School: Cill Ruadháin (roll number 7088)

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1. Long Legged Jack

   

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   Long ago there was poor widow who lived in a cabin with an only son and this was a boy who had never got out of bed for a great number of years. His poor mother had to work very hard to support him. He grew so tall that she could not support him any longer. He would eat a barrel of potatoes every day, a lot of bread, a side of bacon, and he was more hungry than dry after eating it all.
   The poor old woman did not know what to do. She told him that he must get up and do some work. He used to say he would get up every day, but when morning would come he would lie in bed the same as usual. After some time the boy grew very tall and his legs grew out through the end of the house . Now there was a hole at the end of the house which was full of water. One morning a man was coming home with a load of turf and he had to pass over the stream. When he was passing, Jacks legs held up the car (and) of turf. After this Jack told his mother that his legs were sore and he would like to get up. His mother was delighted to hear this but when he got up he was not able to stand for two day.

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Folktales index

   AT0326: The Youth Who Wanted to Learn What Fear Is

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Peggy Grace

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Graigue Upper, Co. Tipperary

   Informant

   Winnie Ryan

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   70

   Address

   Graigue Upper, Co. Tipperary