School: Gort Sceithe (roll number 13062)

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1. The Long Fellow

   

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   Once upon a time there lived three brothers and their mother all together. One of the brothers never got up out of bed. He was 7 feet 6 inches in height, and they had a job to keep food with him. When they had no money one of the brothers went to look for work. On his way he met a man whom he asked work of. The man said he would give him work, but he would have to feed himself out of his pay. The man said he would. "I have another thing to tell you," said the gentleman, "if you vex me I will cut off one of your ears, and if I vex you you can cut off my two ears. The man started ploughing. When he was a while ploughing he said to himself: "I have no money to buy any food. I will fast until I get my pay." He had to wait a week for his pay. He worked for six days, he then said to himself I will die with the hunger. He went to the gentleman and said he was vexed. "All right," said the gentleman, taking a knife and cutting off his left ear The brother went home worse than ever with his sad story. He told them what happened. The other brother went, and met the same man. He told him what he told the first brother. The second brother started to work but he only worked five days when he told the gentleman that he was vexed. "All right", said the gentleman, cutting off his right ear. The second brother went home still worse than the first one. When the mother saw her two sons with their ears cut off she began to cry. The two sons were that much put about that day thought that their mother would die. "Don't be crying mother," said the long fellow. "I will go to-morrow, and I will come home a happy lad. So he set off early

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   Folktales index

   AT1000: Bargain Not to Become Angry

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Tomás Ó Cléirigh

   Gender

   Male

   Occupation

   Múinteoir

   Address

   Annefield, Co. Mayo