School: Gort na Díogha (roll number 15587)

Location:
Gortnadeeve West, Co. Galway
Teachers:
Séamus Ó Dochartaigh Bean Uí Dhochartaigh
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0016, Page 090

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0016, Page 090

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  1. XML School: Gort na Díogha
  2. XML Page 090
  3. XML “The Swapped Babies”

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  1. (continued from previous page)
    while they were away there was a baby born to each of them. There was a boy born to the man who had the boys and a girl born to the man who had all girls so the women swopped babies.
    The couple who had no daughter had one, and the couple who had no son had one. When the father came home he saw the son and he thought it was his own. The son grew up but the father was in doubt that is was not his own son. One day the father and son went on a journey, there were going along and kept silent and the father said to the son "Why don't you shorten the road" (i.e. why don't you tell a story or talk to me) the son began to run.
    When the father got home he told the mother and she said "you fool why didn't you tell him a story" Then the father sent him out selling sheep's skin. He told the boy not to return without the skin and the price of it. The son was three days looking for one who would buy the skin and leave it and the cash to him, and he couldn't get a buyer. The swopt child was one day washing clothes at a stream, she remarked the boy going round three days
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Folktales index
    AT0875: The Clever Peasant Girl
    Language
    English