School: Béal Átha 'n Fheadha (B.)

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1. The Little Boy and His Bad Stepmother (continued)

   

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   and the father was sitting the other side and the little boy began to speak in (Irish) Irish because in those days there was nothing but Irish spoken. "What is that you are saying (say) asked the father say it again so the little boy said.

   I wish I had my feet washed my flag licked my prayers said and I in my bed. The father looked surprised "What do you mean by your flag licked. So the boy told him that he had to lick meal off a flag every morning and the and the same at night and that was all the food he (got) would get. The father was in an awful state and he asked him why did he not tell him sooner and he said that his stepmother told him that she would kill him if he told but that now she was sick he knew she could not touch him. So after the doctor left the father went to her and told her to leave the house immediately and go to her own people that he could not bear to have her in the house after the way she treated his son. He said he knew why his son was so pale. He said he was a fine healthy child before she came so she would have to (leave) leave. So she begged him to leave her in the house until she was better and then she would go. He did not like to put her out so he left her there and and when she was better he made her leave the house. Years rolled on and the father died and and the boy grew to be a man. He got married

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Val Muldowney

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Ballina, Co. Mayo

   Informant

   Mrs Broderick

   Relation

   Grandparent

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Ballina, Co. Mayo