School: Cooneal (roll number 6416)

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1. The King of Ireland's Son (continued)

   

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   into the ground. Conn walked in his footsteps, and arrived at the Kings door safe and sound. He now, for the third time asked to get the Kings daughter. The king said he had one more task to perform, and if he did this he would get her without fail. The task was to bring a bottle of water from the well of the World's end. But there was a further condition, the King was also to send a messenger for the water, and if the Kings messenger returned sooner than Conn's messenger, then Conn would have lost, and the King would refuse him his daughter. Conn agreed to all. But the Man with it Listening Ear told Conn everything that was going on in the palace. He told him that the King had a witch who was fleeter than the March wind, and that she was the person the King was going to run against Conn's messenger. So Conn ordered the Man of the Swift Leg to set free the other leg, and get ready for the race to the Well of the World's End. He di so, then the King's witch appeared an old withered hag, that one would imagine she could hardly walk, much less run But the word to start was hardly given when the two were out of sight. The man of the Swift Leg was not long leaving the Kings with behind,

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Folktales index

   AT0505: Dead Man as Helper

   AT0513A: Six Go through the Whole World

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Bridget Keegan

   Gender

   Female

   Informant

   Pat Culkin

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Coonealmore, Co. Mayo