School: Druim Mór

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1. Jack Neary and the Fairies

   

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   In the townland of Farranmacfarrell there lived a man named Jack Neary. He was married but there were no children. One day Jack set off for Sligo to sell barley. He had the barley in bags each of which could hold about two hundred weight. On the way to Sligo several small little men came out on the road before him and asked him where he was going. Jack told them he was going to Sligo to sell barley. They then asked him if he would sell the barley to them. Jack said he would and the bargain was made. On one side of the road was a big granary. The little men carried in the bags of barley to the granary and while they were bringing it in Jack sat down in the granary and lit his pipe. Soon he fell asleep and slept for seven years. The fairies sent home the horse and cart to his wife and told her that Jack was dead and buried. While Jack was sleeping in the granary his wife believing he was dead married again. When Jack woke after his seven year's sleep he asked one of the fairies did he sleep long. "A couple of hours" said one of them. Jack then set off home and when he arrived home he knocked at the door but would not be allowed in. When he would not be allowed in he said I will go out into the field and surely the horse will know me. When the horse saw him he ran away from him. Well it was Saturday night and Jack was always a good man to attend Mass. He slept in the pigsty for the night and in the morning set off for Mass. When the people saw him coming they began to run away from him. They

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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)

   Folktales index

   AT1792A: The Priest's Pig

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Seosamh Ó Catháin

   Gender

   Male

   Occupation

   Múinteoir

   Address

   Dromore West, Co. Sligo

   Informant

   Bartley Fox

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Farranmacfarrell, Co. Sligo