School: Ballinree, Nenagh (roll number 15560)

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1. The Son of Strength

   

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   Once upon a time Connaught men used to go to Ulster to look for work. This man who was working there, was made carry a big oak tree upon his back. This work nearly killed him, and he had to go home to Connaught. But the grip that he had on the tree was so terrible that an acorn stuck to his fist and it could not be got off. The day that he was dying his wife gave birth to a son. When the man dying he told his wife to take the acorn from his fist when he would be dead, and plant it. and when it is planted seven years send out your son, and tell him to pull up the tree. When he was dead she planted the acorn. After seven years, she told her son to go out and pull up the oak tree if he was able. He went out to pull up the oak tree but failed to pull it up (but failed) He went in and his mother fed him well for another seven years. When the seven years were up he went out again to pull up the tree but failed. His mother brought him in and fed him well for the same length of time. She then told him to go out and pull up the oak tree when the time was up He went out but it was a strong tree by this time. With the first pull he loosened it in

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

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   AT0650**: The Strong Youth

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Tom Delaney

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Lismore, Co. Tipperary