Scéal Frankenstein
Tá an sliocht seo, léite ag Pól Ó Braoin, tógtha ón leagan Frankenstein atá foilsithe ag Leabhar Breac. Seo linn tús an scéal clasaiceach… / This extract, read by Pól Ó Braoin, is taken from the version of Frankenstein published by Leabhar Breac. Here is the start of the classic story…
Tús an Scéil...
Bhí buachaill beag cliste ina chónaí san Eilvéis fadó agus Victor Frankenstein ab ainm dó. Bhí sé ina chónaí lena athair, is a mháthair is a dheartháir. Nuair a bhí sé cúig bliana d’aois, tháinig cailín beag chun cónaithe leo. Elisabeth ab ainm di, agus ní raibh athair ná máthair aici. Bhí an-chion ag Victor uirthi.
Ní hionann is a dheartháir, a bhíodh amuigh ag spraoi foain aer, ba mhó an spéis a bhí ag Victor sa staidéar agus sna leabhair. Ó bhí sé ina bhuachaill óg chuir sé spéis san eolaíocht agus i gcruthú na beatha, agus ba í Elisabeth amháin a thuig é.
Nuair a bhí Victor seacht mbliana déag d’aois bhuail tinneas a mháthair. Agus í ar leaba a bháis, d’iarr sé air Elisabeth a phósadh.
‘Tá a fhios agam go mbeadh sibh an-fheiliúnach dá chéile’, ar sí.
Go deimhin, bhí Victor agus Elisabeth an-mhór le chéile, agus bhí siad an-sásta a chéile a phósadh. Shocraigh siad go bpósfaidís nuair a bheidh Victor críochnaithe lena chuid staidéir.
Cailleadh a mháthair ansin, agus d’imigh Victor go dtí an coláiste le staidéar a dhéanamh ar an eolaíocht.
Sa choláiste dó, d’oibrigh Victor go dian agus bhain sé cáil amach mar eolaí. Bhí obair mhór idir lámha aige. Theastaigh uaidh fear nua a chruthú. Ina shaotharlann, chuir sé baill bheatha éagsúla le chéile ó choirp éagsúla – cosa is lámha, cloigeann is croí – agus rinne sé duine nua astu. Fear mór millteach láidir a bhí sa neach seo. Bhí sé os cionn seacht dtroithe ar airde. Bhí gach rud ann, cé is moite den bheatha.
Rinne Victor go leor iarrachtaí beatha a chur sa chorp, ach bhí ag teip air. Ansin, oíche amháin, I lár stoirm thoirní, bhuail scal tintrí an teach agus chuir an tintreach sruth leictreach tríd an gcorp. D’oscail an corp a shúile.
‘Tá sé beo!’ a bhéic Victor…
The Beginning of the Story...
Once upon a time there lived a clever little boy in Switzerland whose name was Victor Frankenstein. He lived with his father, mother and brother. When he was five years old, a little girl came to live with them. Her name was Elisabeth, and she had neither father nor mother. Victor had great affection for her.
Unlike his brother, who used to be out having fun in the fresh air, Victor was more interested in studying and books. Since he was a young boy he was interested in science and the creation of life, and only Elisabeth understood him.
When Victor was seventeen years old his mother fell ill. On her deathbed, she asked him to marry Elisabeth.
‘I know you would be very suitable for each other’, she said.
In fact, Victor and Elisabeth very much liked each other, and they were very happy to marry. They decided that they would get married when Victor finished his studies. His mother then died, and Victor went to college to study science.
In college, Victor worked hard and earned a reputation as a scientist. He did a lot of work. He wanted to create a new man. In his laboratory, he combined different body parts from different bodies – legs and arms, head and heart – and made them into a new person. This being was a large and powerful man. He was over seven feet tall. Everything was there, except life.
Victor made many attempts to revive the body, but he was failing. Then, one night, in the middle of a thunderstorm, a bolt of lightning struck the house and the lightning sent an electric current through the body. The body opened its eyes.
‘He’s alive!’ shouted Victor…
Bígí páirteach!
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