School: Acres (roll number 10827)
- Location:
- Na hAcraí, Co. Donegal
- Teacher: Eilis Ní Dhomhnaill
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1059, Page 88
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- Often in the Glen a light is seen at night, and my uncle said it was Will O' the Wisp.
Will O' the Wisp is a spirit who could neither get into heaven or hell He is doomed to wander till the end, carrying in his hand a big light to show him the way.
Will O' the Wisp was a blacksmith who sold himself to the devil for three years in order to get rich. The devil game him three years, and three wishes, and at the end of that time he was to come back, and take Will with him down to his kingdom.
The first request Will asked was that anyone who got a hold of his sledge could never leave it down again until he allowed him to do so. The second was that anybody who sat in his chair he kept in the forge, couldn't get up, until he ordered him to; and the third, and last, was that any money Will ever put into his purse couldn't be taken out again by anyone except himself. The devil then went away saying he'd come back on that day three years. "All right," says Will, "I'll go with you."(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Rose-Ann Ward
- Gender
- Female
- Age
- 14
- Address
- Na hAcraí, Co. Donegal
- Informant
- James O' Donnell
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 41
- Address
- Leac Eidhneach, Co. Donegal
