāĻžāϤ⧇ āφāϰāĻ“ āϝ⧋āĻ— āĻ•āϰāϤ⧇ āĻšāĻŦ⧇by sending him out = āϤāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻŦāĻŋāĻĻāĻžāϝāĻŧ āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇with an unlucky word = āĻ…āĻļ⧁āĻ­ āĻ•āĻĨāĻž āĻŦāϞ⧇spoken within his hearing = āϤāĻžāϰ āĻļā§‹āύāĻžāϰ āĻŽāĻ§ā§āϝ⧇an inauspicious word = āĻ…āĻŽāĻ™ā§āĻ—āϞāϏ⧂āϚāĻ• āĻ•āĻĨāĻžwhen his back is turned = āϝāĻ–āύ āϏ⧇ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ  āĻĢāĻŋāϰāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āφāϛ⧇takes up the tongs = āϚāĻŋāĻŽāϟāĻž āϤ⧁āϞ⧇ āύ⧇āϝāĻŧbegins raking the fire = āφāϗ⧁āύ āϖ⧁āρāϚāĻžāϤ⧇ āĻļ⧁āϰ⧁ āĻ•āϰ⧇aimlessly = āωāĻĻā§āĻĻ⧇āĻļā§āϝāĻšā§€āύāĻ­āĻžāĻŦ⧇without looking round = āĻĒāĻŋāĻ›āύ⧇ āύāĻž āϤāĻžāĻ•āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇turning towards her = āϤāĻžāϰ āĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇ āĻĢāĻŋāϰ⧇You are removing = āϤ⧁āĻŽāĻŋ āϏāϰāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āĻĻāĻŋāĻšā§āĻ›the turf = āĻĒāĻŋāϟfrom the cake = āϕ⧇āϕ⧇āϰ āĻ•āĻžāĻ› āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇crying out = āϚāĻŋā§ŽāĻ•āĻžāϰ āĻ•āϰ⧇May Christ = āĻ–ā§āϰāĻŋāĻ¸ā§āϟ āϝ⧇āύthe Son of God = āψāĻļā§āĻŦāϰ⧇āϰ āĻĒ⧁āĻ¤ā§āϰforgive us = āφāĻŽāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āĻ•ā§āώāĻŽāĻž āĻ•āϰ⧇āύwe have forgotten = āφāĻŽāϰāĻž āϭ⧁āϞ⧇ āϗ⧇āĻ›āĻŋto give him = āϤāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻĻāĻŋāϤ⧇his bit of food = āϤāĻžāϰ āĻ–āĻžāĻŦāĻžāϰ⧇āϰ āĻ…āĻ‚āĻļShe comes over to the fire = āϏ⧇ āφāϗ⧁āύ⧇āϰ āĻ•āĻžāϛ⧇ āφāϏ⧇he will be starved to death = āϏ⧇ āύāĻž āϖ⧇āϝāĻŧ⧇ āĻ•āĻˇā§āϟ āĻĒāĻžāĻŦ⧇ / āĻ…āύāĻžāĻšāĻžāϰ⧇ āĻĨāĻžāĻ•āĻŦ⧇travelling all day = āϏāĻžāϰāĻžāĻĻāĻŋāύ āĻ­ā§āϰāĻŽāĻŖ āĻ•āϰ⧇having had nothing to eat = āĻ•āĻŋāϛ⧁ āύāĻž āϖ⧇āϝāĻŧ⧇since sunrise = āϏ⧂āĻ°ā§āϝ āĻ“āĻ āĻžāϰ āĻĒāϰ āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇taking the cake out of the oven = āϚ⧁āϞāĻž āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇ āϕ⧇āĻ• āĻŦ⧇āϰ āĻ•āϰ⧇No one can have her wits about her = āĻ•āĻžāϰāĻ“ āĻŽāĻžāĻĨāĻž āĻ āĻŋāĻ• āĻĨāĻžāĻ•āϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāϰ⧇ āύāĻžin a house = āĻāĻŽāύ āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻŦāĻžāĻĄāĻŧāĻŋāϤ⧇where an old woman = āϝ⧇āĻ–āĻžāύ⧇ āĻāĻ•āϜāύ āĻŦ⧃āĻĻā§āϧāĻžkeeps on talking = āĻ•ā§āϰāĻŽāĻžāĻ—āϤ āĻ•āĻĨāĻž āĻŦāϞ⧇for ever = āϏāĻžāϰāĻžāĻ•ā§āώāĻŖmoves her body from side to side = āĻļāϰ⧀āϰ āĻāĻĻāĻŋāĻ•-āĻ“āĻĻāĻŋāĻ• āĻĻā§‹āϞāĻžāύon the stool = āϟ⧁āϞ⧇āϰ āωāĻĒāϰcutting off some of the bread = āĻ•āĻŋāϛ⧁ āϰ⧁āϟāĻŋ āϕ⧇āĻŸā§‡rolling it in a cloth = āĻ•āĻžāĻĒāĻĄāĻŧ⧇ āϜāĻĄāĻŧāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇Let you go down now = āϤ⧁āĻŽāĻŋ āĻāĻ–āύ āύāĻŋāĻšā§‡ āϝāĻžāĻ“to the spring well = āĻāϰāύāĻžāϰ āϕ⧂āĻĒ⧇āϰ āĻ•āĻžāϛ⧇give him this = āĻāϟāĻž āϤāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻĻāĻžāĻ“
he passing = āϝāĻ–āύ āϏ⧇ āϝāĻžāĻŦ⧇You’ll see him then = āϤāĻ–āύ āϤ⧁āĻŽāĻŋ āϤāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻĻ⧇āĻ–āϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāĻŦ⧇the dark word will be broken = āĻ…āĻļ⧁āĻ­ āĻ•āĻĨāĻžāϰ āĻĒā§āϰāĻ­āĻžāĻŦ āϕ⧇āĻŸā§‡ āϝāĻžāĻŦ⧇you can say = āϤ⧁āĻŽāĻŋ āĻŦāϞāϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāϰāĻŦ⧇God speed you = āψāĻļā§āĻŦāϰ āϤ⧋āĻŽāĻžāϰ āĻŽāĻ™ā§āĻ—āϞ āĻ•āϰ⧁āύ / āĻļ⧁āĻ­āϝāĻžāĻ¤ā§āϰāĻžhe’ll be easy in his mind = āϤāĻžāϰ āĻŽāύ āĻļāĻžāĻ¨ā§āϤ āĻšāĻŦ⧇taking the bread = āϰ⧁āϟāĻŋāϟāĻŋ āύāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇Will I be in time = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āĻ•āĻŋ āϏāĻŽāϝāĻŧāĻŽāϤ⧋ āĻĒ⧌āρāĻ›āĻžāĻŦas soon as himself? = āϤāĻžāϰ āφāϗ⧇ / āϤāĻžāϰ āϏāĻŽāĻžāύ āϏāĻŽāϝāĻŧ⧇?If you go now quickly = āϝāĻĻāĻŋ āϤ⧁āĻŽāĻŋ āĻāĻ–āύāχ āĻĻā§āϰ⧁āϤ āϝāĻžāĻ“

Maurya (standing up unsteadily]. It’s hard set I am to walk.

Cathleen (looking at her anxiously). Give her the stick, Nora, or maybe she’ll slip on the big stones.

Nora. What stick ?

Cathleen. The stick Michael brought from Connemara.

Maurya [taking a stick Nora gives her]. In the big world the old people do be leaving things after them for their sons and children, but in this place it is the young men do be leaving things behind for them that do be old.

[See goes out slowly. Nora goes over ladder. to the

Cathleen. Wait, Nora, maybe she’d turn back quickly. She’s that sorry, God help her, you wouldn’t know the thing she’d do.

Nora. Is she gone round by the bush?

Cathleen looking out]. She’s gone now. Throw it down quickly, for the Lord knows when she’ll be out of it again.

Nora [getting the bundle from the loft]. The young priest said he’d be passing to-morrow, and we might go down and speak to him below if it’s Michael’s they are surely.

Cathleen [taking the bundle). Did he say what way they were found ?

Nora [coming down). “There were two men,” says he, “and they rowing round with poteen before the cocks crowed, and the oar of one of them caught the body, and they passing the black cliffs of the north.”

99 in cloth to Maurya). You must go down to the spring well and give him this bread as he passes by. You will see him then and the effect of the inauspicious word will be cancelled, and you can say “May God make you prosper in your work” in such a way that he will feel easy in his mind.

Maurya (taking the bread). Will I be able to reach the spot as quickly as he would ?

Cathleen. Yes, if you leave quickly now.

walk. Maurya (standing up shakily). It is a problem for me to

Cathleen (looking at her with anxiety). Give her the walking-stick, Nora, otherwise she might slip on the big stones.

Nora Which stick ?

Cathleen. The stick Michael brought from Connemara.

Maurya (taking the stick which Nora gives her). In the big world (outside their island) it is the custom for old people to leave things behind for their sons and daughters to use, but in this place it is the young men who leave things behind them for those who are old.

(She goes out slowly. Nora goes over to the ladder.)

Cathleen. Wait, Nora; it is possible that she would turn back quickly. She is in such a wretched condition, God help her, that you don’t know what she might do.

Nora. Has she gone round by the side of the bush ?

Cathleen (looking out). She is gone now. Throw it (the bundle) down quickly, for only God knows when she will be out of the house again.

Nora (getting the bundle from the loft). The young priest said he would be passing (by the village) tomorrow, and that we might go down and tell him below if we are certain that the clothes are Michael’s.

Cathleen (taking the bundle). Did he tell you the manner in which the clothes were found ?

Nora (coming down the ladder). He said: “There were two men, and they were rowing with a load of illicit whiskey before the crowing of the cock, and the oar of one of the men caught the body, as they were passing the black cliffs of the north.”100

Cathleen trying to open the bundle). Give me a knife, Nora; the string’s perished with the salt water, and there’s a black knot on it you wouldn’t loosen in a week.

Translation in Bangla:

standing up shakily = āϟāϞāĻŽāϞ āĻ•āϰ⧇ āĻĻāĻžāρāĻĄāĻŧāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇It is a problem for me = āφāĻŽāĻžāϰ āϜāĻ¨ā§āϝ āĻ•āĻˇā§āϟāĻ•āϰ
to walk = āĻšāĻžāρāϟāĻžlooking at her with anxiety = āωāĻĻā§āĻŦāĻŋāĻ—ā§āύāĻ­āĻžāĻŦ⧇ āϤāĻžāϰ āĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇ āϤāĻžāĻ•āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇Give her = āϤāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻĻāĻžāĻ“
the walking-stick = āϞāĻžāĻ āĻŋāϟāĻŋotherwise = āύāχāϞ⧇she might slip = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ›āϞ⧇ āϝ⧇āϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāϰ⧇āύon the big stones = āĻŦāĻĄāĻŧ āĻĒāĻžāĻĨāϰāϗ⧁āϞ⧋āϰ āĻ“āĻĒāϰWhich stick? = āϕ⧋āύ āϞāĻžāĻ āĻŋ?The stick = āϞāĻžāĻ āĻŋāϟāĻŋMichael brought = āĻŽāĻžāχāϕ⧇āϞ āĻāύ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞfrom Connemara = āĻ•āύ⧇āĻŽāĻžāϰāĻž āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇taking the stick = āϞāĻžāĻ āĻŋāϟāĻŋ āύāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇which Nora gives her = āϝāĻž āύ⧋āϰāĻž āϤāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻĻ⧇āϝāĻŧIn the big world = āĻŦāĻžāχāϰ⧇āϰ āĻŦāĻĄāĻŧ āĻĒ⧃āĻĨāĻŋāĻŦā§€āϤ⧇it is the custom = āϰ⧀āϤāĻŋ āĻšāϞ⧋for old people = āĻŦāϝāĻŧāĻ¸ā§āĻ• āĻŽāĻžāύ⧁āώāĻĻ⧇āϰto leave things behind = āϜāĻŋāύāĻŋāϏāĻĒāĻ¤ā§āϰ āϰ⧇āϖ⧇ āϝāĻžāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻžfor their sons and daughters = āϤāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āϛ⧇āϞ⧇-āĻŽā§‡āϝāĻŧ⧇āĻĻ⧇āϰ āϜāĻ¨ā§āϝto use = āĻŦā§āϝāĻŦāĻšāĻžāϰ⧇āϰ āϜāĻ¨ā§āϝbut in this place = āĻ•āĻŋāĻ¨ā§āϤ⧁ āĻāχ āϜāĻžāϝāĻŧāĻ—āĻžāϝāĻŧit is the young men = āϤāϰ⧁āĻŖāϰāĻžāχwho leave things behind = āϜāĻŋāύāĻŋāϏāĻĒāĻ¤ā§āϰ āϰ⧇āϖ⧇ āϝāĻžāϝāĻŧfor those who are old = āĻŦāϝāĻŧāĻ¸ā§āĻ•āĻĻ⧇āϰ āϜāĻ¨ā§āϝShe goes out slowly = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āϧ⧀āϰ⧇ āϧ⧀āϰ⧇ āĻŦ⧇āϰāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āϝāĻžāύgoes over to the ladder = āĻŽāχāϝāĻŧ⧇āϰ āĻ•āĻžāϛ⧇ āϝāĻžāϝāĻŧWait, Nora = āĻ…āĻĒ⧇āĻ•ā§āώāĻž āĻ•āϰ⧋, āύ⧋āϰāĻžit is possible = āϏāĻŽā§āĻ­āĻŦāϤshe would turn back = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻĢāĻŋāϰ⧇ āφāϏāϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāϰ⧇āύquickly = āϤāĻžāĻĄāĻŧāĻžāϤāĻžāĻĄāĻŧāĻŋShe is in such a wretched condition = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻāϤāχ āĻļā§‹āϚāύ⧀āϝāĻŧ āĻ…āĻŦāĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻžāϝāĻŧ āφāϛ⧇āύGod help her = āψāĻļā§āĻŦāϰ āϤāĻžāϕ⧇ āϏāĻžāĻšāĻžāĻ¯ā§āϝ āĻ•āϰ⧁āύyou don’t know = āϤ⧁āĻŽāĻŋ āϜāĻžāύ⧋ āύāĻžwhat she might do = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āϕ⧀ āĻ•āϰāϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāϰ⧇āύHas she gone round = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻ•āĻŋ āϘ⧁āϰ⧇ āϗ⧇āϛ⧇āύby the side of the bush? = āĻā§‹āĻĒ⧇āϰ āĻĒāĻžāĻļ āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇?looking out = āĻŦāĻžāχāϰ⧇ āϤāĻžāĻ•āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇She is gone now = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻāĻ–āύ āϚāϞ⧇ āϗ⧇āϛ⧇āύThrow it down = āĻāϟāĻŋ āύāĻŋāĻšā§‡ āύāĻžāĻŽāĻžāĻ“quickly = āϤāĻžāĻĄāĻŧāĻžāϤāĻžāĻĄāĻŧāĻŋonly God knows = āĻāĻ•āĻŽāĻžāĻ¤ā§āϰ āψāĻļā§āĻŦāϰāχ āϜāĻžāύ⧇āύwhen she will be out of the house again = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āφāĻŦāĻžāϰ āĻ•āĻ–āύ āĻŦāĻžāĻĄāĻŧāĻŋāϰ āĻŦāĻžāχāϰ⧇ āĻĨāĻžāĻ•āĻŦ⧇āύgetting the bundle = āĻĒ⧁āρāϟāϞāĻŋāϟāĻŋ āύāĻžāĻŽāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇from the loft = āĻŽāĻžāϚāĻž āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇The young priest said = āϤāϰ⧁āĻŖ āϝāĻžāϜāĻ• āĻŦāϞ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞ⧇āύhe would be passing = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻ āĻĒāĻĨ⧇ āϝāĻžāĻŦ⧇āύtomorrow = āφāĻ—āĻžāĻŽā§€āĻ•āĻžāϞwe might go down = āφāĻŽāϰāĻž āύāĻŋāĻšā§‡ āϝ⧇āϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāϰāĻŋtell him = āϤāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻŦāϞāϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāϰāĻŋif we are certain = āϝāĻĻāĻŋ āφāĻŽāϰāĻž āύāĻŋāĻļā§āϚāĻŋāϤ āĻšāχthat the clothes are Michael’s = āĻ•āĻžāĻĒāĻĄāĻŧāϗ⧁āϞ⧋ āĻŽāĻžāχāϕ⧇āϞ⧇āϰtaking the bundle = āĻĒ⧁āρāϟāϞāĻŋāϟāĻŋ āύāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇Did he tell you = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻ•āĻŋ āϤ⧋āĻŽāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻŦāϞ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞ⧇āύthe manner in which = āϕ⧀āĻ­āĻžāĻŦ⧇the clothes were found? = āĻ•āĻžāĻĒāĻĄāĻŧāϗ⧁āϞ⧋ āĻĒāĻžāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž āĻ—āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞ?coming down the ladder = āĻŽāχ āĻŦ⧇āϝāĻŧ⧇ āύāĻŋāĻšā§‡ āύ⧇āĻŽā§‡There were tw men = āϏ⧇āĻ–āĻžāύ⧇ āĻĻ⧁āϜāύ āϞ⧋āĻ• āĻ›āĻŋāϞthey were rowing = āϤāĻžāϰāĻž āύ⧌āĻ•āĻž āĻŦāĻžāχāĻ›āĻŋāϞwith a load of illicit whiskey = āĻ…āĻŦ⧈āϧ āĻŽāĻĻ⧇āϰ āĻŦā§‹āĻāĻž āύāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇before the crowing of the cock = āĻŽā§‹āϰāĻ— āĻĄāĻžāĻ•āĻžāϰ āφāϗ⧇the oar = āĻŦ⧈āĻ āĻžof one of the men = āĻāĻ•āϜāύ āϞ⧋āϕ⧇āϰcaught the body = āĻŽā§ƒāϤāĻĻ⧇āĻšā§‡ āϞ⧇āϗ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞas they were passing = āϝāĻ–āύ āϤāĻžāϰāĻž āĻ…āϤāĻŋāĻ•ā§āϰāĻŽ āĻ•āϰāĻ›āĻŋāϞthe black cliffs = āĻ•āĻžāϞ⧋ āĻ–āĻžāĻĄāĻŧāĻž āĻĒāĻžāĻšāĻžāĻĄāĻŧāϗ⧁āϞ⧋of the north = āωāĻ¤ā§āϤāϰ⧇āϰtrying to open the bundle = āĻĒ⧁āρāϟāϞāĻŋāϟāĻŋ āĻ–ā§‹āϞāĻžāϰ āĻšā§‡āĻˇā§āϟāĻž āĻ•āϰ⧇Give me a knife = āφāĻŽāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āϛ⧁āϰāĻŋ āĻĻāĻžāĻ“the string has perished = āĻĻāĻĄāĻŧāĻŋāϟāĻŋ āύāĻˇā§āϟ āĻšāϝāĻŧ⧇ āϗ⧇āϛ⧇with the salt water = āϞāĻŦāĻŖāĻžāĻ•ā§āϤ āĻĒāĻžāύāĻŋāϤ⧇there is a black knot on it = āĻāϤ⧇ āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻļāĻ•ā§āϤ āĻ•āĻžāϞ⧋ āĻ—āĻŋāρāϟ āφāϛ⧇you wouldn’t loosen = āϤ⧁āĻŽāĻŋ āϖ⧁āϞāϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāϰāĻŦ⧇ āύāĻžin a week = āĻāĻ• āϏāĻĒā§āϤāĻžāĻšā§‡āĻ“

Nora [giving her a knife). I’ve heard tell it was a long way to Donegal.

Cathleen (cutting the string]. It is surely. There was a man in here a while ago the man sold us that knife-and he said if you set off walking from the rocks beyond, it would be in seven days you’d be in Donegal.

Nora. And what time would a man take, and he floating?

[Cathleen opens the bundle and takes out a bit of a shirt and a stocking. They look at them eagerly.

Cathleen (in a low voice). The Lord spare us, Nora! isn’t it a queer hard thing to say if it’s his they are surely?

Nora. I’ll get his shirt off the hook the way we can put the one flannel on the other. [She looks through some clothes hanging in the corner.] It’s not with them, Cathleen, and where will it be ?

Cathleen. I’m thinking Bartley put it on him in the morn-ing, for his own shirt was heavy with the salt in it. [Pointing to the corner.) There’s a bit of a sleeve was of the same stuff. Give me that and it will do. [Nora brings it to her and they compare the flannel.) It’s the same stuff, Nora; but if it is itself aren’t there great rolls of it in the shops of Galway, and isn’t it many another man may have a shirt of it as well as Michael himself?

Nora [who has taken up the stocking and counted the stitches, crying out). It’s Michael, Cathleen, it’s Michael God spare his soul, and what will herself say when she hears this story, and Bartley on the sea?

Cathleen [iaking the stocking]. It’s a plain stocking.

Nora. It’s the second one of the third pair I knitted, and I put up three-score stitches, and I dropped four of them.

Cathleen (trying to open the bundle). Give me a knife, Nora. The string has decayed with the salt water, and there is a black knot on it that one would not be able to loosen in a week.

Nora (giving her a knife). I’ve heard it said that it is a long way to Donegal.

Cathleen (cutting the string). It certainly is. A man came here some time back the same man who sold us that knife-and he said that if one started walking from the rocks beyond (after crossing the sea) it would take one seven days to reach Donegal.

Nora. And what time would it take the floating body of a man to reach there?

of (Cathleen opens bundle and takes out a shirt and stocking. They look at them eagerly.)

Cathleen (in a low voice). May the Lord spare us, Nora ! Is it (what you have said) not a very hard thing to say if the clothes are really Michael’s?

Nora. I shall get his shirt off the hook, so that we may compare them by putting one flannel on the other. (She looks through some clothes hanging in the corner.) It is not with the other clothes, Cathleen, and where else could it be?

Cathleen. I think Bartley must have put it on in the morning. for his own shirt was heavy because of the salt in it. (Pointing to the corner.) There is a bit of a sleeve which was made from the same stuff (material). Give me that sleeve and it will suffice (for our purpose). (Nora brings it to her and they compare the flannel.) It is the same material, Nora; but if it is, there are great rolls of it in the shops in Galway, and wouldn’t many other men besides Michael have shirts of the same material?

Nora (who has taken the stocking and counted the stitches in it, cries out). It’s Michael’s, Cathleen. It’s Michael’s, God spare us his soul! And what will our mother say when she hears this story, and Bartley on the sea ?

Cathleen (taking the stocking). It’s a plain stocking. (So how could you be sure about it’s being Michael’s ?)

Nora. It is the second stocking from the third pair of stockings I knitted, and (I recognise it because) I put up sixty stitches, and I dropped four stitches.

Translation in Bangla:

giving her a knife = āϤāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āϛ⧁āϰāĻŋ āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇I’ve heard it said = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āĻļ⧁āύ⧇āĻ›āĻŋthat it is a long way = āϝ⧇ āĻāϟāĻŋ āĻ…āύ⧇āĻ• āĻĻā§‚āϰ⧇āϰ āĻĒāĻĨto Donegal = āĻĄā§‹āύ⧇āĻ—āĻžāϞ āĻĒāĻ°ā§āϝāĻ¨ā§āϤcutting the string = āĻĻāĻĄāĻŧāĻŋāϟāĻŋ āĻ•āĻžāϟāϤ⧇ āĻ•āĻžāϟāϤ⧇It certainly is = āύāĻŋāĻļā§āϚāϝāĻŧāχ āϤāĻžāχA man came here = āĻāĻ•āϜāύ āϞ⧋āĻ• āĻāĻ–āĻžāύ⧇ āĻāϏ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞsome time back = āĻ•āĻŋāϛ⧁āĻĻāĻŋāύ āφāϗ⧇the same man = āϏ⧇āχ āĻāĻ•āχ āϞ⧋āĻ•who sold us that knife = āϝ⧇ āφāĻŽāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āĻ“āχ āϛ⧁āϰāĻŋāϟāĻŋ āĻŦāĻŋāĻ•ā§āϰāĻŋ āĻ•āϰ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞhe said = āϏ⧇ āĻŦāϞ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞif one started walking = āϝāĻĻāĻŋ āϕ⧇āω āĻšāĻžāρāϟāĻž āĻļ⧁āϰ⧁ āĻ•āϰ⧇from the rocks beyond = āĻ“āĻĒāĻžāϰ⧇āϰ āĻĒāĻžāĻĨāϰāϗ⧁āϞ⧋ āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇it would take = āϏāĻŽāϝāĻŧ āϞāĻžāĻ—āĻŦ⧇seven days = āϏāĻžāϤ āĻĻāĻŋāύto reach Donegal = āĻĄā§‹āύ⧇āĻ—āĻžāϞ⧇ āĻĒ⧌āρāĻ›āĻžāϤ⧇what time = āĻ•āϤ āϏāĻŽāϝāĻŧwould it take = āϞāĻžāĻ—āĻŦ⧇the floating body of a man = āϭ⧇āϏ⧇ āϝāĻžāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž āĻāĻ•āϜāύ āĻŽāĻžāύ⧁āώ⧇āϰ āĻŽā§ƒāϤāĻĻ⧇āĻšā§‡āϰto reach there? = āϏ⧇āĻ–āĻžāύ⧇ āĻĒ⧌āρāĻ›āĻžāϤ⧇?opens the bundle = āĻĒ⧁āρāϟāϞāĻŋāϟāĻŋ āĻ–ā§‹āϞ⧇takes out = āĻŦ⧇āϰ āĻ•āϰ⧇a shirt = āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻļāĻžāĻ°ā§āϟand a stocking = āĻāĻŦāĻ‚ āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻŽā§‹āϜāĻžThey look at them eagerly = āϤāĻžāϰāĻž āφāĻ—ā§āϰāĻšā§‡āϰ āϏāĻ™ā§āϗ⧇ āϏ⧇āϗ⧁āϞ⧋āϰ āĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇ āϤāĻžāĻ•āĻžāϝāĻŧin a low voice = āύāĻŋāϚ⧁ āĻ¸ā§āĻŦāϰ⧇May the Lord spare us = āĻĒā§āϰāϭ⧁ āφāĻŽāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āϰāĻ•ā§āώāĻž āĻ•āϰ⧁āύIs it not = āĻāϟāĻž āĻ•āĻŋ āύāϝāĻŧa very hard thing to say = āĻŦāϞāĻž āϖ⧁āĻŦ āĻ•āĻ āĻŋāύ āĻ•āĻĨāĻžif the clothes are really Michael’s? = āϝāĻĻāĻŋ āĻ•āĻžāĻĒāĻĄāĻŧāϗ⧁āϞ⧋ āϏāĻ¤ā§āϝāĻŋāχ āĻŽāĻžāχāϕ⧇āϞ⧇āϰ āĻšāϝāĻŧ?I shall get = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āύāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āφāϏāĻŦhis shirt = āϤāĻžāϰ āĻļāĻžāĻ°ā§āϟoff the hook = āĻšā§āĻ• āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇so that = āϝāĻžāϤ⧇we may compare them = āφāĻŽāϰāĻž āϤ⧁āϞāύāĻž āĻ•āϰāϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāϰāĻŋby putting one flannel on the other = āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻĢā§āĻ˛ā§āϝāĻžāύ⧇āϞ⧇āϰ āĻ“āĻĒāϰ āφāϰ⧇āĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻĢā§āĻ˛ā§āϝāĻžāύ⧇āϞ āϰ⧇āϖ⧇She looks through = āϏ⧇ āϖ⧁āρāĻœā§‡ āĻĻ⧇āϖ⧇some clothes = āĻ•āĻŋāϛ⧁ āĻ•āĻžāĻĒāĻĄāĻŧhanging in the corner = āϕ⧋āĻŖāĻžāϝāĻŧ āĻā§āϞāϛ⧇It is not = āĻāϟāĻŋ āύ⧇āχwith the other clothes = āĻ…āĻ¨ā§āϝ āĻ•āĻžāĻĒāĻĄāĻŧāϗ⧁āϞ⧋āϰ āϏāĻ™ā§āϗ⧇where else could it be? = āϤāĻžāĻšāϞ⧇ āφāϰ āϕ⧋āĻĨāĻžāϝāĻŧ āĻšāϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāϰ⧇?I think = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āĻŽāύ⧇ āĻ•āϰāĻŋBartley must have put it on = āĻŦāĻžāĻ°ā§āϟāϞāĻŋ āύāĻŋāĻļā§āϚāϝāĻŧāχ āĻāϟāĻŋ āĻĒāϰāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞin the morning = āϏāĻ•āĻžāϞ⧇his own shirt = āϤāĻžāϰ āύāĻŋāĻœā§‡āϰ āĻļāĻžāĻ°ā§āϟwas heavy = āĻ­āĻžāϰ⧀ āĻ›āĻŋāϞbecause of the salt in it = āĻāϤ⧇ āϞāĻŦāĻŖ āϞ⧇āϗ⧇ āĻĨāĻžāĻ•āĻžāϰ āĻ•āĻžāϰāϪ⧇Pointing to the corner = āϕ⧋āĻŖāĻžāϰ āĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇ āχāĻ™ā§āĻ—āĻŋāϤ āĻ•āϰ⧇There is = āϏ⧇āĻ–āĻžāύ⧇ āφāϛ⧇a bit of a sleeve = āĻšāĻžāϤāĻžāϰ āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āϟ⧁āĻ•āϰ⧋which was made = āϝāĻž āϤ⧈āϰāĻŋ āĻšāϝāĻŧ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞfrom the same material = āĻāĻ•āχ āĻ•āĻžāĻĒāĻĄāĻŧ āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇Give me that sleeve = āφāĻŽāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻšāĻžāϤāĻžāϰ āϟ⧁āĻ•āϰ⧋āϟāĻŋ āĻĻāĻžāĻ“it will suffice = āϏ⧇āϟāĻžāχ āϝāĻĨ⧇āĻˇā§āϟ āĻšāĻŦ⧇Nora brings it to her = āύ⧋āϰāĻž āϏ⧇āϟāĻŋ āϤāĻžāϰ āĻ•āĻžāϛ⧇ āύāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āφāϏ⧇they compare the flannel = āϤāĻžāϰāĻž āĻĢā§āĻ˛ā§āϝāĻžāύ⧇āϞ āĻ•āĻžāĻĒāĻĄāĻŧ āĻŽāĻŋāϞāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āĻĻ⧇āϖ⧇It is the same material = āĻāϟāĻŋ āĻāĻ•āχ āĻ•āĻžāĻĒāĻĄāĻŧthere are great rolls of it = āĻāϰ āĻŦāĻĄāĻŧ āĻŦāĻĄāĻŧ āϰ⧋āϞ āφāϛ⧇in the shops = āĻĻā§‹āĻ•āĻžāύāϗ⧁āϞ⧋āϤ⧇in Galway = āĻ—ā§āϝāĻžāϞāĻ“āϝāĻŧ⧇āϤ⧇wouldn’t many other men = āφāϰāĻ“ āĻ…āύ⧇āĻ• āĻŽāĻžāύ⧁āώ⧇āϰ āĻ•āĻŋ āύ⧇āχbesides Michael = āĻŽāĻžāχāϕ⧇āϞ āĻ›āĻžāĻĄāĻŧāĻžāĻ“shirts of the same material? = āĻāĻ•āχ āĻ•āĻžāĻĒāĻĄāĻŧ⧇āϰ āĻļāĻžāĻ°ā§āϟ?who has taken the stocking = āϝ⧇ āĻŽā§‹āϜāĻžāϟāĻŋ āĻšāĻžāϤ⧇ āύāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇āϛ⧇counted the stitches = āϏ⧇āϞāĻžāχ/āĻĢā§‹āρāĻĄāĻŧ āϗ⧁āύ⧇āϛ⧇cries out = āϚāĻŋā§ŽāĻ•āĻžāϰ āĻ•āϰ⧇ āĻ“āϠ⧇It’s Michael’s = āĻāϟāĻž āĻŽāĻžāχāϕ⧇āϞ⧇āϰGod spare his soul = āψāĻļā§āĻŦāϰ āϤāĻžāϰ āφāĻ¤ā§āĻŽāĻžāϰ āĻŽāĻ™ā§āĻ—āϞ āĻ•āϰ⧁āύWhat will our mother say = āφāĻŽāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āĻŽāĻž āϕ⧀ āĻŦāϞāĻŦ⧇āύwhen she hears this story = āϝāĻ–āύ āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻāχ āĻ–āĻŦāϰ āĻļ⧁āύāĻŦ⧇āύBartley on the sea = āφāϰ āĻŦāĻžāĻ°ā§āϟāϞāĻŋ āϏāĻŽā§āĻĻā§āϰ⧇taking the stocking = āĻŽā§‹āϜāĻžāϟāĻŋ āύāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇It’s a plain stocking = āĻāϟāĻŋ āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āϏāĻžāϧāĻžāϰāĻŖ āĻŽā§‹āϜāĻžIt is the second stocking = āĻāϟāĻŋ āĻĻā§āĻŦāĻŋāϤ⧀āϝāĻŧ āĻŽā§‹āϜāĻžāϟāĻŋfrom the third pair = āϤ⧃āϤ⧀āϝāĻŧ āĻœā§‹āĻĄāĻŧāĻžāϰof stockings I knitted = āϝāĻž āφāĻŽāĻŋ āĻŦ⧁āύ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞāĻžāĻŽI put up sixty stitches = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āώāĻžāϟāϟāĻŋ āĻĢā§‹āρāĻĄāĻŧ āϤ⧁āϞ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞāĻžāĻŽI dropped four stitches = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āϚāĻžāϰāϟāĻŋ āĻĢā§‹āρāĻĄāĻŧ āĻŦāĻžāĻĻ āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞāĻžāĻŽ

Cathleen [counts the stitches). It’s that number is in it [crying out]. Ah, Nora, isn’t it a bitter thing to think of him floating that way to the far north, and no one to keen him but the black hags that do be flying on the sea?

Nora (swinging herself half round, and throwing out her arms on the clothes). And isn’t it a pitiful thing when there is nothing left of a man who was a great rower and fisher but a bit of an old shirt and a plain stocking?

Cathleen (after an instant]. Tell me is herself coming, Nora? I hear a little sound on the path.

Nora (looking out]. She is, Cathleen. She’s coming up to the door.

Cathleen. Put these things away before she’ll come in. Maybe it’s easier she’ll be after giving her blessing to Bartley, and we won’t let on we’ve heard anything the time he’s on the sca.

Nora [helping Cathleen to close the bundle]. We’ll put them here in the corner.

[They put them into a hole in the chimney-corner. Cathleen goes back to the spinning-wheel.

Nora. Will she see it was crying 1 was?

Cathleen. Keep your back to the door the way the light’ll not be on you.

[Nora sits down at the chimney-corner, with her back to the door. Maurya comes in very slowly, without looking at the girls, and goes over to her stool at the other side of the fire. The cloth with the bread is still in her hand. The girls look at each other, and Nora points to the bundle of bread.

Cathleen [after spinning for a moment]. You didn’t give him his bit of bread?

[Maurya begins to keen softly, without turning round.

Cathleen. Did you see him riding down?

[Maurya goes on keening.

103 Cathleen (counts the stitches). Yes, that is the number of stitches in it (crying out). Ah, Nora, isn’t it a bitter thought that our brother should be floating all the way to the far north and no one to mourn him except the black ugly birds that fly above the sca ?

Nora (swinging herself half round, and embracing the clothes with her arms). And is it not a pitiful thing that there should be nothing left of a man who was a great rower and fisherman except a piece of an old shirt and a plain stocking?

Cathleen (after a moment). Tell me, Nora, is she (Maurya) coming? I hear a low sound on the path.

Nora (looking out). She is coming, Cathleen. She is coming up to the door.

Cathleen. Put these things (clothes) away before she can come in. Maybe she is casier in mind now after giving her bless-ing to Bartley, and we would not admit that we have heard anything during the time he is on the sea.

Nora (helping Cathleen to tie up the bundle). We’ll hide them here in the corner.

(They put the clothes into a hole in the chimney-corner. Cathleen goes back to the spinning-wheel.)

Nora. Will she be able to see that I have been crying?

Translation in Bangla:

counts the stitches = āĻĢā§‹āρāĻĄāĻŧāϗ⧁āϞ⧋ āĻ—ā§‹āύ⧇that is the number = āĻāϟāĻžāχ āϏ⧇āχ āϏāĻ‚āĻ–ā§āϝāĻžof stitches = āĻĢā§‹āρāĻĄāĻŧ⧇āϰin it = āĻāϤ⧇ āφāϛ⧇crying out = āϚāĻŋā§ŽāĻ•āĻžāϰ āĻ•āϰ⧇ āĻ“āϠ⧇Ah, Nora = āφāĻš, āύ⧋āϰāĻžisn’t it a bitter thought = āĻāϟāĻŋ āĻ•āĻŋ āĻ…āĻ¤ā§āϝāĻ¨ā§āϤ āĻŦ⧇āĻĻāύāĻžāĻĻāĻžāϝāĻŧāĻ• āϚāĻŋāĻ¨ā§āϤāĻž āύāϝāĻŧour brother should be floating = āφāĻŽāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āĻ­āĻžāχ āϭ⧇āϏ⧇ āϝāĻžāĻšā§āϛ⧇all the way = āĻĒ⧁āϰ⧋ āĻĒāĻĨ āϜ⧁āĻĄāĻŧ⧇to the far north = āϏ⧁āĻĻā§‚āϰ āωāĻ¤ā§āϤāϰ⧇no one = āϕ⧇āω āύ⧇āχto mourn him = āϤāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻļā§‹āĻ• āĻ•āϰāĻžāϰ āϜāĻ¨ā§āϝexcept = āĻ›āĻžāĻĄāĻŧāĻžthe black ugly birds = āĻ•āĻžāϞ⧋ āĻ•ā§ā§ŽāϏāĻŋāϤ āĻĒāĻžāĻ–āĻŋāϗ⧁āϞ⧋that fly above the sea = āϝāĻžāϰāĻž āϏāĻŽā§āĻĻā§āϰ⧇āϰ āωāĻĒāϰ āωāĻĄāĻŧ⧇ āĻŦ⧇āĻĄāĻŧāĻžāϝāĻŧswinging herself half round = āφāϧāĻž āϘ⧁āϰ⧇embracing the clothes = āĻ•āĻžāĻĒāĻĄāĻŧāϗ⧁āϞ⧋ āϜāĻĄāĻŧāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āϧāϰ⧇with her arms = āϤāĻžāϰ āĻĻ⧁āχ āĻšāĻžāϤ⧇is it not = āĻāϟāĻž āĻ•āĻŋ āύāϝāĻŧa pitiful thing = āĻ…āĻ¤ā§āϝāĻ¨ā§āϤ āĻ•āϰ⧁āĻŖ āĻŦāĻŋāώāϝāĻŧthere should be nothing left = āĻ•āĻŋāϛ⧁āχ āĻ…āĻŦāĻļāĻŋāĻˇā§āϟ āύ⧇āχof a man = āĻāĻ•āϜāύ āĻŽāĻžāύ⧁āώ⧇āϰwho was = āϝ⧇ āĻ›āĻŋāϞa great rower = āĻāĻ•āϜāύ āĻĻāĻ•ā§āώ āĻĻāĻžāρāĻĄāĻŧ āϟāĻžāύāĻž āύāĻžāĻŦāĻŋāĻ•and fisherman = āĻāĻŦāĻ‚ āĻœā§‡āϞ⧇except = āĻļ⧁āϧ⧁a piece of an old shirt = āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻĒ⧁āϰ⧋āύ⧋ āĻļāĻžāĻ°ā§āĻŸā§‡āϰ āϟ⧁āĻ•āϰ⧋and a plain stocking = āĻāĻŦāĻ‚ āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āϏāĻžāϧāĻžāϰāĻŖ āĻŽā§‹āϜāĻžafter a moment = āĻ•āĻŋāϛ⧁āĻ•ā§āώāĻŖ āĻĒāϰ⧇Tell me = āφāĻŽāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻŦāϞ⧋is she coming? = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻ•āĻŋ āφāϏāϛ⧇āύ?I hear = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āĻļ⧁āύāϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāĻšā§āĻ›āĻŋa low sound = āĻŽā§ƒāĻĻ⧁ āĻļāĻŦā§āĻĻon the path = āĻĒāĻĨ⧇looking out = āĻŦāĻžāχāϰ⧇ āϤāĻžāĻ•āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇She is coming = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āφāϏāϛ⧇āύcoming up to the door = āĻĻāϰāϜāĻžāϰ āĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇ āĻāĻ—āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āϏāϛ⧇āύPut these things away = āĻāχ āϜāĻŋāύāĻŋāϏāϗ⧁āϞ⧋ āϏāϰāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āϰāĻžāĻ–ā§‹before she can come in = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āϭ⧇āϤāϰ⧇ āφāϏāĻžāϰ āϗ⧇Maybe = āĻšāϝāĻŧāϤ⧋she is easier in mind now = āϤāĻžāϰ āĻŽāύ āĻāĻ–āύ āĻ•āĻŋāϛ⧁āϟāĻž āĻļāĻžāĻ¨ā§āϤafter giving her blessing = āφāĻļā§€āĻ°ā§āĻŦāĻžāĻĻ āĻĻ⧇āĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻžāϰ āĻĒāϰ⧇to Bartley = āĻŦāĻžāĻ°ā§āϟāϞāĻŋāϕ⧇we would not admit = āφāĻŽāϰāĻž āĻ¸ā§āĻŦā§€āĻ•āĻžāϰ āĻ•āϰāĻŦ āύāĻžthat we have heard anything = āϝ⧇ āφāĻŽāϰāĻž āĻ•āĻŋāϛ⧁ āĻļ⧁āύ⧇āĻ›āĻŋduring the time = āϝāϤāĻ•ā§āώāĻŖhe is on the sea = āϏ⧇ āϏāĻŽā§āĻĻā§āϰ⧇ āφāϛ⧇helping Cathleen = āĻ•ā§āϝāĻžāĻĨāϞāĻŋāύāϕ⧇ āϏāĻžāĻšāĻžāĻ¯ā§āϝ āĻ•āϰ⧇to tie up the bundle = āĻĒ⧁āρāϟāϞāĻŋāϟāĻŋ āĻŦ⧇āρāϧ⧇ āĻĻāĻŋāϤ⧇We’ll hide them = āφāĻŽāϰāĻž āĻāϗ⧁āϞ⧋ āϞ⧁āĻ•āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āϰāĻžāĻ–āĻŦhere in the corner = āĻāĻ–āĻžāύ⧇ āϕ⧋āĻŖāĻžāϝāĻŧThey put the clothes = āϤāĻžāϰāĻž āĻ•āĻžāĻĒāĻĄāĻŧāϗ⧁āϞ⧋ āϰāĻžāϖ⧇into a hole = āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻ—āĻ°ā§āϤ⧇in the chimney-corner = āϚāĻŋāĻŽāύāĻŋāϰ āϕ⧋āĻŖāĻžāϝāĻŧgoes back = āĻĢāĻŋāϰ⧇ āϝāĻžāϝāĻŧto the spinning-wheel = āϏ⧁āϤāĻž āĻ•āĻžāϟāĻžāϰ āϚāĻžāĻ•āĻžāϝāĻŧWill she be able to see = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻ•āĻŋ āĻŦ⧁āĻāϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāϰāĻŦ⧇āύthat I have been crying? = āϝ⧇ āφāĻŽāĻŋ āϕ⧇āρāĻĻ⧇āĻ›āĻŋ?Keep your back to the door = āĻĻāϰāϜāĻžāϰ āĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ  āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āĻŦāϏ⧇ āĻĨāĻžāϕ⧋so that = āϝāĻžāϤ⧇the light will not fall on you = āφāϞ⧋ āϤ⧋āĻŽāĻžāϰ āĻ“āĻĒāϰ āύāĻž āĻĒāĻĄāĻŧ⧇sits down = āĻŦāϏ⧇ āĻĒāĻĄāĻŧ⧇at the chimney-corner = āϚāĻŋāĻŽāύāĻŋāϰ āϕ⧋āĻŖāĻžāϝāĻŧwith her back to the door = āĻĻāϰāϜāĻžāϰ āĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ  āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇comes in very slowly = āϖ⧁āĻŦ āϧ⧀āϰ⧇ āϭ⧇āϤāϰ⧇ āφāϏ⧇āύwithout looking at the girls = āĻŽā§‡āϝāĻŧ⧇āĻĻ⧇āϰ āĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇ āύāĻž āϤāĻžāĻ•āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇goes over to her stool = āύāĻŋāĻœā§‡āϰ āϟ⧁āϞ⧇āϰ āĻ•āĻžāϛ⧇ āϝāĻžāύat the other side of the fire = āφāϗ⧁āύ⧇āϰ āĻ…āĻĒāϰ āĻĒāĻžāĻļ⧇The cloth with the bread = āϰ⧁āϟāĻŋ-āϜāĻĄāĻŧāĻžāύ⧋ āĻ•āĻžāĻĒāĻĄāĻŧāϟāĻŋis still in her hand = āĻāĻ–āύāĻ“ āϤāĻžāϰ āĻšāĻžāϤ⧇ āφāϛ⧇The girls look at each other = āĻŽā§‡āϝāĻŧ⧇āϰāĻž āĻāϕ⧇ āĻ…āĻĒāϰ⧇āϰ āĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇ āϤāĻžāĻ•āĻžāϝāĻŧNora points to = āύ⧋āϰāĻž āχāĻļāĻžāϰāĻž āĻ•āϰ⧇the bundle of bread = āϰ⧁āϟāĻŋāϰ āĻĒ⧁āρāϟāϞāĻŋāϰ āĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇after spinning for a moment = āĻ•āĻŋāϛ⧁āĻ•ā§āώāĻŖ āϏ⧁āϤāĻž āĻ•āĻžāϟāĻžāϰ āĻĒāϰYou didn’t give him = āϤ⧁āĻŽāĻŋ āϤāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻĻāĻžāĻ“āύāĻŋhis bit of bread? = āϤāĻžāϰ āϰ⧁āϟāĻŋāϰ āĻ…āĻ‚āĻļ?begins to keen softly = āφāĻ¸ā§āϤ⧇ āφāĻ¸ā§āϤ⧇ āĻŦāĻŋāϞāĻžāĻĒ āĻļ⧁āϰ⧁ āĻ•āϰ⧇āύwithout turning round = āĻĒ⧇āĻ›āύ⧇ āύāĻž āĻĢāĻŋāϰ⧇Did you see him = āϤ⧁āĻŽāĻŋ āĻ•āĻŋ āϤāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻĻ⧇āϖ⧇āĻ›riding down? = āĻ˜ā§‹āĻĄāĻŧāĻžāϝāĻŧ āϚāĻĄāĻŧ⧇ āύāĻŋāĻšā§‡ āϝ⧇āϤ⧇?goes on keening = āĻŦāĻŋāϞāĻžāĻĒ āĻ•āϰāϤ⧇ āĻĨāĻžāϕ⧇āύ

Main text:

Cathleen. Keep your back towards the door in such a way that the light will not fall on you.

(Nora sits down at the chimney-corner, with her back to the door. Maurya comes in very slowly, without looking at the girls, and goes over to her stool at the other side of the fire. The cloth with the bread is still in her hand. The girls look at each other, and Nora points to the bundle of bread.)

Cathleen (after spinning for a moment). Did you not give Bartley his bit of bread?

(Maurya begins to chant words of lamentation softly, without turning round)

Cathleen. Did you see him riding down (to the sea)?

(Maurya goes on chanting.)

Cathleen la little impatiently). God forgive you; isn’t it a better thing to raise your voice and tell what you seen, than to be making lamentation for a thing that’s done? Did you see Bartley, I’m saying to you?

day. Maurya (with a weak voice). My heart’s broken from this

Cathleen (as before). Did you see Bartley?

Maurya. I seen the fearfullest thing.

Cathleen [leaves her wheel and looks out]. God forgive you; he’s riding the mare now over the green head, and the grey pony behind him.

Maurya [starts, so that her shawl falls back from her head and shows her white tossed hair. With a frightened voice). The grey pony behind him……

Cathleen [coming to the fire). What is it ails you at all?

Maurya [speaking very slowly]. I’ve seen the fearfullest thing any person has seen since the day Bride Dara seen the dead man with the child in his arms.

Cathleen and Nora. Uah.

[They crouch down in front of the old woman at the fire.

Nora. Tell us what it is you seen.

Maurya. I went down to the spring well, and I stood there saying a prayer to myself. Then Bartley came along, and he riding on the red mare with the grey pony behind him [she puts up her hands as if to hide something from her eyes). The Son of God spare us, Nora I

Cathleen. What is it you seen ?

Maurya. I seen Michael himself.

Cathleen (speaking softly). You did not, Mother. It wasn’t Michael you seen, for his body is after being found in the far north, and he’s got a clean burial, by the grace of God.

Cathleen (a little impatiently). May God forgive you! Would it not be a better thing to raise your voice and tell us what you have seen, than going on making lamentations for what has been done? I am asking you, did you see Bartley?

Maurya (in a weak voice). I am heart-broken from this day.

Cathleen (as before). Did you see Bartley ?

Maurya. I have seen the most fearful thing.

Cathleen (leaving her wheel and looking out). May God forgive you! He (Bartley) is riding the mare now over the green head, and the grey pony behind him.

Maurya (she is startled, so that her shawl falls back from her head and shows her white, dishevelled hair. She speaks with a frightened voice). The grey pony behind him……?

Cathleen (coming to the fire). What is it that ails you?

Maurya (speaking very slowly). I have seen the most fearful thing any person has witnessed since the day Bride Dara saw the dead man with the child in his arms.

Cathleen and Nora. Oh I

(They sit down huddled in front of the old woman at the fire.)

Nora. Tell us what you saw.

Translation in Bangla:

Keep your back towards the door = āĻĻāϰāϜāĻžāϰ āĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ  āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āĻŦāϏ⧇ āĻĨāĻžāϕ⧋in such a way that = āĻāĻŽāύāĻ­āĻžāĻŦ⧇ āϝāĻžāϤ⧇the light will not fall on you = āφāϞ⧋ āϤ⧋āĻŽāĻžāϰ āĻ“āĻĒāϰ āύāĻž āĻĒāĻĄāĻŧ⧇sits down = āĻŦāϏ⧇ āĻĒāĻĄāĻŧ⧇
at the chimney-corner = āϚāĻŋāĻŽāύāĻŋāϰ āϕ⧋āĻŖāĻžāϝāĻŧwith her back to the door = āĻĻāϰāϜāĻžāϰ āĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ  āϝāĻŧ⧇comes in very slowly = āϖ⧁āĻŦ āϧ⧀āϰ⧇ āϭ⧇āϤāϰ⧇ āφāϏ⧇āύwithout looking at the girls = āĻŽā§‡āϝāĻŧ⧇āĻĻ⧇āϰ āĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇ āύāĻž āϤāĻžāĻ•āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇goes over to her stool = āύāĻŋāĻœā§‡āϰ āϟ⧁āϞ⧇āϰ āĻ•āĻžāϛ⧇ āϝāĻžāύat the other side of the fire = āφāϗ⧁āύ⧇āϰ āĻ…āĻĒāϰ āĻĒāĻžāĻļ⧇The cloth with the bread = āϰ⧁āϟāĻŋāϏāĻš āĻ•āĻžāĻĒāĻĄāĻŧāϟāĻŋis still in her hand = āĻāĻ–āύāĻ“ āϤāĻžāϰ āĻšāĻžāϤ⧇ āφāϛ⧇The girls look at each other = āĻŽā§‡āϝāĻŧ⧇āϰāĻž āĻāϕ⧇ āĻ…āĻĒāϰ⧇āϰ āĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇ āϤāĻžāĻ•āĻžāϝāĻŧpoints to = āχāĻļāĻžāϰāĻž āĻ•āϰ⧇the bundle of bread = āϰ⧁āϟāĻŋāϰ āĻĒ⧁āρāϟāϞāĻŋāϰ āĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇

after spinning for a moment = āĻ•āĻŋāϛ⧁āĻ•ā§āώāĻŖ āϏ⧁āϤāĻž āĻ•āĻžāϟāĻžāϰ āĻĒāϰDid you not give = āϤ⧁āĻŽāĻŋ āĻ•āĻŋ āĻĻāĻžāĻ“āύāĻŋBartley = āĻŦāĻžāĻ°ā§āϟāϞāĻŋāϕ⧇his bit of bread? = āϤāĻžāϰ āϰ⧁āϟāĻŋāϰ āĻ…āĻ‚āĻļ?begins to chant = āĻŦāĻŋāϞāĻžāĻĒ āĻ•āϰāϤ⧇ āĻļ⧁āϰ⧁ āĻ•āϰ⧇āύwords of lamentation = āĻļā§‹āϕ⧇āϰ āĻ•āĻĨāĻžsoftly = āφāĻ¸ā§āϤ⧇without turning round = āĻĒāĻŋāĻ›āύ⧇ āύāĻž āĻĢāĻŋāϰ⧇Did you see him = āϤ⧁āĻŽāĻŋ āĻ•āĻŋ āϤāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻĻ⧇āϖ⧇āĻ›riding down = āĻ˜ā§‹āĻĄāĻŧāĻžāϝāĻŧ āϚāĻĄāĻŧ⧇ āύāĻŋāĻšā§‡ āϝ⧇āϤ⧇to the sea = āϏāĻŽā§āĻĻā§āϰ⧇āϰ āĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇goes on chanting = āĻŦāĻŋāϞāĻžāĻĒ āĻ•āϰāϤ⧇ āĻĨāĻžāϕ⧇āύa little impatiently = āĻāĻ•āϟ⧁ āĻ…āϧ⧈āĻ°ā§āϝ āĻšāϝāĻŧ⧇May God forgive you = āψāĻļā§āĻŦāϰ āϤ⧋āĻŽāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻ•ā§āώāĻŽāĻž āĻ•āϰ⧁āύWould it not be = āĻāϟāĻž āĻ•āĻŋ āĻ­āĻžāϞ⧋ āĻšāϤ⧋ āύāĻža better thing = āφāϰāĻ“ āĻ­āĻžāϞ⧋ āĻ•āĻžāϜto raise your voice = āĻœā§‹āϰ⧇ āĻ•āĻĨāĻž āĻŦāϞāĻžtell us = āφāĻŽāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āĻŦāϞāĻžwhat you have seen = āϤ⧁āĻŽāĻŋ āϕ⧀ āĻĻ⧇āϖ⧇āĻ›than going on making lamentations = āĻŦāĻŋāϞāĻžāĻĒ āĻ•āϰ⧇ āϝāĻžāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻžāϰ āĻšā§‡āϝāĻŧ⧇for what has been done = āϝāĻž āϘāĻŸā§‡ āϗ⧇āϛ⧇ āϤāĻžāϰ āϜāĻ¨ā§āϝI am asking you = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āϤ⧋āĻŽāĻžāϕ⧇ āϜāĻŋāĻœā§āĻžāĻžāϏāĻž āĻ•āϰāĻ›āĻŋdid you see Bartley? = āϤ⧁āĻŽāĻŋ āĻ•āĻŋ āĻŦāĻžāĻ°ā§āϟāϞāĻŋāϕ⧇ āĻĻ⧇āϖ⧇āĻ›?in a weak voice = āĻĻ⧁āĻ°ā§āĻŦāϞ āĻ•āĻŖā§āϠ⧇I am heart-broken = āφāĻŽāĻžāϰ āĻšā§ƒāĻĻāϝāĻŧ āϭ⧇āϙ⧇ āϗ⧇āϛ⧇from this day = āφāϜ āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇Did you see Bartley? = āϤ⧁āĻŽāĻŋ āĻ•āĻŋ āĻŦāĻžāĻ°ā§āϟāϞāĻŋāϕ⧇ āĻĻ⧇āϖ⧇āĻ›?I have seen = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āĻĻ⧇āϖ⧇āĻ›āĻŋthe most fearful thing = āϏāĻŦāĻšā§‡āϝāĻŧ⧇ āĻ­āϝāĻŧāĻ™ā§āĻ•āϰ āϜāĻŋāύāĻŋāϏleaving her wheel = āϏ⧁āϤāĻž āĻ•āĻžāϟāĻžāϰ āϚāĻžāĻ•āĻž āϛ⧇āĻĄāĻŧ⧇looking out = āĻŦāĻžāχāϰ⧇ āϤāĻžāĻ•āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇He is riding = āϏ⧇ āĻ˜ā§‹āĻĄāĻŧāĻžāϝāĻŧ āϚāĻĄāĻŧāϛ⧇the mare = āĻŽāĻžāĻĻāĻŋ āĻ˜ā§‹āĻĄāĻŧāĻžāϟāĻŋover the green head = āĻ—ā§āϰāĻŋāύ āĻšā§‡āĻĄā§‡āϰ āĻ“āĻĒāϰ āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇the grey pony = āϧ⧂āϏāϰ āϟāĻžāĻŸā§āϟ⧁ āĻ˜ā§‹āĻĄāĻŧāĻžāϟāĻŋbehind him = āϤāĻžāϰ āĻĒ⧇āĻ›āύ⧇she is startled = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āϚāĻŽāϕ⧇ āĻ“āϠ⧇āύher shawl falls back = āϤāĻžāϰ āĻļāĻžāϞ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ›āϞ⧇ āϝāĻžāϝāĻŧfrom her head = āĻŽāĻžāĻĨāĻž āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇shows = āĻĒā§āϰāĻ•āĻžāĻļ āĻ•āϰ⧇her white, dishevelled hair = āϤāĻžāϰ āϏāĻžāĻĻāĻž āĻāϞ⧋āĻŽā§‡āϞ⧋ āϚ⧁āϞwith a frightened voice = āĻ­ā§€āϤ āĻ•āĻŖā§āϠ⧇The grey pony behind him = āϧ⧂āϏāϰ āϟāĻžāĻŸā§āϟ⧁ āĻ˜ā§‹āĻĄāĻŧāĻžāϟāĻŋ āϤāĻžāϰ āĻĒ⧇āĻ›āύ⧇…coming to the fire = āφāϗ⧁āύ⧇āϰ āĻ•āĻžāϛ⧇ āĻāϏ⧇What is it = āϕ⧀ āĻšāϝāĻŧ⧇āϛ⧇that ails you? = āϤ⧋āĻŽāĻžāϰ āϕ⧀ āĻ•āĻˇā§āϟ āĻšāĻšā§āϛ⧇?speaking very slowly = āϖ⧁āĻŦ āϧ⧀āϰ⧇ āϧ⧀āϰ⧇ āĻŦāϞāϛ⧇āύI have seen = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āĻĻ⧇āϖ⧇āĻ›āĻŋthe most fearful thing = āϏāĻŦāĻšā§‡āϝāĻŧ⧇ āĻ­āϝāĻŧāĻ™ā§āĻ•āϰ āϘāϟāύāĻžany person has witnessed = āϕ⧋āύ⧋ āĻŽāĻžāύ⧁āώ āĻ•āĻ–āύāĻ“ āĻĻ⧇āϖ⧇āϛ⧇since the day = āϏ⧇āχ āĻĻāĻŋāύ āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇Bride Dara saw = āĻŦā§āϰāĻžāχāĻĄ āĻĻāĻžāϰāĻž āĻĻ⧇āϖ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞ⧇āύthe dead man = āĻŽā§ƒāϤ āĻŽāĻžāύ⧁āώāϟāĻŋāϕ⧇with the child in his arms = āϝāĻžāϰ āϕ⧋āϞ⧇ āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻļāĻŋāĻļ⧁ āĻ›āĻŋāϞOh! = āφāĻš!sit down huddled = āϗ⧁āϟāĻŋāϏ⧁āϟāĻŋ āĻŽā§‡āϰ⧇ āĻŦāϏ⧇ āĻĒāĻĄāĻŧ⧇in front of = āϏāĻžāĻŽāύ⧇the old woman = āĻŦ⧃āĻĻā§āϧāĻž āĻŽāĻšāĻŋāϞāĻžāϰat the fire = āφāϗ⧁āύ⧇āϰ āĻĒāĻžāĻļ⧇Tell us = āφāĻŽāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āĻŦāϞ⧋what you saw = āϤ⧁āĻŽāĻŋ āϕ⧀ āĻĻ⧇āϖ⧇āĻ›I went down = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āύāĻŋāĻšā§‡ āĻ—āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞāĻžāĻŽto the spring well = āĻāϰāύāĻžāϰ āϕ⧂āĻĒ⧇āϰ āĻ•āĻžāϛ⧇I stood there = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āϏ⧇āĻ–āĻžāύ⧇ āĻĻāĻžāρāĻĄāĻŧāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞāĻžāĻŽsaying a prayer = āĻĒā§āϰāĻžāĻ°ā§āĻĨāύāĻž āĻ•āϰāĻ›āĻŋāϞāĻžāĻŽto myself = āĻŽāύ⧇ āĻŽāύ⧇Then Bartley came along = āϤāĻžāϰāĻĒāϰ āĻŦāĻžāĻ°ā§āϟāϞāĻŋ āĻāϞ⧋riding on the red mare = āϞāĻžāϞ āĻŽāĻžāĻĻāĻŋ āĻ˜ā§‹āĻĄāĻŧāĻžāϝāĻŧ āϚāĻĄāĻŧ⧇with the grey pony behind him = āφāϰ āϧ⧂āϏāϰ āϟāĻžāĻŸā§āϟ⧁ āĻ˜ā§‹āĻĄāĻŧāĻžāϟāĻŋ āϤāĻžāϰ āĻĒ⧇āĻ›āύ⧇She puts up her hands = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻĻ⧁āχ āĻšāĻžāϤ āϤ⧁āϞ⧇ āϧāϰ⧇āύas if = āϝ⧇āύto hide something = āĻ•āĻŋāϛ⧁ āϞ⧁āĻ•āĻžāϤ⧇from her eyes = āϤāĻžāϰ āĻšā§‹āϖ⧇āϰ āϏāĻžāĻŽāύ⧇ āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇The Son of God spare us = āψāĻļā§āĻŦāϰ⧇āϰ āĻĒ⧁āĻ¤ā§āϰ āφāĻŽāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āϰāĻ•ā§āώāĻž āĻ•āϰ⧁āύWhat is it you saw? = āϤ⧁āĻŽāĻŋ āϕ⧀ āĻĻ⧇āϖ⧇āĻ›?I saw Michael himself = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āĻŽāĻžāχāϕ⧇āϞāϕ⧇āχ āĻĻ⧇āϖ⧇āĻ›āĻŋspeaking softly = āφāĻ¸ā§āϤ⧇ āĻ•āϰ⧇ āĻŦāϞāϛ⧇You did not = āϤ⧁āĻŽāĻŋ āĻĻ⧇āĻ–ā§‹āύāĻŋMother = āĻŽāĻžIt wasn’t Michael = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻŽāĻžāχāϕ⧇āϞ āĻ›āĻŋāϞ⧇āύ āύāĻžfor his body = āĻ•āĻžāϰāĻŖ āϤāĻžāϰ āĻŽā§ƒāϤāĻĻ⧇āĻšhas been found = āĻĒāĻžāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž āϗ⧇āϛ⧇in the far north = āϏ⧁āĻĻā§‚āϰ āωāĻ¤ā§āϤāϰ⧇he has got a clean burial = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āϝāĻĨāĻžāϝāĻĨāĻ­āĻžāĻŦ⧇ āĻĻāĻžāĻĢāύ āĻšāϝāĻŧ⧇āϛ⧇āύby the grace of God = āψāĻļā§āĻŦāϰ⧇āϰ āĻ•ā§ƒāĻĒāĻžāϝāĻŧ

Maurya. I went down to the spring well, and stood there saying a prayer to myself. Then Bartley came along, and he was riding on the red mare with the grey pony behind him (she puts her hands before her eyes as if to hide something). May Christ save us, Nora I

Cathleen. What is it that you have seen?

Maurya. I saw Michael himself.

Cathleen (speaking softly). You could not have seen Michael, mother. It was not Michael you have seen, for his body has been found in the far north, and he has received a decent burial, by God’s grace.

Maurya la little defiantly). I’m after seeing him this day, and he riding and galloping. Bartley came first on the red mare, and I tried to say “God speed you,” but something choked the words in my throat. He went by quickly and “The blessing of God on you,” says he, and I could say nothing. I looked up then, and I crying, at the grey pony and there was Michael upon it-with fine clothes on him, and new shoes on his feet.

Cathleen (begins to keen). It’s destroyed we are from this day. It’s destroyed, surely.

Nora. Didn’t the young priest say the Almighty God won’t leave her destitute with no son living?

Maurya (in a low voice, but clearly). It’s little the like of him knows of the sea…… Bartley will be lost now, and let you call in Eamon and make me a good coffin out of the white boards, for I won’t live after them. I’ve had a husband, and a husband’s father, and six sons in this house-six fine men, though it was a hard birth I had with every one of them and they coming to the world and some of them were found and some of thein were not found, but they’re gone now the lot of them…… There were Stephen and Shawn were lost in the great wind, and found after in the Bay of Gregory of the Golden Mouth, and carried up the two of them on one plank, and in by that door.

[She pauses for a moment, the girls start as if they heard something through the door that is half open behind them.

Nora (in a whisper). Did you hear that, Cathleen ? Did you hear a noise in the north-east ?

Cathleen (in a whisper). There’s some one after crying out by the seashore.

Maurya [continues without hearing anything). There was Sheamus and his father, and his own father again, were lost in a dark night, and not a stick or sign was seen of them when the sun went up. There was Patch after was drowned out of a curragh that was turned over. I was sitting here with Bartley, and he a baby lying on my two knees, and I seen two women, and threc women, and four women coming in, and they crossing themselves and not saying a word. I looked out then, and there were men

Maurya (speaking a little challengingly). I have really seen him this day, and he was riding very fust. First it was Bartley luho came on the red mare, and I tried to say, “God bless you,” but something choked the words in my throat. He passed me quickly, and he said, “The blessing of God on you,” and I could say nothing in return. I looked up then, (and 1 was crying) at the grey pony, and there was Michael sitting on it-wearing fine clothes, and with new shoes on his feet.

Cathleen (begins to chant in lamentation). We are ruined from this day. We are surely ruined !

Nora. Did not the young priest say that the Almighty God would not leave her bereft of all her sons?

Maurya (in a low but clear voice). It is little that people like him know about the sea…… Bartley will be lost now, and you should call in Eamon and ask him to make me a good coffin out of the white boards, for I won’t remain alive after all my sons are dead. I have lost a husband, and his father, and six sons of this house-six fine men, though it was after a very painful labour that each one of them came into the world-and the bodies of some of them were recovered, while those of the others’ were never found, but all of them are gone now, the whole lot of them.

There were Stephen and Shawn who were lost in a heavy storm, and later found in the Bay of Gregory of the Golden Mouth, and both of them were carried up on the same plank, and brought in by that door.

(She pauses for a moment, the girls are startled, as if they heard something through the door behind them, which is half open.)

Nora (in a whisper). Did you hear that, Cathleen? Did you hear a noise coming from the north-eastern direction?

Cathleen (in a whisper). Some one seems to be crying out by the sea-shore.

Maurya (continues, without hearing anything). There were Sheamus and his father, and the father’s father, who perished in a dark night, and when the sun rose not a stick or sign of them could be seen. After them there was Patch who was drowned when he fell out of a boat that overturned. I was sitting here with Bartley-he was just a baby then, lying on my knees-and I saw two women, and then three women, and then four women coming in, and they were crying softly and not saying a word. I looked 

coming after them, and they holding a thing in the half of a red sail, and water dripping out of it-it was a dry day, Nora-and leaving a track to the door.

[She pauses again with her hand stretched out towards the door. It opens softly and old women begin to come in, crossing themselves on the thres-hold, and kneeling down in front of the stage with red petticoats over their heads.

Translation in Bangla:

I went down = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āύāĻŋāĻšā§‡ āĻ—āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞāĻžāĻŽto the spring well = āĻāϰāύāĻžāϰ āϕ⧂āĻĒ⧇stood there = āϏ⧇āĻ–āĻžāύ⧇ āĻĄāĻŧāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞāĻžāĻŽsaying a prayer = āĻĒā§āϰāĻžāĻ°ā§āĻĨāύāĻž āĻ•āϰāĻ›āĻŋāϞāĻžāĻŽto myself = āĻŽāύ⧇ āĻŽāύ⧇Then Bartley came along = āϤāĻžāϰāĻĒāϰ āĻŦāĻžāĻ°ā§āϟāϞāĻŋ āĻāϞ⧋he was riding = āϏ⧇ āϚāĻĄāĻŧ⧇ āφāϏāĻ›āĻŋāϞon the red mare = āϞāĻžāϞ āĻŽāĻžāĻĻāĻŋ āĻ˜ā§‹āĻĄāĻŧāĻžāϝāĻŧwith the grey pony behind him = āφāϰ āϧ⧂āϏāϰ āϟāĻžāĻŸā§āϟ⧁ āĻ˜ā§‹āĻĄāĻŧāĻžāϟāĻŋ āϤāĻžāϰ āĻĒ⧇āĻ›āύ⧇she puts her hands before her eyes = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻšā§‹āϖ⧇āϰ āϏāĻžāĻŽāύ⧇ āĻĻ⧁āχ āĻšāĻžāϤ āϤ⧋āϞ⧇āύas if to hide something = āϝ⧇āύ āĻ•āĻŋāϛ⧁ āφāĻĄāĻŧāĻžāϞ āĻ•āϰāϤ⧇ āϚāĻžāύMay Christ save us = āĻ–ā§āϰāĻŋāĻ¸ā§āϟ āφāĻŽāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āϰāĻ•ā§āώāĻž āĻ•āϰ⧁āύWhat is it = āϕ⧀that you have seen? = āϤ⧁āĻŽāĻŋ āĻĻ⧇āϖ⧇āĻ›?I saw Michael himself = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āĻŽāĻžāχāϕ⧇āϞāϕ⧇āχ āĻĻ⧇āϖ⧇āĻ›āĻŋspeaking softly = āφāĻ¸ā§āϤ⧇ āĻ•āϰ⧇ āĻŦāϞāϛ⧇You could not have seen = āϤ⧁āĻŽāĻŋ āĻĻ⧇āĻ–āϤ⧇ āϰ⧋āύāĻŋMichael = āĻŽāĻžāχāϕ⧇āϞāϕ⧇It was not Michael = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻŽāĻžāχāϕ⧇āϞ āĻ›āĻŋāϞ⧇āύ āύāĻžhis body has been found = āϤāĻžāϰ āĻŽā§ƒāϤāĻĻ⧇āĻš āĻĒāĻžāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž āϗ⧇āϛ⧇in the far north = āϏ⧁āĻĻā§‚āϰ āωāĻ¤ā§āϤāϰ⧇he has received = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻĒ⧇āϝāĻŧ⧇āϛ⧇āύa decent burial = āϝāĻĨāĻžāϝāĻĨ āĻĻāĻžāĻĢāύby God’s grace = āψāĻļā§āĻŦāϰ⧇āϰ āĻ•ā§ƒāĻĒāĻžāϝāĻŧspeaking a little challengingly = āĻāĻ•āϟ⧁ āĻĻ⧃āĻĸāĻŧ/āĻĒā§āϰāϤāĻŋāĻŦāĻžāĻĻā§€ āĻ­āĻ™ā§āĻ—āĻŋāϤ⧇ āĻŦāϞāϛ⧇āύI have really seen him = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āϏāĻ¤ā§āϝāĻŋāχ āϤāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻĻ⧇āϖ⧇āĻ›āĻŋthis day = āφāϜhe was riding very fast = āϏ⧇ āϖ⧁āĻŦ āĻĻā§āϰ⧁āϤ āĻ˜ā§‹āĻĄāĻŧāĻžāϝāĻŧ āϚāĻĄāĻŧāĻ›āĻŋāϞFirst = āĻĒā§āϰāĻĨāĻŽā§‡it was Bartley = āĻŦāĻžāĻ°ā§āϟāϞāĻŋāχ āĻ›āĻŋāϞwho came = āϝ⧇ āĻāϏ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞon the red mare = āϞāĻžāϞ āĻŽāĻžāĻĻāĻŋ āĻ˜ā§‹āĻĄāĻŧāĻžāϝāĻŧI tried to say = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āĻŦāϞāĻžāϰ āĻšā§‡āĻˇā§āϟāĻž āĻ•āϰ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞāĻžāĻŽGod bless you = āψāĻļā§āĻŦāϰ āϤ⧋āĻŽāĻžāϰ āĻŽāĻ™ā§āĻ—āϞ āĻ•āϰ⧁āύsomething choked = āĻ•āĻŋāϛ⧁ āĻāĻ•āϟāĻž āφāϟāϕ⧇ āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞthe words = āĻ•āĻĨāĻžāϗ⧁āϞ⧋in my throat = āφāĻŽāĻžāϰ āĻ—āϞāĻžāϝāĻŧHe passed me quickly = āϏ⧇ āĻĻā§āϰ⧁āϤ āφāĻŽāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻ…āϤāĻŋāĻ•ā§āϰāĻŽ āĻ•āϰ⧇ āϗ⧇āϞThe blessing of God on you = āψāĻļā§āĻŦāϰ⧇āϰ āφāĻļā§€āĻ°ā§āĻŦāĻžāĻĻ āϤ⧋āĻŽāĻžāϰ āĻ“āĻĒāϰ āĻŦāĻ°ā§āώāĻŋāϤ āĻšā§‹āĻ•I could say nothing = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āĻ•āĻŋāϛ⧁āχ āĻŦāϞāϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāϰāĻŋāύāĻŋI looked up = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āωāĻĒāϰ⧇ āϤāĻžāĻ•āĻžāϞāĻžāĻŽat the grey pony = āϧ⧂āϏāϰ āϟāĻžāĻŸā§āϟ⧁ āĻ˜ā§‹āĻĄāĻŧāĻžāϟāĻŋāϰ āĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇there was Michael = āϏ⧇āĻ–āĻžāύ⧇ āĻŽāĻžāχāϕ⧇āϞ āĻ›āĻŋāϞsitting on it = āϤāĻžāϰ āĻ“āĻĒāϰ āĻŦāϏ⧇wearing fine clothes = āϏ⧁āĻ¨ā§āĻĻāϰ āĻĒā§‹āĻļāĻžāĻ• āĻĒāϰ⧇with new shoes = āύāϤ⧁āύ āϜ⧁āϤāĻž āĻĒāϰ⧇on his feet = āϤāĻžāϰ āĻĒāĻžāϝāĻŧ⧇begins to chant in lamentation = āĻŦāĻŋāϞāĻžāĻĒ āĻļ⧁āϰ⧁ āĻ•āϰ⧇We are ruined = āφāĻŽāϰāĻž āĻ§ā§āĻŦāĻ‚āϏ āĻšāϝāĻŧ⧇ āϗ⧇āĻ›āĻŋfrom this day = āφāϜ āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇We are surely ruined = āφāĻŽāϰāĻž āϏāĻ¤ā§āϝāĻŋāχ āĻ§ā§āĻŦāĻ‚āϏ āĻšāϝāĻŧ⧇ āϗ⧇āĻ›āĻŋDid not the young priest say = āϤāϰ⧁āĻŖ āϝāĻžāϜāĻ• āĻ•āĻŋ āĻŦāϞ⧇āύāύāĻŋthe Almighty God = āϏāĻ°ā§āĻŦāĻļāĻ•ā§āϤāĻŋāĻŽāĻžāύ āψāĻļā§āĻŦāϰwould not leave her = āϤāĻžāϕ⧇ āϛ⧇āĻĄāĻŧ⧇ āĻĻ⧇āĻŦ⧇āύ āύāĻžbereft of all her sons = āϏāĻŦ āϛ⧇āϞ⧇ āĻšāĻžāϰāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇in a low but clear voice = āύāĻŋāϚ⧁ āĻ•āĻŋāĻ¨ā§āϤ⧁ āĻ¸ā§āĻĒāĻˇā§āϟ āĻ•āĻŖā§āϠ⧇people like him = āϤāĻžāϰ āĻŽāϤ⧋ āĻŽāĻžāύ⧁āώknow about the sea = āϏāĻŽā§āĻĻā§āϰ āϏāĻŽā§āĻĒāĻ°ā§āϕ⧇ āϜāĻžāύ⧇Bartley will be lost = āĻŦāĻžāĻ°ā§āϟāϞāĻŋ āĻŽāĻžāϰāĻž āϝāĻžāĻŦ⧇ / āĻšāĻžāϰāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āϝāĻžāĻŦ⧇call in Eamon = āχāĻŽāύāϕ⧇ āĻĄā§‡āϕ⧇ āφāύ⧋make me a good coffin = āφāĻŽāĻžāϰ āϜāĻ¨ā§āϝ āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻ­āĻžāϞ⧋ āĻ•āĻĢāĻŋāύ āĻŦāĻžāύāĻžāĻ“out of the white boards = āϏāĻžāĻĻāĻž āϤāĻ•ā§āϤāĻžāϗ⧁āϞ⧋ āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇I won’t remain alive = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āφāϰ āĻŦ⧇āρāĻšā§‡ āĻĨāĻžāĻ•āĻŦ āύāĻžafter all my sons are dead = āφāĻŽāĻžāϰ āϏāĻŦ āϛ⧇āϞ⧇ āĻŽāĻžāϰāĻž āϝāĻžāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻžāϰ āĻĒāϰ⧇I have lost = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āĻšāĻžāϰāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇āĻ›āĻŋa husband = āĻāĻ•āϜāύ āĻ¸ā§āĻŦāĻžāĻŽā§€his father = āϤāĻžāϰ āĻŦāĻžāĻŦāĻžāϕ⧇six sons = āĻ›āϝāĻŧ āϛ⧇āϞ⧇of this house = āĻāχ āĻŦāĻžāĻĄāĻŧāĻŋāϰsix fine men = āĻ›āϝāĻŧāϜāύ āĻ­āĻžāϞ⧋ āĻŽāĻžāύ⧁āώafter a very painful labour = āĻ…āύ⧇āĻ• āĻ•āĻˇā§āĻŸā§‡āϰ āĻĒā§āϰāϏāĻŦ⧇āϰ āĻĒāϰeach one of them = āϤāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āĻĒā§āϰāĻ¤ā§āϝ⧇āϕ⧇āχcame into the world = āĻĒ⧃āĻĨāĻŋāĻŦā§€āϤ⧇ āĻāϏ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞthe bodies of some of them = āϤāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āĻ•āĻžāϰāĻ“ āĻ•āĻžāϰāĻ“ āĻŽā§ƒāϤāĻĻ⧇āĻšwere recovered = āωāĻĻā§āϧāĻžāϰ āĻ•āϰāĻž āĻšāϝāĻŧ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞthose of the others = āĻ…āĻ¨ā§āϝāĻĻ⧇āϰāϗ⧁āϞ⧋were never found = āĻ•āĻ–āύāĻ“ āĻĒāĻžāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž āϝāĻžāϝāĻŧāύāĻŋall of them are gone = āϏāĻŦāĻžāχ āϚāϞ⧇ āϗ⧇āϛ⧇the whole lot of them = āϤāĻžāϰāĻž āϏāĻŦāĻžāχStephen and Shawn = āĻ¸ā§āϟāĻŋāĻĢ⧇āύ āĻ“ āĻļāύwere lost = āĻšāĻžāϰāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āĻ—āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞin a heavy storm = āĻĒā§āϰāĻŦāϞ āĻāĻĄāĻŧ⧇later found = āĻĒāϰ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž āĻ—āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞin the Bay of Gregory of the Golden Mouth = āĻ—ā§‹āĻ˛ā§āĻĄā§‡āύ āĻŽāĻžāωāĻĨ⧇āϰ āĻ—ā§āϰ⧇āĻ—āϰāĻŋāϰ āωāĻĒāϏāĻžāĻ—āϰ⧇both of them = āϤāĻžāϰāĻž āĻĻ⧁āϜāύwere carried up = āϤ⧁āϞ⧇ āφāύāĻž āĻšāϝāĻŧ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞon the same plank = āĻāĻ•āχ āϤāĻ•ā§āϤāĻžāϰ āωāĻĒāϰbrought in by that door = āĻ“āχ āĻĻāϰāϜāĻž āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āϭ⧇āϤāϰ⧇ āφāύāĻž āĻšāϝāĻŧ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞShe pauses for a moment = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻ•āĻŋāϛ⧁āĻ•ā§āώāĻŖ āĻĨāĻžāĻŽā§‡āύthe girls are startled = āĻŽā§‡āϝāĻŧ⧇āϰāĻž āϚāĻŽāϕ⧇ āĻ“āϠ⧇through the door = āĻĻāϰāϜāĻž āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇which is half open = āϝāĻž āφāϧāĻ–ā§‹āϞāĻžin a whisper = āĻĢāĻŋāϏāĻĢāĻŋāϏ āĻ•āϰ⧇Did you hear that? = āϤ⧁āĻŽāĻŋ āĻ•āĻŋ āĻ“āϟāĻž āĻļ⧁āύ⧇āĻ›?a noise = āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻļāĻŦā§āĻĻcoming from = āφāϏāϛ⧇the north-eastern direction = āωāĻ¤ā§āϤāϰ-āĻĒā§‚āĻ°ā§āĻŦ āĻĻāĻŋāĻ• āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇Some one seems to be crying out = āĻŽāύ⧇ āĻšāĻšā§āϛ⧇ āϕ⧇āω āϚāĻŋā§ŽāĻ•āĻžāϰ āĻ•āϰāϛ⧇by the sea-shore = āϏāĻŽā§āĻĻā§āϰāϤ⧀āϰ⧇continues = āĻŦāϞāϤ⧇ āĻĨāĻžāϕ⧇āύwithout hearing anything = āĻ•āĻŋāϛ⧁ āύāĻž āĻļ⧁āύ⧇āχThere were Sheamus = āĻļ⧇āĻŽāĻžāϏ āĻ›āĻŋāϞhis father = āϤāĻžāϰ āĻŦāĻžāĻŦāĻžthe father’s father = āĻŦāĻžāĻŦāĻžāϰ āĻŦāĻžāĻŦāĻž (āĻĻāĻžāĻĻāĻž)who perished = āϝāĻžāϰāĻž āĻŽāĻžāϰāĻž āĻ—āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞin a dark night = āĻāĻ• āĻ…āĻ¨ā§āϧāĻ•āĻžāϰ āϰāĻžāϤ⧇when the sun rose = āϏ⧂āĻ°ā§āϝ āĻ“āĻ āĻžāϰ āĻĒāϰnot a stick or sign = āϕ⧋āύ⧋ āϚāĻŋāĻšā§āύāĻ“ āύāĻžcould be seen = āĻĻ⧇āĻ–āĻž āϝāĻžāϝāĻŧāύāĻŋAfter them = āϤāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āĻĒāϰ⧇there was Patch = āĻĒā§āϝāĻžāϚ āĻ›āĻŋāϞwho was drowned = āϝ⧇ āĻĄā§āĻŦ⧇ āĻŽāĻžāϰāĻž āĻ—āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞwhen he fell out of = āϝāĻ–āύ āϏ⧇ āĻĒāĻĄāĻŧ⧇ āĻ—āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞa boat that overturned = āωāĻ˛ā§āĻŸā§‡ āϝāĻžāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž āύ⧌āĻ•āĻž āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇I was sitting here = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āĻāĻ–āĻžāύ⧇ āĻŦāϏ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞāĻžāĻŽwith Bartley = āĻŦāĻžāĻ°ā§āϟāϞāĻŋāϕ⧇ āύāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇he was just a baby then = āϤāĻ–āύ āϏ⧇ āĻ›āĻŋāϞ āϛ⧋āϟ āĻļāĻŋāĻļ⧁lying on my knees = āφāĻŽāĻžāϰ āĻšāĻžāρāϟ⧁āϰ āĻ“āĻĒāϰ āĻļ⧁āϝāĻŧ⧇I saw = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āĻĻ⧇āϖ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞāĻžāĻŽtwo women = āĻĻ⧁āχāϜāύ āĻŽāĻšāĻŋāϞāĻžthen three women = āϤāĻžāϰāĻĒāϰ āϤāĻŋāύāϜāύ āĻŽāĻšāĻŋāϞāĻžthen four women = āϤāĻžāϰāĻĒāϰ āϚāĻžāϰāϜāύ āĻŽāĻšāĻŋāϞāĻžcoming in = āϭ⧇āϤāϰ⧇ āφāϏāĻ›āĻŋāϞ⧇āύcrying softly = āφāĻ¸ā§āϤ⧇ āĻ•āĻžāρāĻĻāĻ›āĻŋāϞ⧇āύ
not saying a word = āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻ•āĻĨāĻžāĻ“ āĻŦāϞāĻ›āĻŋāϞ⧇āύ āύāĻžI looked = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āϤāĻžāĻ•āĻžāϞāĻžāĻŽmen coming after them = āϤāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āĻĒ⧇āĻ›āύ⧇ āĻĒ⧁āϰ⧁āώāϰāĻž āφāϏāĻ›āĻŋāϞholding a thing = āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āϜāĻŋāύāĻŋāϏ āϧāϰ⧇in the half of a red sail = āϞāĻžāϞ āĻĒāĻžāϞ⧇āϰ āĻ…āĻ°ā§āϧ⧇āĻ• āĻ…āĻ‚āĻļ⧇water dripping out of it = āϏ⧇āĻ–āĻžāύ āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāύāĻŋ āĻāϰāĻ›āĻŋāϞit was a dry day = āϏ⧇āĻĻāĻŋāύ āĻļ⧁āĻ•āύ⧋ āĻĻāĻŋāύ āĻ›āĻŋāϞleaving a track = āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻĒāĻžāύāĻŋāϰ āϰ⧇āĻ–āĻž āϰ⧇āϖ⧇to the door = āĻĻāϰāϜāĻž āĻĒāĻ°ā§āϝāĻ¨ā§āϤShe pauses again = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āφāĻŦāĻžāϰ āĻĨāĻžāĻŽā§‡āύwith her hand stretched out = āĻšāĻžāϤ āĻĒā§āϰāϏāĻžāϰāĻŋāϤ āĻ•āϰ⧇towards the door = āĻĻāϰāϜāĻžāϰ āĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇It opens softly = āĻĻāϰāϜāĻžāϟāĻŋ āφāĻ¸ā§āϤ⧇ āϖ⧁āϞ⧇ āϝāĻžāϝāĻŧold women begin to come in = āĻŦ⧃āĻĻā§āϧāĻž āĻŽāĻšāĻŋāϞāĻžāϰāĻž āϭ⧇āϤāϰ⧇ āφāϏāϤ⧇ āĻļ⧁āϰ⧁ āĻ•āϰ⧇āύcrossing themselves = āĻŦ⧁āϕ⧇ āĻ•ā§āϰ⧁āĻļāϚāĻŋāĻšā§āύ āφāρāĻ•āϤ⧇ āφāρāĻ•āϤ⧇on the threshold = āĻĻāϰāϜāĻžāϰ āϚ⧌āĻ•āĻžāϠ⧇kneeling down = āĻšāĻžāρāϟ⧁ āϗ⧇āĻĄāĻŧ⧇ āĻŦāϏ⧇
in front of the stage = āĻŽāĻžā§āĻšā§‡āϰ āϏāĻžāĻŽāύ⧇with red petticoats over their heads = āĻŽāĻžāĻĨāĻžāϰ āĻ“āĻĒāϰ āϞāĻžāϞ āĻĒ⧇āϟāĻŋāϕ⧋āϟ/āĻ¸ā§āĻ•āĻžāĻ°ā§āĻŸā§‡āϰ āĻ•āĻžāĻĒāĻĄāĻŧ āĻĸ⧇āϕ⧇

Maurya (half in a dream, to Cathleen]. Is it Patch, or Michael, or what is it at all?

Cathleen. Michael is after being found in the far north, and when he is found there how could he be here in this place ?

Maurya. There does be a power of young men floating round in the sea, and what way would they know if it was Michael they had, or another man like him, for when a man is nine days in the sea, and the wind blowing, it’s hard set his own mother would be to say what man was in it.

Cathleen. It’s Michael, God spare him, for they’re after sending us a bit of his clothes from the far north.

[She reaches out and hands Maurya the clothes that belonged to Michael. Maurya stands up slowly and takes them in her hands. Nora looks out.

Nora. They’re carrying a thing among them, and there’s water dripping out of it and leaving a track by the big stones.

Cathleen [in a whisper to the women who have come in]. Is it Bartley it is?

One of the Women. It is, surely, God rest his soul.

[Two younger women come in and pull out the table. Then men carry in the body of Bartley, laid on a plank, with a bit of a sall over it, and lay it on the table.

Cathleen [to the women as they are doing so]. What way was he drowned?

out then, and I saw that there were men coming after them, and they were holding a thing in half of a red sail, and water was dripping out of it-it was a dry day, Nora, and it was leaving a track to the door.

(She pauses again, with her hand stretched out towards the door. It opens softly and old wamen begin to come in, crossing themselves on the thres-hold, and kneeling down in front of the stage, with red petticoats over their heads.)

Maurya (half in a dream, to Cathleen). Is it Patch, or Michael, or who is it (that is dead)?

Cathleen. Michael’s body has been found in the distant north, and since he has been found there, how could he be found in this place ?

Maurya. There is a very large number of young men floating about in the sea, and in what way would they be certain that it was Michael’s body they had found, or that of another man like him, for when a body has been in the sea for nine days, with the wind blowing, it would be very difficult even for his own mother to recognise a body when it is found ?

Cathleen. It is Michael’s body, God save his soul, for they made sure to send us some of his clothes from the distant north.

(She reaches out and hands Maurya the clothes that belonged to Michael. Maurya stands up slowly and takes them in her hands. Nora looks out.)

Nora. They are carrying something among them, and water is dripping out of it, and leaving a track by the side of the big stones.

Cathleen. (in a whisper, to the women who have entered). Is it Bartley who is dead ?

One of the Women. It is certainly Bartley. God save his soul!

(Two younger women come in and pull out the table. The men carry in the body of Bartley, which has been placed on a plank with a piece of a sail over it, and lay it on the table.)

Cathleen (to the women as they are doing the work). How was he drowned ?

One of the Women. The grey pony knocked him over into the sea, and he was washed out where there is a great surf on the white rocks.

[Maurya has gone over and knelt down at the head of the table. The women are keening softly and swaying themselves with a slow movement. Cathleen and Nora kneel at the other end of the table. The men kneel near the door.

Maurya [ralsing her head and speaking as if she did not see the people around her]. They’re all gone now, and there isn’t anything more the sea can do to me……I’ll have no call now to be up crying and praying when the wind breaks from the south, and you can hear the surf is in the east, and the surf is in the west, making a great stir with the two noises, and they hitting one on the other. I’ll have no call now to be going down and getting Holy Water in the dark nights after Samhain, and I won’t care what way the sea is when the other women will be keening. [To Nora] Give me the Holy Water, Nora; there’s a small sup still on the dresser.

[Nora gives it to her.

Maurya [drops Michael’s clothes across Bartley’s feet, and sprinkles the Holy Water over him). It isn’t that I haven’t prayed for you, Bartley, to the Almighty God. It isn’t that I haven’t said prayers in the dark night till you wouldn’t know what I’d be saying; but it’s a great rest I’ll have now, and it’s time, surely. It’s a great rest I’ll have now, and great sleeping in the long nights after Samhain, if it’s only a bit of wet flour we do have to eat, and maybe a fish that would be stinking.

[She kneels down again, crossing herself, and saying prayers under her breath.

Cathleen (to an old man). Maybe yourself and Eamon would make a coffin when the sun rises. We have fine white boards herself bought, God help her, thinking Michael would be found, and I have a new cake you can eat while you’ll be working.

The Old Man (looking at the boards). Are there nails with them?

Translation in Bangla:

half in a dream = āϝ⧇āύ āĻ¸ā§āĻŦāĻĒā§āύ⧇āϰ āĻ˜ā§‹āϰ⧇Is it Patch, or Michael = āĻāϟāĻž āĻ•āĻŋ āĻĒā§āϝāĻžāϚ, āύāĻžāĻ•āĻŋ āĻŽāĻžāχāϕ⧇āϞor who is it = āύāĻžāĻ•āĻŋ āϕ⧇ āϏ⧇that is dead? = āϝ⧇ āĻŽāĻžāϰāĻž āϗ⧇āϛ⧇?Michael’s body has been found = āĻŽāĻžāχāϕ⧇āϞ⧇āϰ āĻŽā§ƒāϤāĻĻ⧇āĻš āĻĒāĻžāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž āϗ⧇āϛ⧇in the distant north = āϏ⧁āĻĻā§‚āϰ āωāĻ¤ā§āϤāϰ⧇since he has been found there = āϝ⧇āĻšā§‡āϤ⧁ āϤāĻžāϕ⧇ āϏ⧇āĻ–āĻžāύ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž āϗ⧇āϛ⧇how could he be found = āϤāĻžāϕ⧇ āϕ⧀āĻ­āĻžāĻŦ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž āϝ⧇āϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāϰ⧇in this place? = āĻāχ āϜāĻžāϝāĻŧāĻ—āĻžāϝāĻŧ?There is = āφāϛ⧇a very large number = āĻ…āύ⧇āĻ•of young men = āϤāϰ⧁āĻŖ āĻŽāĻžāύ⧁āώfloating about = āϭ⧇āϏ⧇ āĻŦ⧇āĻĄāĻŧāĻžāĻšā§āϛ⧇in the sea = āϏāĻŽā§āĻĻā§āϰ⧇in what way = āϕ⧀āĻ­āĻžāĻŦ⧇would they be certain = āϤāĻžāϰāĻž āύāĻŋāĻļā§āϚāĻŋāϤ āĻšāĻŦ⧇that it was Michael’s body = āϝ⧇ āĻāϟāĻŋ āĻŽāĻžāχāϕ⧇āϞ⧇āϰ āĻŽā§ƒāϤāĻĻ⧇āĻšthey had found = āϤāĻžāϰāĻž āĻĒ⧇āϝāĻŧ⧇āϛ⧇or that of another man = āύāĻžāĻ•āĻŋ āĻ…āĻ¨ā§āϝ āϕ⧋āύ⧋ āĻŽāĻžāύ⧁āώ⧇āϰ
like him = āϤāĻžāϰ āĻŽāϤ⧋when a body = āϝāĻ–āύ āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻŽā§ƒāϤāĻĻ⧇āĻšhas been in the sea = āϏāĻŽā§āĻĻā§āϰ⧇ āĻ›āĻŋāϞfor nine days = āύāϝāĻŧ āĻĻāĻŋāύ āϧāϰ⧇with the wind blowing = āĻŦāĻžāϤāĻžāϏ āĻŦāχāϤ⧇ āĻĨāĻžāĻ•āϞ⧇it would be very difficult = āϖ⧁āĻŦ āĻ•āĻ āĻŋāύ āĻšāĻŦ⧇even for his own mother = āĻāĻŽāύāĻ•āĻŋ āϤāĻžāϰ āύāĻŋāĻœā§‡āϰ āĻŽāĻžāϝāĻŧ⧇āϰ āϜāĻ¨ā§āϝāĻ“to recognise the body = āĻŽā§ƒāϤāĻĻ⧇āĻšāϟāĻŋ āϚāĻŋāύāϤ⧇It is Michael’s body = āĻāϟāĻŋ āĻŽāĻžāχāϕ⧇āϞ⧇āϰ āĻŽā§ƒāϤāĻĻ⧇āĻšGod save his soul = āψāĻļā§āĻŦāϰ āϤāĻžāϰ āφāĻ¤ā§āĻŽāĻžāϰ āĻŽāĻ™ā§āĻ—āϞ āĻ•āϰ⧁āύthey made sure = āϤāĻžāϰāĻž āύāĻŋāĻļā§āϚāĻŋāϤ āĻ•āϰ⧇āϛ⧇to send us = āφāĻŽāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āĻĒāĻžāĻ āĻžāϤ⧇some of his clothes = āϤāĻžāϰ āĻ•āĻŋāϛ⧁ āĻ•āĻžāĻĒāĻĄāĻŧfrom the distant north = āϏ⧁āĻĻā§‚āϰ āωāĻ¤ā§āϤāϰ āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇he reaches out = āϏ⧇ āĻšāĻžāϤ āĻŦāĻžāĻĄāĻŧāĻžāϝāĻŧhands Maurya = āĻŽā§ŒāϰāĻŋāϝāĻŧāĻžāϰ āĻšāĻžāϤ⧇ āĻĻ⧇āϝāĻŧthe clothes = āĻ•āĻžāĻĒāĻĄāĻŧāϗ⧁āϞ⧋
that belonged to Michael = āϝ⧇āϗ⧁āϞ⧋ āĻŽāĻžāχāϕ⧇āϞ⧇āϰ āĻ›āĻŋāϞstands up slowly = āϧ⧀āϰ⧇ āϧ⧀āϰ⧇ āĻĻāĻžāρāĻĄāĻŧāĻžāύ
takes them in her hands = āϏ⧇āϗ⧁āϞ⧋ āĻšāĻžāϤ⧇ āύ⧇āύlooks out = āĻŦāĻžāχāϰ⧇ āϤāĻžāĻ•āĻžāϝāĻŧThey are carrying something = āϤāĻžāϰāĻž āĻ•āĻŋāϛ⧁ āĻŦāĻšāύ āĻ•āϰāϛ⧇among them = āϤāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āĻŽāĻ§ā§āϝ⧇water is dripping out of it = āϏ⧇āĻ–āĻžāύ āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāύāĻŋ āĻāϰāϛ⧇leaving a track = āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻĒāĻžāύāĻŋāϰ āĻĻāĻžāĻ— āϰ⧇āϖ⧇by the side of the big stones = āĻŦāĻĄāĻŧ āĻĒāĻžāĻĨāϰāϗ⧁āϞ⧋āϰ āĻĒāĻžāĻļ āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇in a whisper = āĻĢāĻŋāϏāĻĢāĻŋāϏ āĻ•āϰ⧇to the women = āĻŽāĻšāĻŋāϞāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āωāĻĻā§āĻĻ⧇āĻļ⧇who have entered = āϝāĻžāϰāĻž āϭ⧇āϤāϰ⧇ āĻāϏ⧇āϛ⧇Is it Bartley = āϏ⧇ āĻ•āĻŋ āĻŦāĻžāĻ°ā§āϟāϞāĻŋwho is dead? = āϝ⧇ āĻŽāĻžāϰāĻž āϗ⧇āϛ⧇?It is certainly Bartley = āĻšā§āϝāĻžāρ, āϏ⧇ āύāĻŋāĻļā§āϚāĻŋāϤāĻ­āĻžāĻŦ⧇āχ āĻŦāĻžāĻ°ā§āϟāϞāĻŋ
God save his soul = āψāĻļā§āĻŦāϰ āϤāĻžāϰ āφāĻ¤ā§āĻŽāĻžāϰ āĻŽāĻ™ā§āĻ—āϞ āĻ•āϰ⧁āύTwo younger women = āĻĻ⧁āχāϜāύ āϤāϰ⧁āĻŖā§€come in = āϭ⧇āϤāϰ⧇ āφāϏ⧇pull out the table = āĻŸā§‡āĻŦāĻŋāϞāϟāĻŋ āϏāĻžāĻŽāύ⧇ āĻŸā§‡āύ⧇ āφāύ⧇The men carry in = āĻĒ⧁āϰ⧁āώāϰāĻž āύāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āφāϏ⧇the body of Bartley = āĻŦāĻžāĻ°ā§āϟāϞāĻŋāϰ āĻŽā§ƒāϤāĻĻ⧇āĻšwhich has been placed = āϝāĻž āϰāĻžāĻ–āĻž āĻšāϝāĻŧ⧇āϛ⧇on a plank = āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āϤāĻ•ā§āϤāĻžāϰ āĻ“āĻĒāϰwith a piece of a sail over it = āϤāĻžāϰ āĻ“āĻĒāϰ āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻĒāĻžāϞ āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āĻĸāĻžāĻ•āĻžlay it on the table = āĻŸā§‡āĻŦāĻŋāϞ⧇āϰ āĻ“āĻĒāϰ āϰāĻžāϖ⧇How was he drowned? = āϏ⧇ āϕ⧀āĻ­āĻžāĻŦ⧇ āĻĄā§āĻŦ⧇ āĻŽāĻžāϰāĻž āϗ⧇āϞ?The grey pony = āϧ⧂āϏāϰ āϟāĻžāĻŸā§āϟ⧁ āĻ˜ā§‹āĻĄāĻŧāĻžāϟāĻŋknocked him over = āϤāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻĢ⧇āϞ⧇ āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞinto the sea = āϏāĻŽā§āĻĻā§āϰ⧇he was washed out = āϏ⧇ āϭ⧇āϏ⧇ āĻ—āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞwhere there is = āϝ⧇āĻ–āĻžāύ⧇ āφāϛ⧇
a great surf = āĻĒā§āϰāϚāĻŖā§āĻĄ āĻĸ⧇āωon the white rocks = āϏāĻžāĻĻāĻž āĻĒāĻžāĻĨāϰāϗ⧁āϞ⧋āϰ āĻ•āĻžāϛ⧇has gone over = āĻāĻ—āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āϗ⧇āϛ⧇āύknelt down = āĻšāĻžāρāϟ⧁ āϗ⧇āĻĄāĻŧ⧇ āĻŦāϏ⧇āϛ⧇āύat the head of the table = āĻŸā§‡āĻŦāĻŋāϞ⧇āϰ āĻŽāĻžāĻĨāĻžāϰ āĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇are keening softly = āφāĻ¸ā§āϤ⧇ āφāĻ¸ā§āϤ⧇ āĻŦāĻŋāϞāĻžāĻĒ āĻ•āϰāϛ⧇swaying themselves = āĻĻ⧁āϞāϛ⧇with a slow movement = āϧ⧀āϰ āĻ—āϤāĻŋāϤ⧇kneel = āĻšāĻžāρāϟ⧁ āϗ⧇āĻĄāĻŧ⧇ āĻŦāϏ⧇at the other end = āĻ…āĻ¨ā§āϝ āĻĒā§āϰāĻžāĻ¨ā§āϤ⧇near the door = āĻĻāϰāϜāĻžāϰ āĻ•āĻžāϛ⧇raising her head = āĻŽāĻžāĻĨāĻž āϤ⧁āϞ⧇as if she did not see = āϝ⧇āύ āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻĻ⧇āĻ–āϛ⧇āύ āύāĻžthe people around her = āφāĻļ⧇āĻĒāĻžāĻļ⧇āϰ āĻŽāĻžāύ⧁āώāĻĻ⧇āϰ

They’re all gone now = āϤāĻžāϰāĻž āϏāĻŦāĻžāχ āĻāĻ–āύ āϚāϞ⧇ āϗ⧇āϛ⧇there isn’t anything more = āφāϰ āĻ•āĻŋāϛ⧁āχ āύ⧇āχthe sea can do to me = āϏāĻŽā§āĻĻā§āϰ āφāĻŽāĻžāϰ āϏāĻ™ā§āϗ⧇ āĻ•āϰāϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāϰ⧇I’ll have no call = āφāĻŽāĻžāϰ āφāϰ āĻĒā§āϰāϝāĻŧā§‹āϜāύ āĻšāĻŦ⧇ āύāĻžo be up crying and praying = āĻœā§‡āϗ⧇ āĻ•āĻžāρāĻĻāĻž āĻ“ āĻĒā§āϰāĻžāĻ°ā§āĻĨāύāĻž āĻ•āϰāĻžāϰwhen the wind breaks = āϝāĻ–āύ āĻŦāĻžāϤāĻžāϏ āĻŦāχāϤ⧇ āĻļ⧁āϰ⧁ āĻ•āϰāĻŦ⧇from the south = āĻĻāĻ•ā§āώāĻŋāĻŖ āĻĻāĻŋāĻ• āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇you can hear = āϤ⧁āĻŽāĻŋ āĻļ⧁āύāϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāϰāĻŦ⧇the surf is in the east = āĻĒā§‚āĻ°ā§āĻŦ⧇ āĻĸ⧇āωāϝāĻŧ⧇āϰ āĻ—āĻ°ā§āϜāύthe surf is in the west = āĻĒāĻļā§āϚāĻŋāĻŽā§‡āĻ“ āĻĸ⧇āωāϝāĻŧ⧇āϰ āĻ—āĻ°ā§āϜāύmaking a great stir = āĻĒā§āϰāĻŦāϞ āĻļāĻŦā§āĻĻ āϤ⧁āϞāϛ⧇the two noises = āĻĻ⧁āχ āĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇āϰ āĻļāĻŦā§āĻĻhitting one on the other = āĻāϕ⧇ āĻ…āĻĒāϰ⧇āϰ āϏāĻ™ā§āϗ⧇ āĻŽāĻŋāĻļāϛ⧇I’ll have no call = āφāĻŽāĻžāϰ āφāϰ āĻĻāϰāĻ•āĻžāϰ āĻšāĻŦ⧇ āύāĻžto be going down = āύāĻŋāĻšā§‡ āϝ⧇āϤ⧇getting Holy Water = āĻĒāĻŦāĻŋāĻ¤ā§āϰ āϜāϞ āφāύāϤ⧇in the dark nights = āĻ…āĻ¨ā§āϧāĻ•āĻžāϰ āϰāĻžāϤ⧇after Samhain = āĻ¸ā§āϝāĻžāĻŽāĻšā§‡āχāύ⧇āϰ āĻĒāϰI won’t care = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āφāϰ āĻ­āĻžāĻŦāĻŦ āύāĻžwhat way the sea is = āϏāĻŽā§āĻĻā§āϰ āϕ⧇āĻŽāύ āφāϛ⧇when the other women = āϝāĻ–āύ āĻ…āĻ¨ā§āϝ āĻŽāĻšāĻŋāϞāĻžāϰāĻžwill be keening = āĻŦāĻŋāϞāĻžāĻĒ āĻ•āϰāĻŦ⧇Give me = āφāĻŽāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻĻāĻžāĻ“the Holy Water = āĻĒāĻŦāĻŋāĻ¤ā§āϰ āϜāϞthere’s a small sup = āϏāĻžāĻŽāĻžāĻ¨ā§āϝ āĻāĻ•āϟ⧁ āφāϛ⧇still on the dresser = āĻāĻ–āύāĻ“ āϤāĻžāϕ⧇āϰ āĻ“āĻĒāϰdrops Michael’s clothes = āĻŽāĻžāχāϕ⧇āϞ⧇āϰ āĻ•āĻžāĻĒāĻĄāĻŧāϗ⧁āϞ⧋ āϰ⧇āϖ⧇ āĻĻ⧇āύacross Bartley’s feet = āĻŦāĻžāĻ°ā§āϟāϞāĻŋāϰ āĻĒāĻžāϝāĻŧ⧇āϰ āĻ“āĻĒāϰsprinkles the Holy Water = āĻĒāĻŦāĻŋāĻ¤ā§āϰ āϜāϞ āĻ›āĻŋāϟāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āĻĻ⧇āύover him = āϤāĻžāϰ āĻ“āĻĒāϰIt isn’t that = āĻāĻŽāύ āύāϝāĻŧ āϝ⧇I haven’t prayed for you = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āϤ⧋āĻŽāĻžāϰ āϜāĻ¨ā§āϝ āĻĒā§āϰāĻžāĻ°ā§āĻĨāύāĻž āĻ•āϰāĻŋāύāĻŋto the Almighty God = āϏāĻ°ā§āĻŦāĻļāĻ•ā§āϤāĻŋāĻŽāĻžāύ āψāĻļā§āĻŦāϰ⧇āϰ āĻ•āĻžāϛ⧇I haven’t said prayers = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āĻĒā§āϰāĻžāĻ°ā§āĻĨāύāĻž āĻ•āϰāĻŋāύāĻŋ, āϤāĻž āύāϝāĻŧin the dark night = āĻ—āĻ­ā§€āϰ āϰāĻžāϤ⧇till you wouldn’t know = āĻāϤāĻ•ā§āώāĻŖ āĻĒāĻ°ā§āϝāĻ¨ā§āϤ āϝ⧇ āϤ⧁āĻŽāĻŋ āĻ•āĻ˛ā§āĻĒāύāĻžāĻ“ āĻ•āϰāϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāϰāĻŦ⧇ āύāĻžwhat I’d be saying = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āϕ⧀ āĻŦāϞāϤāĻžāĻŽit’s a great rest = āĻāϟāĻž āĻāĻ• āĻŦāĻĄāĻŧ āĻļāĻžāĻ¨ā§āϤāĻŋI’ll have now = āφāĻŽāĻŋ āĻāĻ–āύ āĻĒāĻžāĻŦit’s time = āϏāĻŽāϝāĻŧ āĻšāϝāĻŧ⧇āϛ⧇great sleeping = āĻ—āĻ­ā§€āϰ āϘ⧁āĻŽin the long nights = āĻĻā§€āĻ°ā§āϘ āϰāĻžāϤāϗ⧁āϞ⧋āϤ⧇after Samhain = āĻ¸ā§āϝāĻžāĻŽāĻšā§‡āχāύ⧇āϰ āĻĒāϰif it’s only = āϝāĻĻāĻŋāĻ“ āĻļ⧁āϧ⧁a bit of wet flour = āĻāĻ•āϟ⧁ āϭ⧇āϜāĻž āφāϟāĻžwe do have to eat = āφāĻŽāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āϖ⧇āϤ⧇ āĻšāϝāĻŧmaybe a fish = āĻšāϝāĻŧāϤ⧋ āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻŽāĻžāĻ›that would be stinking = āϝāĻž āĻĒāϚāĻž āĻšāĻŦ⧇kneels down again = āφāĻŦāĻžāϰ āĻšāĻžāρāϟ⧁ āϗ⧇āĻĄāĻŧ⧇ āĻŦāϏ⧇āύcrossing herself = āĻŦ⧁āϕ⧇ āĻ•ā§āϰ⧁āĻļāϚāĻŋāĻšā§āύ āφāρāϕ⧇āύsaying prayers = āĻĒā§āϰāĻžāĻ°ā§āĻĨāύāĻž āĻ•āϰ⧇āύunder her breath = āϖ⧁āĻŦ āφāĻ¸ā§āϤ⧇ āφāĻ¸ā§āϤ⧇Maybe = āĻšāϝāĻŧāϤ⧋yourself and Eamon = āφāĻĒāύāĻŋ āφāϰ āχāĻŽāύwould make a coffin = āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻ•āĻĢāĻŋāύ āĻŦāĻžāύāĻžāĻŦ⧇āύwhen the sun rises = āϏ⧂āĻ°ā§āϝ āĻ“āĻ āĻžāϰ āĻĒāϰWe have = āφāĻŽāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āφāϛ⧇fine white boards = āĻ­āĻžāϞ⧋ āϏāĻžāĻĻāĻž āϤāĻ•ā§āϤāĻžshe bought = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻ•āĻŋāύ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞ⧇āύthinking Michael would be found = āϭ⧇āĻŦ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞ⧇āύ āĻŽāĻžāχāϕ⧇āϞāϕ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž āϝāĻžāĻŦ⧇God help her = āψāĻļā§āĻŦāϰ āϤāĻžāϕ⧇ āϏāĻžāĻšāĻžāĻ¯ā§āϝ āĻ•āϰ⧁āύI have a new cake = āφāĻŽāĻžāϰ āĻ•āĻžāϛ⧇ āύāϤ⧁āύ āϕ⧇āĻ• āφāϛ⧇you can eat = āφāĻĒāύāĻžāϰāĻž āϖ⧇āϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāϰ⧇āύwhile you’ll be working = āĻ•āĻžāϜ āĻ•āϰāĻžāϰ āϏāĻŽāϝāĻŧlooking at the boards = āϤāĻ•ā§āϤāĻžāϗ⧁āϞ⧋āϰ āĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇ āϤāĻžāĻ•āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇
Are there nails with them? = āĻāϰ āϏāĻ™ā§āϗ⧇ āĻ•āĻŋ āĻĒ⧇āϰ⧇āĻ•āĻ“ āφāϛ⧇?

Cathleen. There are not, Colum; we didn’t think of the nails.

One of the Women. The grey pony knocked him over into the sea, and he was carried by the waves to the place where there is a great surf on the white rocks.

(Maurya has gone over and knelt down at the head of the table. The women are gently chanting words of mourning and moving their body from side to side with a slow movement. Cathleen and Nora kneel at the other end of the table. The men are kneeling near the door.)

Maurya (raising her head and speaking as though she could not see the people around her). They (my sons) are all gone now, and there is no further harm that the sea can do to me… There will be no reason for me now to stay awake, crying and praying, when the wind breaks from the south, and the sound of the surf may be audible in the cast, as well as in the west, the two noises to-gether making a great commotion, and the two surfs striking against each other. There will no more be any need for me to go and get Holy Water in the dark nights after All Souls’ Day (first of November), and I would not care about the state of the sea when I heat other women lamenting. (To Nora) Give me the Holy Water, Nora; there is a small quantity of it still on the dresser.

(Nora gives it to her.)

Maurya (drops Michael’s clothes across Bartley’s fect, and sprinkles the Holy Water over his body). Bartley, it is not that I have not prayed for you to God Almighty. It is not that I have not said prayers for you in the dark night, till the words of my prayer became indistinct, but now I shall have a great rest, and surely. it is time I had rest. It is a great rest I shall have now and a great sleep in the long winter nights, even if all our food is a bit of wet flour, and. possibly, a fish so stale that it would be stinking.

(She kneels down again, crossing herself, and saying prayers in an undertone.)

Cathleen (to an old man). Maybe you and Eamon would make a coffin after sun-rise. We have fine white boards which Maurya herself bought, God save her soul, thinking Michael’s body would be recovered, and I have a fresh cake which you may cat while you are working.

The Old Man (looking at the boards). Are there nails along with the boards?

Cathleen. There are no nails, Colum; we did not remember getting the nails.

Another Man. It’s a great wonder she wouldn’t think of the nails, and all the coffins she’s seen made already.

Cathleen. It’s getting old she is, and broken.

[Maurya stands up again very slowly, and spreads out the pieces of Michael’s clothes beside the body, sprinkling them with the last of the Holy Water.

Nora [in a whisper to Cathleen). She’s quiet now and easy; but the day Michael was drowned you could hear her crying out from this to the spring well. It’s fonder she was of Michael, and would anyone have thought that?

Cathleen (slowly and clearly]. An old woman will be soon tired with anything she will do, and isn’t it nine days herself is after crying and keening, and making great sorrow in the house?

Maurya [puts the empty cup mouth downwards on the table, and lays her hands together on Bartley’s feet). They’re all together this time, and the end is come. May the Almighty God have mercy on Bartley’s soul, and on Michael’s soul, and on the souls of Sheamus and Patch, and Stephen and Shawn [bending her head); and may He have mercy on my soul, Nora, and on the soul of every one is left living in the world.

[She pauses, and the keen rises a little more loudly from the women, then sinks away.

Maurya (continuing). Michael has a clean burial in the far north, by the grace of the Almighty God. Bartley will have a fine coffin out of the white boards, and a deep grave surely. What more can we want than that? No man at all can be living for ever, and we must be satisfied.

[She kneels down again, and the curtain falls slowly.

Another Man. It is very surprising that she forgot about the nails, having made so many coffins already.

Cathleen. She is getting old and broken.

(Maurya stands up again very slowly, and spreads out the pieces of Michael’s clothes by the side of the body, sprinkling them with the last bit of Holy Water.)

Nora (in a whisper to Cuthleen). She is quiet and easy now, but on the day Michael was drowned you could have heard her crying out, from this place to the spring well. She was fonder of Michael and would anyone have thought that?

Cathleen (slowly and clearly). An old woman soon gets tired of whatever she might be doing, and hasn’t she been crying and mourning for nine days, and giving expression to great sorrow in this house ?

Maurya (puts the empty cup mouth downward on the table, and lays her hands together on Bartley’s feet). They have all joined in death by this time, and the end has come. May God Almighty have mercy on Bartley’s soul, and on Michael’s soul, and on the souls of Sheamus and Patch, and Stephen and Shawn (bending her head); and may God have mercy on my soul, Nora, and on the soul of everyone who has been left alive in this world.

(She pauses, and the lament of the women becomes a little louder and then sinks away.)

Maurya (continuing). Michael has had a decent burial in the far north, by the Grace of God Almighty. A fine coffin will be made for Bartley out of the white boards, and he will surely have a deep grave. What can we want more than that? No man can be alive for ever, and so we must be satisfied.

(She kneels down again, with the curtain falling slowly.)

Translation in Bangla:

There are no nails = āϕ⧋āύ⧋ āĻĒ⧇āϰ⧇āĻ• āύ⧇āχColum = āĻ•āϞāĻžāĻŽwe did not remember = āφāĻŽāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āĻŽāύ⧇ āĻ›āĻŋāϞ āύāĻžgetting the nails = āĻĒ⧇āϰ⧇āĻ• āφāύāĻžāϰ āĻ•āĻĨāĻžIt is very surprising = āĻāϟāĻž āϖ⧁āĻŦāχ āφāĻļā§āϚāĻ°ā§āϝ⧇āϰ āĻŦāĻŋāώāϝāĻŧ
that she forgot = āϝ⧇ āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āϭ⧁āϞ⧇ āĻ—āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞ⧇āύabout the nails = āĻĒ⧇āϰ⧇āϕ⧇āϰ āĻ•āĻĨāĻžhaving made = āĻŦāĻžāύāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇āĻ“so many coffins already = āĻāϤāϗ⧁āϞ⧋ āĻ•āĻĢāĻŋāύ āχāϤāĻŋāĻŽāĻ§ā§āϝ⧇āχShe is getting old = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻŦāϝāĻŧāĻ¸ā§āĻ• āĻšāϝāĻŧ⧇ āϝāĻžāĻšā§āϛ⧇āύand broken = āĻāĻŦāĻ‚ āϭ⧇āϙ⧇ āĻĒāĻĄāĻŧ⧇āϛ⧇āύ / āĻĻ⧁āĻ°ā§āĻŦāϞ āĻšāϝāĻŧ⧇ āϗ⧇āϛ⧇āύstands up again = āφāĻŦāĻžāϰ āĻĻāĻžāρāĻĄāĻŧāĻžāύvery slowly = āϖ⧁āĻŦ āϧ⧀āϰ⧇spreads out = āĻ›āĻĄāĻŧāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āĻĻ⧇āύthe pieces of Michael’s clothes = āĻŽāĻžāχāϕ⧇āϞ⧇āϰ āĻ•āĻžāĻĒāĻĄāĻŧ⧇āϰ āϟ⧁āĻ•āϰ⧋āϗ⧁āϞ⧋by the side of the body = āĻŽā§ƒāϤāĻĻ⧇āĻšā§‡āϰ āĻĒāĻžāĻļ⧇sprinkling them = āϏ⧇āϗ⧁āϞ⧋āϰ āĻ“āĻĒāϰ āĻ›āĻŋāϟāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āĻĻ⧇āύwith the last bit of Holy Water = āĻļ⧇āώāϟ⧁āϕ⧁ āĻĒāĻŦāĻŋāĻ¤ā§āϰ āϜāϞ āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇in a whisper = āĻĢāĻŋāϏāĻĢāĻŋāϏ āĻ•āϰ⧇She is quiet and easy now = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻāĻ–āύ āĻļāĻžāĻ¨ā§āϤ āφāϛ⧇āύon the day Michael was drowned = āϝ⧇āĻĻāĻŋāύ āĻŽāĻžāχāϕ⧇āϞ āĻĄā§āĻŦ⧇ āĻŽāĻžāϰāĻž āĻ—āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞ you could have heard = āϤ⧁āĻŽāĻŋ āĻļ⧁āύāϤ⧇ āĻĒ⧇āϤ⧇
her crying out = āϤāĻžāϰ āĻ•āĻžāĻ¨ā§āύāĻžāϰ āĻļāĻŦā§āĻĻ  from this place = āĻāχ āϜāĻžāϝāĻŧāĻ—āĻž āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇to the spring well = āĻāϰāύāĻžāϰ āϕ⧂āĻĒ āĻĒāĻ°ā§āϝāĻ¨ā§āϤShe was fonder of Michael = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻŽāĻžāχāϕ⧇āϞāϕ⧇ āĻŦ⧇āĻļāĻŋ āĻ­āĻžāϞ⧋āĻŦāĻžāϏāϤ⧇āύwould anyone have thought that? = āϕ⧇ āϤāĻž āĻ­āĻžāĻŦāϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāϰāϤ?slowly and clearly = āϧ⧀āϰ⧇ āĻ“ āĻ¸ā§āĻĒāĻˇā§āϟāĻ­āĻžāĻŦ⧇An old woman = āĻāĻ•āϜāύ āĻŦ⧃āĻĻā§āϧāĻžsoon gets tired = āϖ⧁āĻŦ āϤāĻžāĻĄāĻŧāĻžāϤāĻžāĻĄāĻŧāĻŋ āĻ•ā§āϞāĻžāĻ¨ā§āϤ āĻšāϝāĻŧ⧇ āĻĒāĻĄāĻŧ⧇āύof whatever she might be doing = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āϝāĻž-āχ āĻ•āϰ⧁āύ āύāĻž āϕ⧇āύhasn’t she been crying = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻ•āĻŋ āĻ•āĻžāρāĻĻāϛ⧇āύ āύāĻžand mourning = āĻāĻŦāĻ‚ āĻļā§‹āĻ• āĻĒāĻžāϞāύ āĻ•āϰāϛ⧇āύfor nine days = āύāϝāĻŧ āĻĻāĻŋāύ āϧāϰ⧇giving expression = āĻĒā§āϰāĻ•āĻžāĻļ āĻ•āϰāϛ⧇āύto great sorrow = āĻ—āĻ­ā§€āϰ āĻļā§‹āϕ⧇āϰin this house = āĻāχ āĻŦāĻžāĻĄāĻŧāĻŋāϤ⧇puts the empty cup = āĻ–āĻžāϞāĻŋ āĻ•āĻžāĻĒāϟāĻŋ āϰāĻžāϖ⧇āύmouth downward = āωāĻ˛ā§āĻŸā§‹ āĻ•āϰ⧇on the table = āĻŸā§‡āĻŦāĻŋāϞ⧇āϰ āĻ“āĻĒāϰlays her hands together = āĻĻ⧁āχ āĻšāĻžāϤ āĻāĻ•āϏāĻ™ā§āϗ⧇ āϰāĻžāϖ⧇āύon Bartley’s feet = āĻŦāĻžāĻ°ā§āϟāϞāĻŋāϰ āĻĒāĻžāϝāĻŧ⧇āϰ āĻ“āĻĒāϰThey have all joined in death = āϤāĻžāϰāĻž āϏāĻŦāĻžāχ āĻŽā§ƒāĻ¤ā§āϝ⧁āϰ āĻŽāĻžāĻ§ā§āϝāĻŽā§‡ āĻāĻ•āĻ¤ā§āϰāĻŋāϤ āĻšāϝāĻŧ⧇āϛ⧇by this time = āĻāχ āϏāĻŽāϝāĻŧ⧇the end has come = āĻļ⧇āώ āĻāϏ⧇ āϗ⧇āϛ⧇May God Almighty have mercy = āϏāĻ°ā§āĻŦāĻļāĻ•ā§āϤāĻŋāĻŽāĻžāύ āψāĻļā§āĻŦāϰ āĻĻāϝāĻŧāĻž āĻ•āϰ⧁āύon Bartley’s soul = āĻŦāĻžāĻ°ā§āϟāϞāĻŋāϰ āφāĻ¤ā§āĻŽāĻžāϰ āĻ“āĻĒāϰon Michael’s soul = āĻŽāĻžāχāϕ⧇āϞ⧇āϰ āφāĻ¤ā§āĻŽāĻžāϰ āĻ“āĻĒāϰon the souls of Sheamus and Patch = āĻļ⧇āĻŽāĻžāϏ āĻ“ āĻĒā§āϝāĻžāĻšā§‡āϰ āφāĻ¤ā§āĻŽāĻžāϰ āĻ“āĻĒāϰand Stephen and Shawn = āĻāĻŦāĻ‚ āĻ¸ā§āϟāĻŋāĻĢ⧇āύ āĻ“ āĻļāύ⧇āϰ āφāĻ¤ā§āĻŽāĻžāϰ āĻ“āĻĒāϰbending her head = āĻŽāĻžāĻĨāĻž āύāϤ āĻ•āϰ⧇may God have mercy = āψāĻļā§āĻŦāϰ āĻĻāϝāĻŧāĻž āĻ•āϰ⧁āύon my soul = āφāĻŽāĻžāϰ āφāĻ¤ā§āĻŽāĻžāϰ āĻ“āĻĒāϰon the soul of everyone = āĻĒā§āϰāĻ¤ā§āϝ⧇āϕ⧇āϰ āφāĻ¤ā§āĻŽāĻžāϰ āĻ“āĻĒāϰwho has been left alive = āϝāĻžāϰāĻž āĻāĻ–āύāĻ“ āĻŦ⧇āρāĻšā§‡ āφāϛ⧇in this world = āĻāχ āĻĒ⧃āĻĨāĻŋāĻŦā§€āϤ⧇She pauses = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻĨāĻžāĻŽā§‡āύthe lament of the women = āĻŽāĻšāĻŋāϞāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āĻŦāĻŋāϞāĻžāĻĒbecomes a little louder = āĻāĻ•āϟ⧁ āĻœā§‹āϰ⧇ āĻšāϝāĻŧthen sinks away = āϤāĻžāϰāĻĒāϰ āϧ⧀āϰ⧇ āϧ⧀āϰ⧇āĻ•ā§āώ⧀āĻŖ āĻšāϝāĻŧ⧇ āϝāĻžāϝāĻŧcontinuing = āĻŦāϞāϤ⧇ āĻĨāĻžāϕ⧇āύMichael has had = āĻŽāĻžāχāϕ⧇āϞ āĻĒ⧇āϝāĻŧ⧇āϛ⧇a decent burial = āϝāĻĨāĻžāϝāĻĨ āĻĻāĻžāĻĢāύin the far north = āϏ⧁āĻĻā§‚āϰ āωāĻ¤ā§āϤāϰ⧇by the Grace of God Almighty = āϏāĻ°ā§āĻŦāĻļāĻ•ā§āϤāĻŋāĻŽāĻžāύ āψāĻļā§āĻŦāϰ⧇āϰ āĻ•ā§ƒāĻĒāĻžāϝāĻŧA fine coffin = āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āϏ⧁āĻ¨ā§āĻĻāϰ āĻ•āĻĢāĻŋāύill be made = āϤ⧈āϰāĻŋ āĻ•āϰāĻž āĻšāĻŦ⧇for Bartley = āĻŦāĻžāĻ°ā§āϟāϞāĻŋāϰ āϜāĻ¨ā§āϝout of the white boards = āϏāĻžāĻĻāĻž āϤāĻ•ā§āϤāĻž āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇he will surely have = āϏ⧇ āĻ…āĻŦāĻļā§āϝāχ āĻĒāĻžāĻŦ⧇
a deep grave = āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻ—āĻ­ā§€āϰ āĻ•āĻŦāϰWhat can we want = āφāĻŽāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āφāϰ āϕ⧀ āϚāĻžāχāϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāϰ⧇more than that? = āĻāϰ āĻšā§‡āϝāĻŧ⧇ āĻŦ⧇āĻļāĻŋ?No man = āϕ⧋āύ⧋ āĻŽāĻžāύ⧁āώcan be alive = āϚāĻŋāϰāĻ•āĻžāϞ āĻŦ⧇āρāĻšā§‡ āĻĨāĻžāĻ•āϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻžāϰ⧇ āύāĻžfor ever = āϚāĻŋāϰāĻĻāĻŋāύwe must be satisfied = āϤāĻžāχ āφāĻŽāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āϏāĻ¨ā§āϤ⧁āĻˇā§āϟ āĻĨāĻžāĻ•āϤ⧇ āĻšāĻŦ⧇She kneels down again = āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āφāĻŦāĻžāϰ āĻšāĻžāρāϟ⧁ āϗ⧇āĻĄāĻŧ⧇ āĻŦāϏ⧇āύthe curtain falls slowly = āĻĒāĻ°ā§āĻĻāĻž āϧ⧀āϰ⧇ āϧ⧀āϰ⧇ āύ⧇āĻŽā§‡ āφāϏ⧇

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