School: Baile an Mhuilinn
- Location:
- Milltown, Co. Sligo
- Teacher: Rós Nic Airchinnigh
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0157, Page 382
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- Once upon a time there lived a woman with her son Eoghainin in a little hut. The landlord had threatened them that if the rent was not paid within a month he would have them evicted. So poor Eoghainin said he would go to the fair and sell one of their cows but his foolish mother said that she herself would go.
She set out for the fair with the advice from her son "to get the highest penny in the fair." She journeyed up and down the fair shouting "I want the highest penny in the fair for this cow". A wise old jobber tied up three pence in a handkerchief and tied it to the top of a stick and held it up over his head. "Here is the highest penny in the fair" said he. "O, give me that," said the old woman, "that's what I want."
She went home and told her son that she got the highest penny in the fair for the cow. When Eoghainin saw the few coppers he was very angry and said that he himself would go to the next fair with the other cow. When the fair day came Eoghainin drove out the cow but the old woman insisted on taking her to the fair herself. The son again advised her to get the highest penny in the fair(continues on next page)
