School: Athgarvan, Curragh (roll number 13350)

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1. Scéal E (continued)

   “There was a king in Ireland long ago and he had three sons.”

   

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   Irish prince to do in the morning. "I will send him to look for the needle my grandmother lost, years and years ago, in the stable" said the old queen. "Very well" said the king. "Listen", whispered the girl "when they send you down to the stable don't attempt to clean it out till I come to help you". "All right" said the prince.

   Next morning he was sent down to clean out the stable and to look for the needle. When he got there the stable was filthy, it looked as if it had not been cleaned out for years, so the prince said to himself that he would try to have some at least of the work done before the young lady came to help him. He got a pitch fork and began to clean out some of the manure but the moment he threw out a pitch fork-full about ten times as much came in and he was almost up to his eyes in filth when the young lady came in. "Oh" said she, "you should have done what I told you". THen she took up a fork and threw out one fork load and the moment she did all the manure went out the door from itself leaving the floor of the stable as clean as a new pin. Then she and the prince searched for the needle and in a few minutes she found it. "Take it" said she "and show it to my mother but don't give it up to her. Tell her she ordered you to get it but she did not order you to give it to her". "Remember" she added, " you are to keep that needle you may want it badly later on". Then she left him and stole back to her fathers castle.

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Folktales index

   AT0313: The Girl as Helper

   Languages

   Irish

   English

   Location

   Kilmaley, Co. Clare

   Collector

   Bríghid Bean Mhic Niocaill

   Gender

   Female

   Occupation

   Múinteoir