School: Béal Átha 'n Fheadha (B.)

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1. John in the Deadhouse

   

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   Once upon a time there lived a tramp whose name was John. One night John was going along a road toward Ballina for bread. When he arrived in Ballina he got his bread and as he had no home he said he would go to the workhouse. When he came to the workhouse he knocked at the door and asked if he could get lodgings there. The man at the door then said he was sorry that the plaace was full and could not stay unless he slept in the deadhouse. So John said he would. "Well" said the man "Before you go there I will tell you this much that there is a dead man in it." "A" said John "I would be only too glad to have company." The man then brought John to the deadhouse and gave him some blankets to keep him warm. Then the man said he would bring him his breakfast at half past nine. He said "Good Night" to John then. Then John went to sleep but he could not sleep because he was cold. So up he got and went over to the coffin and took off the lid. Then he took out a candle from his pocket and lit it and he put the candle on a stool and took out the corpse and put it in the bed he had made for himself. When he had that done he went over to the coffin and got into it and fell asleep. When morning came the man came in with Johns

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Aiden Kelleher

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Ballina, Co. Mayo

   Informant

   Arther O' Boyle

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Quignalecka, Co. Mayo