School: Beitheach (Beagh) (roll number 14001)

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   “There was a man and his wife living long ago in this locality and the man was of a roving disposition.”

   

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   Then his master paid Thomas's fare home and his mistress presented hm with a bunnóg of bread, as a present for his wife.
   Thomas set off and after a very stormy passage arrived at Derry. He had to walk all the way from Derry, as there were no trains at that time in Donegal.
   On his way he fell in with a beggarman and as they went along the beggarman pointed out a nearway over the mountain and asked Thomas to go that way. Thos. thought of his first advice and said to his friend- "Crooked or straight, the high road is the nearest", "If so," said the beggar, "you keep to it", and he himself went the nearway.
   As night was approaching Thomas entered a little house near Stranorlar. He was surprised to find the beggarman before him there, but he was in a sad condition, being all cut and bruised.
   "What accident did you meet with?" said Thomas, "Oh!" said he, a crowd of beggars attacked me on the mountain, stole my little money and nearly killed me, but I am glad I got away with my life.
   "Did I not tell you," said Thomas, "it would be better to keep to the high road."
   The beggarman was lodged there for the night and Thomas got permission to stay alas, but when he saw that the man of the house was old and his wife very young he thought of the second advice and crept out and lay

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Folktales index

   AT0910B: The Servant's Good Counsels

   Language

   English

   Informant

   Condy Gallagher

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   70

   Address

   Beagh, Co. Donegal