School: Béal Átha 'n Fheadha (B.)

On this page

1. John and the Farmer

   

   Share Share Post

   Once upon a time there lived a man and his son in a cottage. The boy's name was John. John's mother was dead about four years. She had left them some money but not much and it did not last very long. One day John said to his father "I think I should go into the world and seek my fortune." So the next day he set off. All he brought with him was a cake and a couple of shillings. When the night came he went into a barn and slept there until morning. Then he went to the owner of the barn and asked for work. The man gave him a job to trash corn every morning and also to plough a field every day for seven times twenty weeks. So the next day he started work. He worked all morning at trashing corn and the rest of the day for ploughing. He had half an acre done when he got tired and sat down to eat his cake. He was just going to eat it when a bird came up and asked John for a piece of his cake. John said he would leave him a bit when he was finished and the little bird sat on a rock and waited. When John was nearly finished he threw a big piece of cake to the bird. The bird was very glad to get it so he started to eat. John got up and went

   (continues on next page)

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Folktales index

   AT1119: The Ogre Kills his Own Children

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Aidan Kellaher

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Ballina, Co. Mayo

   Informant

   Arther O' Boyle

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Quignalecka, Co. Mayo