School: Cromadh (B.)

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1. The Rat Charmer (continued)

   

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   to be a poor man that missed of his lodging . The strange man spoke back, and then says he. "Honest man, whatever you'll see on the road, pass on and take no notice, just keep out of the way and say nothing", and then he said good night and went on.

   Well the gambler was thinking what could he mean, as he was going his road. When all of a sudden he saw the fog coming up the road against him. There was a lot of noise like the soft trotting of a pack of hounds and the grunting and squeaking of a whole drove of shlips (banba) and the thick white fog of steam rising up from the noise, and it all coming towards him. The hair stood on the gambler's head with the fright that came over him, and the cold sweat of death came out on his forehead, but for all the fright that was on him, he bethought himself of what the stranger said, to keep out of the way, and if he did, he stepped into the grass on the side of the road. just as the beginning of the fog reached him.

   The sight nearly left his eyes, when he saw what was in it. A flock of rats and they going like they used to drive the pigs from Urlingford long ago. In a tired drove, for they were panting and grumbling and squealing, but they were going ahead all the time. When the middle of the flock was going

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Daithí Ó Ceanntabhail

   Gender

   Male

   Occupation

   Múinteoir