School: Caladh na Feirsde (roll number 13481/2)

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1. A Story

   

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   There was a boy there once. He lived with his mother in a small house. He lived a half-fool. One day his mother sent him to a fair to sell a cow. She told him to get the highest penny in the fair for the cow.
   He went along for some distance. He saw a stone inside a ditch in a field. He took off his coat and put it round the stone. The stone fell, and there was gold under it. He thought that the pieces of gold were "chainies". He filled his pocket with them and went to the fair.
   All the jobbers asked him how much he wanted for the cow. He said he wanted the highest penny in the fair for her. They all went away. At last one of them put a penny up on a stick and held it up. He told the fool it was the highest penny in the fair. The fool took it.
   When he came home he said he got "chainies", and he was delighted. He showed them to his mother. She gave him a bag, and told him to fill it. She put the gold into a chest.
   Next day a guard came gathering the census. The fool said to him "Shintle-man, shintle-man, maybe it is your bag of chainies you want. "It is",

   (continues on next page)

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Folktales index

   AT1600: The Fool as Murderer

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Bridie O Leary

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Callanafersy West, Co. Kerry

   Informant

   John O' Leary

   Relation

   Parent

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Callanafersy West, Co. Kerry