School: Waterville (C.) (roll number 16015)
- Location:
- Waterville, Co. Kerry
- Teacher: Helen O' Sullivan
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0475, Page 127
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- A long time ago there lived a King. He had only one son. There also lived near them a Princess known as Princess Beautiful. This Prince was courting the Princess. She loved him very much and was willing to marry him. So the marriage between them was to "come off". The guests from far and near were invited, and among these was a dwarf who had a great notion of the Princess. He was a very powerful magician and was also malicious. He was "wee" and ugly, but his great pride was of his beard which was seven feet long, and every hair of it was pure gold. When the dwarf heard that they were to get married he was raging, and he swore that even still she should take him for a husband and if not she would be nobody. But he still did not tell this to anybody. He went to the wedding. All were in the Church, and the Prince and Princess stood before the Altar. The Priest was about to make them man and wife when a wild noise of whistling, roaring and rending rose outside. Then the doors were burst open, and a terrible hurricane swept up the aisle and caught up the Princess Beautiful, and the Prince tried to hold her, but all in vain. She was swept away, no one knew whither. The Prince was in great despair. The Princess father was very angry and said to the Prince: "Go and find her, or your life shall answer for it." The Prince wished nothing better. So he set out. He rode for a good many miles. At last he entered a forest, and, as he went through it, he heard a pitiful cry. He looked round and saw a hare caught in a trap. He went over and relieved it. Then the hare said to the Prince:- "You have saved my life, and I am very grateful to you". I know why you are here and whom you (spe) seek. To find the Princess will be a hard task for it was that bad dwarf who rose the tempest, and he has her under an enchantment in his Castle, and you must overcome the dwarf and, to do this, you must have the Sword of Sharpness."(continues on next page)
