School: Gortnacart (roll number 15554)

Location:
Gortnacart Glebe, Co. Donegal
Teacher:
León Ó hÚallaigh
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1042, Page 15

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1042, Page 15

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  1. XML School: Gortnacart
  2. XML Page 15
  3. XML “The Girl and the Fairy”

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  1. There was a man long ago and he was caught fishing in a lake in the parish of Ardara. This lake belonged to a King and he brought the man up before him and was going to put him to death. In order to save his own life the man said that his daughter could spin straw into gold.
    The King wanted to see the girl. He ordered a room to be filled with straw and he ordered the girl to spin it into gold before morning. The girls did not know what to do as she sat there crying. Then there appeared a little fairy to her. He asked her what she would give him if he spun it into gold. She gave him her necklace and he spun the straw into gold.
    The next morning the King was glad but he was not pleased. He ordered another room to be filled with straw and he ordered the girl to spin it into gold before morning. The next night the fairy appeared again, and the girl gave him her ring
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Folktales index
    AT0500: The Name of the Helper
    Language
    English
    Informant
    Margaret Gallagher
    Gender
    Female
    Age
    50
    Address
    Doochill North, Co. Donegal