School: Ceann Mhálainne
- Location:
- Ardmalin, Co. Donegal
- Teacher: Seán S. Ó Coigligh
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1124, Page 335
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- XML School: Ceann Mhálainne
- XML Page 335
- XML “A Funny Story”
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- (continued from previous page)there came in one after another five woman and they all sat down and started to spin. The woman of the house looked at them and saw they were all strangers. She knew then that they were fairies and that they came to take her baby.
The woman took the bucket and went out to the well. There was a fairy on guard outside. She told the woman that if she did not get them out quickly they would have her child. She told the woman to go to the door and drop her bucket and clap her hands and call Bing Ban Ben is on fire and they would all run out. When she got them out she was to throw out their wheels and cards and close the door, bolt it and put the tongs across it. Then take her child out of the cradle and go to bed and not answer no matter who spoke.
The woman thanked her and did as the fairy directed. When she clapped her hands and called "fire, fire Bing Ban Ben is on fire", the fairies came running out. She then threw out their wheels and cards, bolted the door and put the tongs across the threshold. She took her child and went to bed. The fairies came back to the door and called to her to let them in and they would finish her spinning. She never answered. There arose a terrible noise and then went away.
