School: Carrowmore

Location:
Carrowmore, Co. Donegal
Teacher:
Seoirse Ó Dochartaigh
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1123, Page 420

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1123, Page 420

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  3. XML “Fireside Stories Told in this District - The Black of Horse of Bells”

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  1. There were once a king and queen. They had three sons. When the youngest was about fourteen the queen took ill and she knew she was to die. On her deathbed she called the king and asked him to grant her one request. She said to him that he was still young and that the people would be calling for a queen when she was dead so she asked him to build a castle in one of his islands and send his children and her children to live in it before he would marry a second wife for fear she would ill treat the three sons. The king promised that he would do this and when the queen died he did send the children to the castle. After a time the king married a second wife and she was a wicked "polished" woman. The king used to go away to see these sons on the island unknown to his second wife and after a time became annoyed why he was so often away. She went to a witch who told her that the king had three sons on an island and that he was away seeing them. The queen pretended that she was quite pleased and told the king to invite the children to come to live
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Folktales index
    AT0953: The Old Robber Relates Three Adventures
    Language
    English
    Informant
    Michael Mc Laughlin
    Gender
    Male
    Age
    40
    Address
    Dunross, Co. Donegal