School: Gortnacart (roll number 15554)

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1. The Gold Adventure (continued)

   

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   or to beg alms. So the old man got up and opened the door. It was an old beggar asking lodgings for the night. The old couple took him in and the woman dressed and made tea for him. When he had the tea drunk he thanked her and drew from his purse a few gold coins and offered them to her. She refused to take them. When he was putting them into his purse he exposed a purseful of glittering coins. From that time all kinds of evil thoughts came in the woman's head. She asked her husband what they could do for to get his gold. So the woman said no other better way to get it can do than to separate the head from the body. So the husband consented to act in the work of destruction. Before morning the floor of the little house was covered with blood but they got nothing for it. When they had him murdered they buried his head and body in different places. During their time burying the man the gold was turned into useless pieces of metal. So when they returned home they had no gold but useless pieces of metal. It was said after that the old couple became lunatics

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Informant

   Annie Shovlin

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   86

   Occupation

   Farmer

   Address

   Doochill North, Co. Donegal