School: Brackey (roll number 3500)

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1. The Tramp Cobbler (continued)

   

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   the sean-dál again telling him of the encounter of the devil and the white woman at the cross-roads. "You have been bested again", said the sean-dál. The devil was none other than some clever ruffian who was in league with the thief, and the white woman is very likely the thief's wife. We have only one way of finding them now, and that is by finding the body. They won't take it to a grave yard, so you'll find it convenient to the house of the owners. There's nothing can find out a thing like that quicker than a hungry sow. Starve one of the sows for the next couple of days and then let her out, and you'll find she'll go straight to the dead body".
   This was done and the hungry sow took a straight line to the shoemaker's house. The cobbler had heard of the whole scheme so he had his plan ready. Inside the kitchen door he fixed a trap door. The sow came tearing along to the door step. The cobbler hit her with a sledge and down she went through the trap hole.
   The kings men were almost at her heels. "Where did the sow go", one of them asked the cobbler.
   "She passed here like a blast of wind", was the answer, and the kings men went on ahead, but had nothing for their trouble. The sean dál was consulted again.
   "The sow was killed", he said, "that's plain, and whoever killed her is the owner of the dead body found in the gold room. What will be done with the sow? she'll be salted and made into bacon. Now post an

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Folktales index

   AT0950: Rhampsinitus

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Pádraic S. Mac A' Ghoill

   Gender

   Male

   Occupation

   Múinteoir

   Informant

   Séamus Uí Fhuaruisce

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   17

   Occupation

   Feirmeoir

   Address

   Meentanadea, Co. Donegal