School: Star of the Sea, Glengivney (roll number 12334)

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1. Fairy Legends (continued)

   

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   When they played tricks on the people they were called "mischievious elves". In the evenings they always had a habit of coming round the houses for the loan of a bowl of meal. Some people would say that they had none in order to get rid of the fairies. In the morning when the would get up they would find out that there had been some mischief done to them during the night. So most people thought it better to give the fairies some meal no matter how little they had.
   Many a time I heard a neighbour woman telling about a poor old woman who lived in this district who had no way of making a living. One evening just before she lit her lamp there came a wee old woman into her house with a green shawl round her shoulders and a red shawl round her head and says she "God bless all here and my good woman could you lend me a bowl of meal" "Oh a chroidhe" says the old woman. I have no more than a bowl of meal inside the walls of the house but I will divide with you for it is hard to see anyone hungry." So the wee woman took the meal and thanked her and said "That your meal bin may never be empty". That night she was surprised to see more meal in the bin. The bin is a wooden vessel used for holding meal about three feet hight and two feet square at bottom that was in it before she gave the wee woman any. From that time on she never was wanting meal so she began to think that the wee woman was a fairy. She told a neighbour woman about the good turn the fairy did her. When she told her secret she never got any meal afterwards.

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. gníomhairí (~1)
      1. neacha neamhshaolta agus osnádúrtha (~14,864)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Maura Mc Gonagle

   Gender

   Female

   Informant

   Ellen Mc Gonagle

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   65

   Address

   Más an Ghlinne, Co. Dhún na nGall