School: Cluaineach (C.) (roll number 11774)

Location:
Coolrawer, Co. Sligo
Teacher:
Bean Uí Chlaimhín
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0170, Page 0362

Archival Reference

The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0170, Page 0362

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  2. XML Page 0362
  3. XML “Story”

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  1. Once upon a time there lived a man who was very cruel to his wife. He used beat her continually and he spent every penny of his earnings in the public house. He used come home drunk every night and beat his wife worse than ever.
    One night when the man was gone to the town, his poor wife was crying bitterly and a fairy woman walked in and asked why she was so distressed. The woman told her of her husband's cruelty and craving for drink. The fairy tole the woman that the man would stay at home the next night, that he would sneeze three times at the stroke of twelve o clock and not to say "God bless us" at any time.
    Next night the man ill-used his wife and began to sneeze at midnight. The first time he sneezed his wife was silent the second time she said nothing, but heedless of the fairy's warning the third time the woman said "God bless us". They went into bed and during the night the fairies came and [?] the woman out of the bed. When the man felt his wife going out, he pulled her into the bed. Her face was cut and bleeding. In the morning she told the man about the fairy woman and how she was afraid that the fairies would kill her husband or take him away to the "liss" if she didn't say "God bless us" when he sneezed. He was very thankful to his wife and never ill-treated her again.
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. agents (~1)
      1. supernatural and legendary beings (~14,864)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Vera M. Jennings
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Cully, Co. Sligo
    Informant
    Mrs Tom Walsh
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Cloonagh, Co. Sligo