School: Eaglais

Location:
Burren, Co. Mayo
Teacher:
S. Ó Mongaigh
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0089, Page 088

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0089, Page 088

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  3. XML “Selling his Soul to the Devil”

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  1. Once there was a man out on the hill looking for sheep. He met the devil who told him that if he would sell him his soul for seven years that he would give him anything he would ask. The man told him that he had a chair at home, and that when the lads came in they would run and sit in it the first one that would sit would be stuck there until he would like to let him go. The bargin was made. When the seven years was up the devil came for the man and he gave him the chair to sit on. So the devil was fastened there The man would not let him go until the devil promised to give him another seven years. So he told him that here was a bag of oaten meal in the corner and when the lad come in they take a grain of it and that the first one that would take it he would be stuck there until the man would like to let him go. When the seven years were up the devil came again and as he was hungry he took a grain of the meal but he was fastened there until he had to promise to give the man another seven years. The man said that there was an apple tree outside the house and lads came they took an apple and that the first one that would take one would be stuck there until the man wanted to let him go.
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Folktales index
    AT0330A: The Smith and the Devil (Death)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Martin Forde
    Gender
    Male
    Informant
    Michael Forde
    Gender
    Male
    Age
    60
    Address
    Burren, Co. Mayo