School: Coole (roll number 3936)

Location:
Coole, Co. Westmeath
Teacher:
T. Mac Cormaic
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0719, Page 451

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0719, Page 451

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  1. In the days of the bad landlords a poor man not been able to pay his rent was to be evicted with a weeks notice. The man asked his Parish Priest to intercede for him to the landlord.
    The landlord agreed if the man was able to answer him three questions or could get any one to answer them for him he would have no more rent to pay. The Parish Priest asked the poor man to lend him his coat and hat as he was going to the landlord to answer the questions for him and he told the poor man to send his son to the landlord to say his questions would be answered on Friday evening.
    The Parish Priest wearing the poor mans coat and hat arrived at the landlords house at night fall. The first question was "how many stars in the sky". The Priest answered five millions six hundred and twenty one and if you dont believe me count them yourself. That is all right said the landlord "now tell
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Folktales index
    AT0922: The Shepherd Substituting for the Priest Answers the King's Questions
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Paddy Kiernan
    Gender
    Male
    Address
    Camagh, Co. Westmeath
    Informant
    Chris Kiernan
    Relation
    Grandparent
    Gender
    Male