The Triads of Ireland. Various

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СКАЧАТЬ the Senbríathra Fíthail (pp. 345b-346a), and the Bríathra Moraind (pp. 346a-b), does not include them.

      It is but a small portion of the large number of triads scattered throughout early Irish literature that has been brought together in our collection under the title of Trecheng breth Féne, i.e., literally 'a triadic arrangement of the sayings of Irishmen.' I first drew attention to the existence of Irish triads in a note on Irish proverbs in my addition of the Battle of Ventry, p. 85, where a few will be found quoted. A complete collection of them would fill a small volume, especially if it were to include those still current among the people of Ireland, both among Gaelic and English speakers. I must content myself here with giving a few specimens taken at random from my own collections:—

      Three kinds of martyrdom that are counted as a cross to man, i.e. white martyrdom, green martyrdom, and red martyrdom.—The Cambray Homily (Thesaurus Palæohibernicus, II., p. 246).

      Three enemies of the soul: the world, the devil, and an impious teacher.—Colman maccu Beognae's Alphabet of Piety (Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie, III., p. 452).

      Three things whereby the devil shows himself in man: by his face, by his gait, by his speech.—Ib., p. 453.

      Three profitable labours in the day: praying, working, reading.—Regula Choluimb Cille (Zeitschr., III., p. 29).

      Three laymen of Ireland who became monks: Beccan son of Cula, Mochu son of Lonan, and Enda of Arann.—Notes on the Félire of Oengus (Henry Bradshaw Society, vol. xxix., p. 112).

      Three chief artisans of Ireland: Tassach with Patrick, Conlaed with Brigit, and Daig with Ciaran.—Ib., p. 186.

      Three poets of the world: Homer of the Greeks, Vergil of the Latins, Ruman of the Gaels.—Book of Leinster, p. 354b.

The three worst counsels that have been acted on in Ireland through the advice of saints: the cutting short of Ciaran's life, the banishment of Colum Cille, the expulsion of Mochuta from Rathen.—Notes on the Félire of Oengus, p. 204, and Tripartite Life, p. 557.[3]

[3] Where for 'wrong stories' read 'wrong counsels' (sanasa sáeba). This triad is thus versified in the Brussels ms. 5100:—

      Teora saoba sanasa Leithe Cuind roc[h]aras-[s]a:

       Mochuda cona clamhra[i]d d'ionnarba a Rathain roghlain,

       cur Coluim Cille tar sal, timdibhe saeghail Ciaráin.

Three things there are for which the Son of living God is not grateful: haughty piety, harsh reproof, reviling a person if it is not certain.[4]

[4] LB., p. 225 marg. inf., and Brussels ms. 5100, fo. 86a:

      Fuil trí ní (a trí Br.) doná (danach Br.) buidech mac Dé bí:

       crábud úallach, coisced (coiccsed Br.) serb, écnach duine mad inderb.

Three things there are for which the King of the sun is grateful: union of brethren, upright conversation, serving at the altar of God.[5]

[5] Edinburgh ms. xl, p. 28, and Brussels ms. 5100, fo. 86a:

      Fuil tréide dianab buidech rí gréine:

       óenta bráthar, comrád (fodail Ed.) cert, altóir Dé do thimthirecht.

Woe to the three folk in horrid hell of great blasts: folk who practise poetry, folk who violate their orders, mercenaries.[6]

[6] LB., p. 236, marg. inf.:

      Mairg na trí lucht a n-iffirn úathmar anside:

       óes dogní dán, óes choilles grád, óes amsaine.

Three things there are which do not behove the poor of living God: ingratitude for his life whatever it be, grumbling, and flattery.[7]

[7] LB., p. 238, marg. inf.:

      Fuil trí ní ná dlegair do bocht Dé bí:

       dimmda da bethaid cipé, cesacht ocus aibéle.

      The following modern triads I owe to a communication from Dr. P.W. Joyce, who heard them in his youth among the people of Limerick:—

      Three things to be distrusted: a cow's horn, a dog's tooth, and a horse's hoof.

      Three disagreeable things at home: a scolding wife, a squalling child, and a smoky chimney.

The three finest sights in the world: a field of ripe wheat, a ship in full sail, and the wife of a Mac Donnell with child.[8]

[8] This triad comes from the Glynns of Antrim, the Mac Donnells' district.

      In our collection an arrangement of the Triads in certain groups, according to their contents, is discernible. Thus, the first sixty-one—of which, however, the opening thirty-one are no Triads at all—are all topographical; and among the rest, those dealing with legal matters stand out clearly (§§ 149-172).

      When the collection was made we have no means of ascertaining, except from internal evidence, such as the age of the language, and a few allusions to events, the date of which we can approximately fix.

The language of the Triads may be described as late Old-Irish. Their verbal system indeed is on the whole that of the Continental glosses,[9] and would forbid us to put them later than the year 900. On the other hand, the following peculiarities in declension, in which all the manuscripts agree, make it impossible for us to put them much earlier than the second half of the ninth century.

[9] I may mention particularly the relative forms téite 167, bíte 127, ata 75, 76, 224, &c., berta (O. Ir. berte) 109, 110, fíchte (145), coillte (166), téite (167), aragellat (sic leg. with N) 171; the deponent neimthigedar 116, &c.; ató, 'I am' (104), and the use of the perfective ad- in conaittig 77, 78.

The genitive singular of i- and u-stems no longer shows the ending -o, which has been replaced throughout by -a.[10] Now, in the Annals of Ulster, which are a sure guide in these matters and allow us to follow the development of the language from century to century, this genitive in -o is found for the last time in a.d. 816 (rátho, Ailello). Thence onward the ending -a is always found.

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