School: Ceann Caorach, Cill Crócháin (roll number 15952)

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1. Mermaids

   

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   In this district some years ago there was a very interesting story related about a mermaid. On a beautiful summers morning a man named Glavin strolled along the sea-shore. There he beheld a beautiful woman sitting on a rock combing her head of golden hair. He fell in conversation with her and discovered that she was a mermaid. He invited her to his house, and she, without delay, accepted the invitation.
   Some time afterwards he proposed to marry her, this offer, she also accepted on condition that he would make her three faithful promises, which were,- never to shoot a seal, kill a black sheep or invite a landlord to the house. These he promised faithfully not to do, so they were married. They lived together and were very loyal to each other for a few years. But finally he desired to know the effect the breaking of those promises would cause. One morning whilst fishing he shot a seal. When he returned home she told him that he had shot her brother, and she also told him if he wished to break the two remaining promises that he could but if they were broken she would leave him for ever.

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. agents (~1)
      1. supernatural and legendary beings (~14,864)
         1. mermaids (~305)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Lilian O' Donovan

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Reagh, Co. Cork