School: Ballymahon (B.) (roll number 12690)

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1. An Old Story

   

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   There was once a man and his wife who were very poor. On a fair morning he set out to sell his last cow. The man's name was Jack. On his way he met a little man who asked him where he was going. Jack said he was going to the fair to sell his only cow. The little man said, "If you give me the cow I will give you this bottle which will make you rich again." Jack did not like this very muck but at last by the way the little man told him he consented. "Now", said the little man,"when you go home get your wife to sweep the floor clean, then spread a white cloth on the floor and say "bottle do your duty". Then Jack went home and his wife began to argue with him. After a while she said "Put it down and see what will happen". She did what the little man told them. Jack said in a loud voice "Bottle do your duty". Then little men sprang from the bottle and placed gold and silver dishes on the table before them with a meal fit for a king on the dishes. The landlord happened to hear of the bottle. He made up his mind he would get the bottle from Jack. He went to Jack and told him he would give him his house free and a farm of

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Folktales index

   AT0563: The Table, the Ass, and the Stick

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Gerard Sheehan

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Ballymahon, Co. Longford

   Informant

   Dan Killian

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   80

   Address

   Clooncallow, Co. Longford