School: Coill Chláir (roll number 14276)

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   “This is a true story.”

   

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   This is a true story. During the Famine a widow named Margaret Sweeney lived in Cordery Morton in a little hut. beside a fort. She had ten children and no means of supporting them. One evening, after sunset as the widow was walking round the fort talking to herself, she met a little woman who asked her what was troubling her. The widow said she was very worried because she had no food for her children except water cress or sorrel, or nettles or sometimes a fish which she caught in the river. The little woman told the widow to come to the fort next morning and she would find there a cow which would give her milk for her children. The widow did as she was told and she found not only the cow but a calf as well. The cow gave plenty of milk all year except during the winder when she went dry. The widow was again sorely troubled and again the little woman came to her aid. She told the widow to leave the cow back in the fort at night, and on the following morning she would find another cow in her stead. Every winter the same thing happened. The widow left the dry cow in the fort and got in her stead a fresh cow and a calf. When all the children were able to provide for themselves they no longer got the cow and calf.

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. agents (~1)
      1. supernatural and legendary beings (~14,864)
   2. time
      1. historical periods by name (~25)
         1. the great famine (~4,013)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Margaret Gibbons

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Drumbullog, Co. Leitrim

   Informant

   Mrs Gibbons

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Drumbullog, Co. Leitrim