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School: Ráth na mBeach (roll number 17129)

Location:
Rathnamagh, Co. Mayo
Teacher:
R. Ó Gallchobhair
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0148, Page 353

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0148, Page 353

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  3. XML “A Story”

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  1. A Story

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    Once upon a time there was a king in Ireland who married a beautiful princess. They lived happily together for a while then a little girl was born to them. They were very happy then because as the little girl grew up she grew more beautiful. When she was three years old, the mother died. The king got married again to another woman and there were three sons born to them. The mother loved her sons better than she loved her step child. She made her step child do all the hard work but do as she would the child grew more beautiful. The step mother then hated the child as she was nicer than her sons and she told a servant to kill her. The servant would not kill her. Then the step mother said she would get rid of her in some way. In the winter she told the child to go to a forest that was near and get strawberries. The child said there were no strawberries in winter but the step mother told her to go and if she got none she would kill her. The child set off with a basket through the forest to look for strawberries. She walked a long way and then she got tired and fell asleep. When she wakened she saw four dwarfs sitting at a fire. The oldest one said "What takes you out in such weather". The child told him her story. He then said " I am winter and my three brothers are spring, summer and autumn". The child said please help me". He then said "I have no gift to offer you but I will tell you a story". Autumn said "All I can offer you is golden straw". Summer said "All I can offer you is strawberries", Spring said "All I can offer you is flowers" They all gave their gifts to the child
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    History Edit
    Folktales index
    AT0431: The House in the Wood
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Mairéad Ní Speláin
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Woodville, Co. Mayo