School: Cromadh (B.)

Location:
Croom, Co. Limerick
Teacher:
Dáithí Ó Ceanntabhail
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0506, Page 744

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0506, Page 744

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  1. XML School: Cromadh (B.)
  2. XML Page 744
  3. XML “Local Traditions - Miscellaneous”
  4. XML “Local Traditions - Miscellaneous - A Folk Tale”

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  1. (continued from previous page)
    Continued from page 740]
    dealt with on Cro-hara-thor-nakthor, I think now that an integral part of that story was that the giant's heart was in a pigeon's egg which had not been laid, and that in order to kill the giant the pigeon with its egg had first to be destroyed. I heard these stories under unfortunate circumstances because (when they were being told me) I was wracked between the mental anxiety to listen to and retain them and the physical desire for sleep. Under the new stimulus inspired by the collection of the local traditions of every shade I have been able to resurrect from my own memory, only fragments unfortunately, of what, no matter how great my attention, I only half heard.
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
  2. Another fragment which I remember concerned a king whose queen died, leaving him one son. The king married secondly and the new step-mother who had herself two daughters became jealous of the little boy and tried to poison him. He had however a friend in a brown bull who used to supply food to the boy from his horn, on a "napkin". Eventually the step-mother had the brown bull killed and the boy got a belt of the bull's skin and with this belt he carved his way to fortune. I have entirely forgotten the incidents in the boy's career but I know the stories ended for me this wise:
    "And they got married and lived happy, and if they didn't, that we may, put down the kettle and make the tay"
    Now I asked the schoolboys if any of them had ever heard stories like those I have noted above, and the result was
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Folktales index
    AT0302: The Ogre's (Devil's) Heart in the Egg
    AT0511: One‑Eye, Two‑Eyes, Three‑Eyes
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Daithí O Ceanntabhail
    Gender
    Male
    Informant
    Micheál O hArtagáin
    Gender
    Male