School: Deravoy (roll number 373)

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   “Once upon a time there was a parish priest who had a servant boy.”

   

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   the dead animal at their feet and away with him. They went into the graveyard + there were the party of robbers roasting a sheep + counting money. They got afraid + jumped into a newly opened grave. They were not long there till down one of the robbers came with the hide of the sheep and another of a bullock and tossed them in on top of them. They two lay quiet for a while but the servant boy thought of a plan. "You put on the sheep skin" he said. "I'll put on the bullock skin + we'll frighten the robbers. They put on the hides and out up to the robbers. The minute the robbers seen them away the whole crowd went for their lives + left money + all on the ground. After the robbers went a bit the chief said "Who'll go back to see what was that?" No man spoke. I'll give £10 he says to the man who'll go back. One man took the money + said he'd go. He came over to where the priest + the boy were. "How did you manage to scare us all?" asked the robber. "Have you any money" asked the boy + I'll tell you. "I have £10", said he. Give it to me + I'll tell you. He gave it. Now I am a priest's boy but you need a charm to be one + I'll make you one. Put your tongue in my mouth. He did so + the boy bit the tongue out of him. Off the robber went to the other robbers roaring + bleeding. "What was wrong" asked the robber chief. Burrl-orrel-orrel etc says the robber spy. He couldn't talk + the robbers all fled in fear.

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Folktales index

   AT1029: The Woman as Cuckoo in the Tree

   Language

   English

   Collector

   E. Treanor

   Gender

   Male

   Occupation

   Teacher

   Informant

   Patrick Hackett

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   90

   Occupation

   Farmer

   Address

   Killybreen, Co. Monaghan