School: Lettercran (roll number 12049)

Location:
Lettercran, Co. Donegal
Teacher:
Peadar S. Ó Duibhidhe
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1030, Page 254

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1030, Page 254

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  3. XML “The Three Golden Hairs from the King's Beard”

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  1. The Three Golden Hairs from the King’s Beard
    There once lived a king and he was very cruel for he would not allow any son to live in his kingdom. All the fathers and mothers had to kill their sons when they were born. He had one daughter who was very beautiful but he would not allow her outside the palace and he would not let her speak to any boys.
    The king had a servant of whom he thought a great deal. This servant got married and when they were twelve months married a son was born to them. They thought a great deal about this little “cub” but he had to be killed like them all. The father knew it would break the mother’s heart to kill him. So one day he got a box in a boat and sent it down the river. The boat went down the mill-race and one morning the miller went out to open the sluice and what did he see but the boat and the box in it. He took the box out and found the child in it. He knew he could not rear it but he brought it home and showed it to his wife. She said it would be a pity to kill such a nice child
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Folktales index
    AT0461: Three Hairs from the Devil's Beard
    Language
    English
    Informant
    John Gallagher
    Gender
    Male
    Age
    69
    Address
    Lough Nageage, Co. Donegal