School: Tuairín Árd (roll number 14078)

On this page

1. Local Songs and Stories (continued)

   

   Share Share Post

   (continued from previous page)

   Now the poor scholar wrote a note and put it round the child's neck - with the orders that any one shouldn't read it but the mother, until the child would grow old enough to read it for himself.

   So time went on until the baby grew from childhood to boyhood and from boyhood to manhood. Now he was almost twenty one years. He had a great comrade in the grand advizer's son. There was going to be a fox-hunt this day. The young Prince ordered his servant to get the two best horses his father had for himself and his comrade, - and so he did. The horses were brought up to the hall-door. His Mother asked him "Where are you going to day," He said "to the fox-hunt. At this the mother began to cry and said "You are not going to leave my sight to day. "Whyso", he said. - "Did you find any note under your neck" asked the mother. - "No", he said. - "You are going to be killed when you are twenty-one years by an eight-footed dog. - "When am I twenty-one", he said. - "12 o clock to night" - she answered -, "but do not be afraid, for your father, the King will put a guard around you. "No, Mother, Ill try my luck without him, he said.

   He and his comrade mounted their horses, and went on their way. After a long time, the comrade turned back but Prince John still kept on. He came to a big forest sometime before 12 ' oclock. Far in in the forest he saw a light. He tied his horse and made towards the light. He saw the great big dog coming towards him and he thought to himself that he had met his fate. The great dog only wagged his tail and looked pleased to see him, so that he knew he wasn't going to kill him. He went on towards the light and entered an old man's house. "Welcome, Prince John, from Ireland" said the old man. "Bad place, your legs brought you, but if you went elswhere it would be worse. He prepared the supper for Prince John and the dog. "Then he spoke to the dog, and said "

   (continues on next page)

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. genre
      1. poetry
         1. folk poetry (~9,504)

   Folktales index

   AT0934B: The Youth to Die on his Wedding Day

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Liam Ó Murchadha

   Gender

   Male

   Occupation

   Teacher

   Address

   Knocknagashel, Co. Kerry

   Informant

   Michael Doody

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   68

   Occupation

   Oibrí

   Address

   Ahaneboy, Co. Kerry