School: Ballinree, Nenagh (roll number 15560)

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   “Once upon a time there lived a poor fisherman names Jack.”

   

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   Once upon a time there lived a poor fisherman named Jack. He was very poor, one night when he was talking with his friend's they told him that the king a competition which was whoever could beat his daughter in a race could marry her. Now this girl was a great runner. Jack said to himself he would try to win the race. So he gathered fifteen pound, he started out on his way he was passing a graveyard where a burial was taking place. There was great talk inside the graveyard so Jack went in. He found that the man would not be buried until his people payed a debt he owed. Jack paid the debt. Not long after he met a little red haired man who said his name was redhead. Jack told the little man his story. Redhead gave him some money and both of them kept going on. Soon they met a man with one big ear who said his name was listener and that his job was to listen to the grass growing and said his wages were very small. Redhead paid listener double the wages. The three of them kept going. Next they met a big tall man who had one leg tied up he said his name was runfast and that he was able to run so fast that he had to keep one leg tied up or else he would run away altogether. Runfast said his job was to run after the hares so as to keep them out of the corn. Jack asked runfast what would be best to do to win the race. Runfast

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Folktales index

   AT0505: Dead Man as Helper

   AT0513A: Six Go through the Whole World

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Joe Boyle

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Pallas East, Co. Tipperary