School: Ballinvella, Lios Mór (roll number 7880)

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1. Scéal (continued)

   “Tadhg Gan Eagla did not know what it was to be afraid. So he said to his people that he would go travelling, to try and discover something which would frighten him.”

   

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   his night. There was also plenty firewood provided in the ruin that he could kindle a fire if he felt cold.
   He sat down contented at the fireside smoking his pipe until about 11 o'clock. A knock came to the door and he opened it and asked whoever was there to enter. Four men came in and a coffin on their shoulders and they laid the coffin on the floor and went away again. It did not frighten Tadhg but he went to see what was in the coffin. He took off the lid and there was a dead man in it. He did not know whether he was dead or alive. He laid his hand on his face and he was stone cold. He told him come out and sit at the fire and warm himself and he lit a big blazing fire. The man in the coffin, however, paid no attention to him so he took him out in his arms and put him sitting on the chair at the fireside and rubbed him well to warm him, but all his labour was in vain. He tried him with one of his chalk pipes to see if it would be any improvement but it was not. The pipe fell out of his lifeless lips and got broken.
   There was no use in trying to warm him at the fire and not wishing to be defeated he brought him to bed with him. This plan succeeded a little better but when the man was warm he pinched Tadhg fiercely. Out jumped Tadhg and threatened him with the poker. The man then spoke

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Folktales index

   AT0326: The Youth Who Wanted to Learn What Fear Is

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Annie Moloney

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Ballinaspick South, Co. Waterford

   Informant

   Daniel Moloney

   Relation

   Unknown

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   60

   Occupation

   Feirmeoir

   Address

   Ballinaspick South, Co. Waterford