School: Loughill, Longford

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1. An Old Story

   

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   A soldier was coming home from the war. He saw an old witch along the road. "Good Morning soldier" she said, are you coming you coming home from the war?" "I am" said he. "Do you see that tree there"? she said Climb up and go down in the hole that was in it. There is a room with a chest in it and a dog with eyes as big as tea cups on the chest. Don't be afraid of him put him on my apron and you can take as much coppers as you please. If you dont like coppers you can get silver in the next room. You shall see a dog with eyes as big as a mill-wheels on this chest. Do the same as you did with the other dog. You can get gold in the next room. You will see a dog with eye as big as towers on this chest. Do the same as you did with the other dogs. "Yes but what am I to do for this? said the soldier. "Only get me an old tinder box my mother left there." she said. The soldier got all the gold he was able to carry. "Give me the old tinder box" said the witch. "I'll give you this" said the soldier cutting her head off with his sword. He lived a luxurious life till he was poor again. One night he had no light. There was a candle in the tinder-box. He struck the match against the box and the dog with eyes as big as tea-cups appeared. "What does my master want with his slave" he asked. "Bring me a bag of coppers" said the soldier. He lived luxurious again. One day he saw the princess and fell in love with her. He told a dog to bring her to him. The princess told her mother she dreamt that she was carried by a dog to the house of a soldier. The queen set a woman to watch next night. She followed the dog to the soldier's house and put a cross on the door. The dog put a cross on every door in town, and when the queen's army came to arrest the soldier they were disappointed. The queen next sowed (flour in the princesse's gown and the soldier was arrested. He was sentenced to be hanged. The day of hanging came. The army paraded around the scafold. He asked to lay his on his old tinder box. This was granted. When he struck it three times the three dogs appeared and asked what did he want with his slaves. "Release me" said the soldier

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Folktales index

   AT0562: The Spirit in the Blue Light

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Kevin Doherty

   Gender

   Male