School: Cill Tártáin

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1. Work Away Stick

   

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   Once upon a time there was an old woman who was very poor. This woman was very old. She had a son Jack who was very foolish, but to-morrow he must go to town to sell their last cow. When the cow was sold and the money spent Jack would have to work. As he was lazy and idle Jack hated this.
   Next morning Jack got up and off with him to the fair. But before he came to the fair he met a man with with a crop in his hand. The man said to Jack, Will you sell the cow, a mhic?” “I will if I get a good price for her and if I don’t I won’t” replied Jack. “Well” said the man, “this stick is as valuable as your cow.” “Not so” said Jack, “but still show me what it can do.” The man looked down the road and saw two drunkards coming from the fair. They were fighting. Then the man took his stick in his left hand and said, “Work away stick.”
   The stick flew from his hand hopping on to the drunkards’ heads. Soon the men were yelling with pain.
   Then They took to their heels and flew. The stick followed for miles until the drunkards were sober. Jack was dumbfounded at what he saw. He was soon on his way home with the stick under his arm. But before he went home he met a fairy. The fairy took out a tablecloth and spread it on the grass before him and immediately food of the best kind came on it.

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Folktales index

   AT0563: The Table, the Ass, and the Stick

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Jimmy Corbett

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Gort, Co. Galway

   Informant

   Mr Corbett

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   50

   Address

   Gort, Co. Galway