School: Ráth an Tóiteáin (Burnfort), Malla (roll number 11249)

On this page

1. How the Robin Got Its Red Breast

   

   Share Share Post

   A long time ago there was one fire in the north where it was always very gold. All the people of the north loved that fire, and would not live without it. They put a man and a boy to watch it in their turns night and day. Their job was to put fresh wood in the fire when it was going out. There was a great white bear who lived by the icy seas. He thought that if there was no fire the people would have to go away and leave him to hunt the fish alone. He hoped that some day the man or boy who watched the fire would grow careless and fail to keep it lighting. This did happen one day. The boy was in charge when he fell asleep. That was the what the bear wanted. He crept out of his hiding place to where the fire was while the fire slept. The bear lay down on the ground and rolled over on the fire until it was quite black and not a spark could be seen.
   "Good," said the white bear to himself. "Now I shall have peace and everything will be nice and cold again."
   "Cluirp," said a cheery voice at this moment and out hopped a little robin from his nest near by. He looked around and saw that the bear had gone away. He flew up to the fire, and he was glad to see that there was one spark left in the fire. He flapped his wings as quickly so he could and in this way fanned the spark. Some more sparks appeared and then a little flame which grew larger as the robin continued flapping his wings. But the bird had gone so near to the fire that

   (continues on next page)

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. agents (~1)
      1. animal-lore (~1,185)
         1. bird-lore (~2,478)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Sheila Cronin

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Clogheen, Co. Cork

   Informant

   Cronin

   Relation

   Parent

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Clogheen, Co. Cork