School: Radharc na Sionainne (roll number 6356)

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1. The Piper and the Púca

   

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   The Piper and the Puca

   In olden times there was a half-fool living in Dunmore in the County Galway. He was a piper and although he was very fond of music he could not learn more than one tune which was called the "Black Rogue." He got a lot of money from gentlemen for they used to get sport out of him. One night the Piper was coming home from a house where there had been a dance and he was drunk. When he came up to a little bridge that was by his mother's house he squeezed the pipes on and began playing the "Black Rogue." The Puca came behind him and flung him on his own back. There were large horns on the Puca and the Piper got a good grip on them and then he said: "Destruction on you nasty beast; let me home for I have a tenpenny piece in my pocket for my mother and she wants snuff." "Never mind your mother" said the Puca "but keep your hold. If you fall you will break your neck and your pipes." Then the Puca said to him, "play up for me the "Shan van vocht." "I don't know it" said the Piper. "Never mind whether you do or you don't" said the Puca "play up and I'll make you know." The Piper put wind in his bag and he played such music as made himself wonder. "Upon my word, you're a fine music-master," says the piper then; "but tell me where you're bringing me." "There's a great feast in the house of the Banshee,

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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

   Proinnsias Mac Éoin

   Gender

   Male

   Informant

   Bean Mhicil Mhic Eóin

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   57

   Occupation

   Bean feirmeora

   Address

   Mahanagh, Co. Leitrim