School: Béal Átha Gearr

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   It is said that anybody who gets up and milks his neighbours cows before sunrise on May morning will get all the butter which the cows will produce for the year. There is a story told in proof of that.
   Once upon a time an old woman lived alone in a cottage. She had no possessions except for the art of witchery but nobody was aware of the fact. She used to sell butter but nobody knew how she procured it.
   On May morning a hare was seen going to the fields and taking milk from the cows and after that there was no butter on the milk. The people then came to the conclusion that it was the hare which was causing the misfortune. So one day a man went to hunt the hare. He saw all the proceedings of the hare and when she had finished he loosed the dogs. He also had a black hound (for he has the most power) and he outdistanced the others in the chase. It led on and the hare kept going till she reached the old cottage. She immediately disappeared through the window. The hunter on seeing this went inside and found an old woman siting beside the fire (combing her dishevelled hair). The man asked her if she saw any hare coming in and she said she did not. Well said the man she must be here for I've seen her enter and she is nowhere to be found unless

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. agents (~1)
      1. supernatural and legendary beings (~14,864)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Bríghid Ní Fhéinneadha

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   15

   Address

   Barnacurra, Co. Galway