School: Druim Mór

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1. Johnny in Tír na nÓg (continued)

   

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   the dinner. While he was eating she took a small cupán from under her cloak, filled it with the water in the well and threw the water away. Immediately the water began to leave the well and in the bottom Johnny saw the ring. When evening came Johnny took up the ring and set off to find the eagle-man. "Well you found it" said the eagle man "I did" said Johnny "and a hard job it was to empty the well." "Well my blessing to you, and my curse on the one who taught you. Now tomorrow you will have to clean a stable that was never cleaned for seven years and find my grandmother's needle which was lost there. You will find two grapes at the door of the stable and you can have your choice." Next morning Johnny set off for the stable. He took the new grape. As soon as he threw out one práb a hundred more came piling in. This was as bad as the well. Again the girl came with the dinner. Again she found in him in the same despondent mood. She told him to sit down and rest himself. He knew she would help him again. Before she helped him she said to him "I wonder would you do as much for me as I am doing for you". "Why wouldn't I you saved my life yesterday." said Johnny. Then she pulled out a table fork from under her cloak, took a small práb of the manure and threw it out. Soon all the manure had vanished and they could see the needle quite distinctly. In the evening he set off with the needle and when he met the eagle-man he told him what trouble he had in order to get the needle. "Well my blessing to you and my curse on the one who taught you. Tomorrow you must bring home to me a bay mare you will find in a certain field. At the gate of

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Folktales index

   AT0313: The Girl as Helper

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Seosamh Ó Catháin

   Gender

   Male

   Occupation

   Múinteoir

   Address

   Dromore West, Co. Sligo

   Informant

   John Fox

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Farranmacfarrell, Co. Sligo