School: Coore (Cora), Mullach (roll number 10191)

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1. Idle Jack (continued)

   

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   an old cat. Jack took the cat home in his hands as he wanted to obey his mother. But it scraped him so he had to let it go. "You foolish boy said his mother you should have led it home by a string." Jack said he would do it next time. Then he worked in a butcher's shop and he got a leg of lamb. Jack tied it with a string and dragged it through the road. When he got home the leg of lamb was spoilt. She asked why he did not carry it on his back. I will do so next time said Jack. After that he went to work for a grocer who gave him a small donkey. Jack was very strong so he put the donkey on his back with it's legs up in the air. In this way he set out for home. Now on his way home he had to pass the house of a rick man. This man had a child, a young girl who was deaf and dumb. The doctors had said that she would never hear or speak until someone first made her laugh. Many tried to amuse her but could not do so. And at last the father said he would give a bag of gold to anyone who would make his child laugh Now the young girl was at the window when Jack past by. And when she saw him with the donkey on his back he looked so funny that the girl burst into a loud fit of laughing. And at last she found she could hear and speak. You may be sure that the

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Folktales index

   AT1696: “What Should I have Said (Done)?”

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Mary Crawford

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Shanavogh West, Co. Clare

   Informant

   Mary Crawford

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Shanavogh West, Co. Clare