School: Ballyhale (roll number 7914)

Location:
Ballyhale, Co. Kilkenny
Teacher:
Eibhlín Ní Shúilleabháin

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Fairy Story

Archival Reference

The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0848, Page 074

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A woman living in Cotterstown had two twin babies. They were about six months old. One night the fairies stole the babies. They put two aulawns of fairies in their stead. The woman was wondering why the babies wern't growing at all
One day she was outside the window washing. The fairies thought she wasn't near to them at all. She heard one say to the other, "Do you remember the battle of Banagher?" "I do," said the other, "and many another battle besides." Now, the woman's babies could not talk at all and she knew that the fairies had stolen her children. She reddened a shovel in the fire and went into the fairies and threatened to roast them if they would not give back the children. So the fairies sent to their king and explained the situation to him and he brought back the babies and the woman let the fairies off.

Collector
Nellie Henebry
Gender
female
Address
Ballyhale, Co. Kilkenny
Informant
Michael Henebry
Relation
parent
Gender
male
Address
Ballyhale, Co. Kilkenny
Language
English