School: Fionn-Tráigh (roll number 16357)

Location:
Fintragh, Co. Donegal
Teacher:
Aibhistín A. Mac Amhlaoidh
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1039, Page 121

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1039, Page 121

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  1. Seanscéal (continued)

    There was once a poor man, who had thirteen sons. He had no food to give them, and he planned to leave them away in a wood.

    (continued from previous page)
    The brothers followed the track of the crumbs, but when they reached the road they saw that the crows had eaten the bread. They did not know what to do. Night came. Jack climbed up a tree and he saw a light far away.
    They made their way to where the light was, and knocked at the door. It was opened by a woman who in appearance looked like a farmer's wife. She asked them what they wanted, and they said that they were very tired and hungry and would like lodging for the night.
    The woman said that a giant lived here and that if he caught them he would kill them. The brothers were so tired that they went in and ate to their satisfaction. Then the woman hid twelve of them under a chest and Jack hid in a hole in the wall. The giant came in, and he said "I smell flesh, I smell flesh". The woman said that it was a couple of children she had roasted for his supper.
    After he had finished his supper he searched the house and he got them. The giant had twelve sons himself, and he told the woman to put them all in the one bed, and to put golden caps on her own sons and nightcaps on the strangers.
    She did what she was told, but when Jack saw that they were sleeping he changed the caps, and put the golden caps on his brothers and the night-caps on the giant's sons.
    In the middle of the night the giant went up to the bed, and killed the boys with the
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Folktales index
    AT1119: The Ogre Kills his Own Children
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Nóra Nic Amhlaoidh
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Largymore, Co. Donegal
    Informant
    Micheál Ó Baoghail
    Gender
    Male
    Age
    70
    Address
    Kill, Co. Donegal